Week 2’s top high school football games: Who will take home the ax trophy this year?
The first two weeks of the high school football season served merely as an appetizer. Now, the main course is here.
The 5A Southern Idaho Conference begins its division schedules this week, the games that matter the most when it comes to playoff seeding. That provides plenty of intrigue. But the star of the weekend remains another cross-division matchup: the annual Battle of the Mountains contest between Rocky Mountain and Mountain View.
The winner emerges with a trophy that includes a 3-foot-long fireman’s ax. So who will take it home this year? We broke down that matchup, and all of the week’s top games, below.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN AT MOUNTAIN VIEW
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Broadcast: NFHSNetwork.com, IdahoSports.com (audio only)
The annual Battle of the Mountains rivalry will not count in the 5A SIC division standings. But it serves as a measuring stick for both programs and a potential preview for the league title game.
No. 1-ranked Rocky Mountain (2-0) has dominated the 5A SIC for years, winning 37 of its past 39 games against conference opponents. The only two losses? They came last year at the hands of Mountain View, including a 26-6 loss in the conference championship that saw the Mavericks force four turnovers and a safety.
Rocky Mountain enters fresh off a commanding 30-7 victory over perennial North Idaho power Coeur d’Alene. Senior safety Troy Wilkey took over the game, blocking a field goal, and scoring on a punt return and a pick-six interception. He also had a pick-six interception against Mountain View last year.
No. 5 Mountain View (0-1) got off to a rough start in new coach Brian Compton’s debut. The Mavericks’ only points came on defense in a 13-7 loss to No. 3 Meridian. It doesn’t get any easier with the Grizzlies and their elite defense coming to town.
Prediction: Rocky Mountain 20, Mountain View 14
OWYHEE VS. BOISE
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Location: Dona Larsen Park
Broadcast: NFHSNetwork.com
One of two teams that won a combined three games last year will start the season 3-0.
Boise has not won its first three games since 1988, when it started 6-0, was the state’s No. 1-ranked team and made the state semifinals, according to the Idaho Statesman’s archives.
The long-struggling Brave started the year with no expectations, finishing 13th out of 13 teams in the 5A SIC’s preseason coaches’ poll. But Boise raised eyebrows with a shutout of Timberline and then a 17-14 road win at Ridgevue behind quarterback Cooper Smith and a reinvigorated defense.
Owyhee won a single game a year ago, and it came against Boise. The second-year program has already surpassed that total at 2-0. But the Storm’s start is not as surprising after coaches picked them sixth in the SIC behind a pair of Division I offensive linemen.
Friday marks the River Division opener for both teams. That makes it important as they seek to make an underdog run to the playoffs.
Prediction: Owyhee 20, Boise 14
KUNA AT EAGLE
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Broadcast: NFHSNetwork.com
Eagle (0-1) found little success in its season opener, falling 36-14 to Meridian in a game not as close as the final score indicated. An expected high-flying offense could muster only 158 total yards, and three-star wide receiver Ian Duarte had just three offensive touches for 10 yards.
A bye week gave the Mustangs time to search for solutions. And they may need them as they host 5A’s top-scoring offense through two weeks in the 5A SIC River Division opener for both teams.
Kuna (2-0) has averaged 38 points in wins over Centennial and Skyview. Senior quarterback Cole Luekenga has thrown for 505 yards and four TDs, and the Kavemen scored on defense and special teams in last week’s shootout win over Skyview.
Prediction: Eagle 35, Kuna 21
BORAH AT NAMPA
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Broadcast: NFHSNetwork.com
The Lions opened the season with back-to-back shutouts. The two shutouts match the program’s total from the previous six seasons combined. Now Borah (2-0) turns its attention to its 5A SIC River Division schedule and faces possibly its toughest test yet.
Nampa (0-1) lit up the scoreboard at the 4A level the past four seasons. And the Bulldogs return an experienced quarterback in Gabe Navarro (third among 4A passers in ‘21) and an explosive running back in Daniel Carrillo (six among 4A rushers in ‘21).
Nampa showcased that firepower in a 36-34 loss to Middleton last week. But will it translate against a 5A regular?
Prediction: Borah 28, Nampa 14
CENTENNIAL AT BISHOP KELLY
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Broadcast: NFHSNetwork.com
Bishop Kelly (1-0) continues its tour of 5A programs with a chance to beat Centennial (0-2) for the first time in program history. The Knights and Patriots have met three previous times (2000, ‘06, ‘07), and Centennial won all three meetings.
Bishop Kelly throttled another 5A program last week, invoking the running-clock mercy rule in a 41-6 win against Capital. The Knights owned the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, holding Capital to 136 total yards. And quarterback Hadley Smith was lethally efficient, throwing for 204 yards and three TDs on 15 attempts.
Centennial has yet to find much success this year, falling 28-3 to Kuna and 45-14 against Owyhee. It takes on its first 4A opponent in five years looking to stop the skid.
Prediction: Bishop Kelly 42, Centennial 7
MELBA AT NORTH FREMONT
Kickoff: 2 p.m. Saturday
Broadcast: IdahoSports.com, NFHSNetwork.com
No. 5-ranked Melba (1-0) hits the road after an impressive season-opening win over Elko, Nevada. The Mustangs ran for 225 yards en route to a 38-26 win over a school with four times as many students. Elko routed Skyview, a 4A program, 61-35 a week before.
Melba fell twice to No. 3 North Fremont (1-0) last season in a pair of shootouts, including a 44-38 loss in the 2A state quarterfinals. The Mustangs get a chance for revenge Saturday.
Prediction: Melba 38, North Fremont 35
NOTUS AT COUNCIL
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Southwest Idaho’s unanimous favorites in the 1A Division I WIC (Notus) and 1A Division II Long Pin Conference (Council) square off in the top eight-man matchup of the week.
Council (1-0) has won four straight in the series. The Lumberjacks started the season with a bang last week as Dahlton Bingham racked up seven total touchdowns and 403 yards of offense on 13 touches.
Meanwhile, Notus (0-1) is licking its wounds after a 36-0 shutout at the hands of defending 1A Division II state champ Kendrick.
Prediction: Council 36, Notus 27
This story was originally published August 31, 2022 at 3:50 PM.
