5A SIC division titles on the line Friday. What four football teams can do to win them
Note to the schedule makers: Cut the fans a break.
Friday’s high school football schedule features nearly every meaningful regular-season game this fall — games everyone circled to start the season.
The slate includes a pair of matchups that will almost assuredly determine who goes to the 5A SIC championship, the battle of the top two teams in the 4A SIC and a matchup between the 3A SRV’s preseason co-favorites.
Unless you have ties to any of those schools, good luck picking which one to attend. But we’ve got you covered with the insights on each matchup.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN AT MERIDIAN
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Broadcast: NFHSNetwork.com
The long-awaited battle of No. 1 Rocky Mountain and No. 2 Meridian is finally here. And it comes with plenty at stake.
A victory clinches Rocky Mountain (6-0, 3-0) the 5A SIC Foothills Division title, a spot in the conference championship game and a bye into the state quarterfinals. Meridian (6-0, 3-0) needs a win and a Capital loss to Middleton on Friday to do the same.
The matchup also features the only two undefeated teams left in 5A. The secret to their success? Punishing defenses.
Meridian leads all 5A teams by allowing just 6.7 points per game and has forced a state-leading 23 turnovers. Rocky Mountain isn’t far behind at 8.5 points per game, in second place.
Rocky Mountain has dominated the series, going 12-2 all-time vs. the Warriors and winning 10 in a row. But Meridian cut the gap to three points last year. And it gets to host this time.
Prediction: Meridian 22, Rocky Mountain 20
MOUNTAIN VIEW AT EAGLE
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Broadcast: NFHSNetwork.com
This matchup atop the 5A SIC River Division comes with all the postseason implications as Rocky and Meridian. But the scenarios aren’t quite as simple.
A victory clinches Eagle (4-2, 4-0) the division title and a spot in the league championship. But No. 4 Mountain View (4-2, 4-0) must win Friday and again next week against Nampa to get a shot to defend its 5A SIC crown.
Both of the perennial powers have overcome injuries that would cripple other programs. Eagle lost its starting running back to a season-ending knee injury. But Roy Hull and freshman Noah Burnham have more than filled the gap the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, the story of Justin McGee sums up Mountain View’s season. He began the year at wide receiver before an injury to the Mavericks’ top running back shifted him into the backfield. Then an injury to quarterback Dawson Wahl allowed him to make his first start under center last week. And he delivered with 350 total yards and four TDs in a 45-17 win at Kuna.
Prediction: Mountain View 28, Eagle 21
EMMETT AT BISHOP KELLY
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Broadcast: NFHSNetwork.com
Both No. 1 Bishop Kelly (6-0, 2-0 4A SIC) and Emmett (5-1, 2-0) have two more conference games after Friday. So neither can clinch anything this week. But a conference title is next to impossible without a victory Friday.
Emmett enters as the two-time defending 4A SIC champ, crowns won largely thanks to two upset victories over Bishop Kelly. No longer intimidated by the perennial power, Emmett always seems to rise to the challenge against the Knights.
The Huskies are on the upswing, winning five in a row behind the emergence of quarterback Dakota Perry. The senior has already set a single-season program record with 25 passing touchdowns.
But Bishop Kelly’s defense has suffocated every opponent so far. The Knights give up a 4A-low 6.7 points per game. And they held 4A’s top-scoring offense, Burley, to just 14 points a week ago while triggering the running-clock mercy rule.
Prediction: Bishop Kelly 27, Emmett 13
HOMEDALE AT WEISER
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Broadcast: IdahoSports.com
Another likely de facto league title game comes in the 3A SRV between four time-defending league champ Homedale and reigning state champ Weiser.
No. 2-ranked Homedale (5-1, 2-0) has won 22 straight against SRV opponents. But some of its toughest challenges in recent years came against No. 3 Weiser (6-0, 2-0), including an eight-point win last year and a three-point victory in 2020.
The two programs share an eerie amount of similarities. Both have posted three shutouts this season. Both wear teams down with a stable of running backs. And both have searched out tough nonconference schedules to prepare for this matchup.
The one advantage comes at quarterback, where Homedale’s three-year starter, Jaxon Dines, has completed 73% of his passes for 1,160 yards and 11 TDs despite limited opportunities in blowouts.
Prediction: Homedale 27, Weiser 22
This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 6:19 PM.
