Idaho football state championships: Title predictions, previews and how to watch
They say revenge is a dish best served cold. But it’s the star of the menu this week for the Idaho high school football state championship games.
From 6A to 1A, the state title matchups feature conference rivalries, playoff rematches and championship repeats.
So who’s taking home with a banner this weekend? We broke down all the matchups and made our predictions below.
6A: EAGLE (9-2) VS. RIGBY (10-1)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Albertsons Stadium, Boise
Tickets: $13 general admission, $10 students and seniors at GoFan
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 8-1 — Rigby’s road playoff record since 2019. Its only loss was at Eagle in last year’s quarterfinals.
Eagle upset favored Coeur d’Alene in the semifinals last week. Now the Mustangs need to pull off another upset for their first state title since 2009.
Rigby enters as the clear favorite after knocking off previously undefeated Rocky Mountain 21-18 in the semifinals. The Trojans ran for 318 yards and held the ball for 30 minutes in the road victory, grounding a high-powered Rocky Mountain team that routed Eagle 38-0 in the 6A SIC championship game.
Eagle’s title chances rest on its defense forcing stops and getting off the field. The Mustangs proved their mettle against Coeur d’Alene’s pass-heavy attack last week, holding the Vikings to 14 points. But Rigby represents a 180-degree shift with its smashmouth style and four-down offense.
Eagle running back Noah Burnham (1,109 rushing yards, eight TDs) has carried the Mustangs’ offense throughout the playoffs. But he can’t do much while standing on the sideline.
Pick: Rigby 28, Eagle 17
5A: SKYLINE (10-2) VS. HILLCREST (9-3)
When: 8:15 p.m. Friday
Where: ICCU Dome, Pocatello
Tickets: $14 general admission, $11 students and seniors at GoFan
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 9-1 — Skyline’s record in state championship games, including 9-0 in what’s now called the 5A classification
Hillcrest rallied from a 21-6 deficit late in the second quarter to beat Lakeland 42-28 last week in the snow. Its reward? Another showdown with crosstown rival Skyline.
The top-seeded Grizzlies have won nine in a row since a 1-2 start to the season, returning to the finals for the fourth time in five years. Zyan Crockett (1,494 total yards, 22 TDs) headlines the offense as a threat all over the field, while Kaesen Smith (12 sacks) leads the classification’s top defense (13 ppg).
Don’t expect the weather to play a factor indoors. But Skyline always plays well in its home away from home, posting a 16-1 playoff record inside the old Minidome since 2016.
Pick: Skyline 27, Hillcrest 20
4A: HOMEDALE (10-1) VS. SUGAR-SALEM (8-2)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Middleton High
Tickets: $13 general admission, $10 students and seniors at GoFan
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 5-0 — Sugar-Salem’s record against Homedale the past six years, including 4-0 in state championship games.
Homedale’s great white whale looms as the Trojans fight for their first state title since 1997.
Homedale already avenged its only loss this season with a 27-7 victory over Weiser last week. But the greater prize lies with Sugar-Salem, the perennial power that ended Homedale’s season five of the past six years.
The Diggers dropped back-to-back games in September only to roar back and win five in a row by 35.8 points per game. Sugar-Salem leads 4A in scoring offense (40 ppg) and defense (9.6), and running back Dawson McInelly serves as a weapon in and out of the backfield with 1,296 total yards and 21 touchdowns.
Homedale quarterback Xavier Uranga (1,686 passing yards, 21 TDs) leads another efficient Trojan offense, while Luke Henry (1,349 all-purpose yards, 19 TDs) serves as a master of all trades. The Trojans rarely cough up the ball, with eight turnovers all season. They’ll need to continue that streak to bring home that elusive championship.
Pick: Sugar-Salem 21, Homedale 14
3A: DECLO (10-1) VS. WEST SIDE (10-1)
When: 5:30 p.m. Friday
Where: ICCU Dome, Pocatello
Tickets: $14 general admission, $11 students and seniors at GoFan
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 10 — Combined state titles won by Declo and West Side in the past 14 years
The rematch theme continues with the sixth battle in the past three years between these perennial title contenders.
West Side routed Declo 41-13 in the finals last year, but Declo got revenge with a 6-0 victory in September. That shutout was no outlier. The Hornets field the state’s stingiest defense across all classifications, allowing 6.4 points per game. No one has scored more than 14 points against Declo all year.
Pick: Declo 20, West Side 13
2A: BUTTE COUNTY (9-1) VS. KENDRICK (10-1)
When: 4 p.m. PT Friday
Where: Kibbie Dome, Moscow
Tickets: $19 general admission, $15 students and seniors through U of I
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 2 — Idaho football teams with four or more straight state titles. Kendrick could become the third.
Stop me if this sounds familiar. Kendrick enters the championship round with the classification’s top offense (57.3 ppg) and defense (12 ppg), led by a host of explosive playmakers like Idaho commit Sawyer Hewett.
The only difference comes in the classification after the Tigers moved up a level this fall.
Of course, Butte County spoiled Oakley’s bid for a fourth straight title last year, making this a rare battle of two defending state champions.
Pick: Kendrick 34, Butte County 22
1A: CAREY (10-1) VS. DIETRICH (10-1)
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: ICCU Dome, Pocatello
Tickets: $14 general admission, $11 students and seniors at GoFan
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 54-6 — Score of Carey’s win at Dietrich earlier this season.
The first game of the championship week may end up as the most exciting with two of the state’s top playmakers.
Carey quarterback Preston Wood has racked up 2,266 total yards of offense and 49 touchdowns at the head of the top offense in 8-man football (57.4 ppg). That includes 440 total yards and five touchdowns in the Panthers’ dominating win at Dietrich in October.
Meanwhile, Dietrich quarterback Connor Perkins posted 524 total yards and 10 touchdowns in a 71-40 win over Tri-Valley last week. He’s put up similar numbers against everyone except Carey, finishing with 136 total yards and a single touchdown in the Blue Devils’ only loss.
Pick: Carey 42, Dietrich 30
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 11:42 AM.
