Boise’s best take on the West at Northwest Showdown. Picks for every Week 2 game
Idaho high school football teams punched above their weight in the inaugural Northwest Showdown last year, going 3-1 vs. competition from Washington and Oregon. Now the showcase event returns for its second edition Friday, adding California and Utah squads to the schedule.
Idaho’s representation is limited to the Treasure Valley this year, but it remains pretty loaded. The four Gem State teams include Rocky Mountain, Eagle, Timberline and Boise. Everyone but Boise is ranked in the latest state media poll, and those same three finished 1-2-3 in the 6A SIC preseason coaches’ poll.
The Idaho quartet will take on four out-of-state opponents who qualified for their respective playoffs last fall. And two enter the week ranked among their state’s best.
So how does Idaho stack up? We’ll find out Friday. But first, we take a stab at predictions for these four games and a key matchup at the 5A level.
PROVO (UTAH) AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Kickoff: 5 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
The marquee matchup of the Northwest Showdown pits No. 2-ranked Rocky Mountain (1-0) against Provo. The Bulldogs (1-2) started the fall ranked third in Utah’s 4A preseason coaches’ poll only to lose back-to-back games by a single touchdown, including a four-point loss on an untimed final play two weeks ago.
The Grizzlies have already slayed one Utah power, hanging on last week for a 39-37 win over Orem, the preseason No. 2 in Utah’s 5A division. Transfer Rasean Jones proved he can make an immediate impact, returning a kickoff for a touchdown, racking up 153 all-purpose yards and grabbing an interception on defense.
Rocky Mountain triggered the running-clock mercy rule against a Washington state semifinalist in last year’s Northwest Showdown contest. Expect a desperate Provo squad to keep it closer.
Prediction: Rocky Mountain 37, Provo 22
SKYVIEW (WASH.) AT EAGLE
Kickoff: 5 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
No. 3-ranked Eagle got embarrassed in last year’s Northwest Showdown, falling to eventual Oregon state champ West Linn 51-14 for its worst loss since 2006. Now the Mustangs get a chance to redeem themselves on the regional stage.
Eagle (1-0) opened the season last week with a 39-14 win over rival Meridian, pulling away in the second half by holding the Warriors scoreless after the break. Everyone knows what two-time, first-team all-state running back Noah Burnham can do. But the true revelation came from Bowen Blackburn (seven carries, 103 yards). A second option in the backfield makes the Mustangs a scary opponent.
Skyview (0-0) of Vancouver, Washington, starts a new era Friday. The Storm made the quarterfinals in Washington’s largest classification each of the past two years. But coach Matt Hamlin replaces a 21-year veteran with the Storm, and Skyview heads into its season opener with new starters all over the field.
Prediction: Eagle 30, Skyview 20
NELSON (ORE.) VS. TIMBERLINE
Kickoff: 8 p.m. Friday at Eagle
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
No. 5-ranked Timberline remains a bit of a mystery. Sure, the Wolves set a program scoring record in a 61-7 beatdown of Borah last week. But a litany of miscues, mistakes and missed opportunities means that score might tell you more about Borah than the Wolves.
Timberline (1-0) will need to step up against Nelson (1-0). The Hawks from Portland head to the Treasure Valley as the No. 7-ranked team in Oregon’s top classification. The five-year-old program started the season with a 26-21 upset last week of the No. 3 team in The Oregonian’s preseason poll, showcasing an explosive offense that scored on plays of 66, 80 and 81 yards.
So Timberline shouldn’t expect another pushover.
Prediction: Nelson 34, Timberline 21
LAGUNA CREEK (CALIF.) VS. BOISE
Kickoff: 8 p.m. Friday at Rocky Mountain
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Strap in for a shootout as neither Boise (0-1) nor Laguna Creek (0-2) have proved they can stop anyone in this young season.
The Brave gave up 501 yards in a 43-28 loss to Capital last week, and the Sacramento-area Cardinals are surrendering 42 points and 411 yards per game thus far.
The flipside is both teams field quarterbacks who can take advantage of the smallest gaps. Boise’s Trevor Schoolfield showed a new wrinkle with his legs last week, running for 77 of his 311 total yards. Meanwhile, Laguna Creek junior Jayden Debbs has completed 67% of his passes for 672 yards and four TDs through two weeks.
Prediction: Laguna Creek 35, Boise 30
BISHOP KELLY AT MINICO
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
We break up the interstate showcases to highlight this 5A ranked matchup as No. 2 Bishop Kelly (1-0) travels to No. 5 Minico (2-0). The Spartans ended Bishop Kelly’s shot at a second straight state title last fall with a 41-35 victory in triple overtime in the state quarterfinals. So the Knights enter with plenty of motivation.
Bishop Kelly cruised to a 50-10 win over Bonneville last week, leading 50-0 at halftime and triggering the running-clock mercy rule as quarterback Ben Avella threw for 266 yards and six TDs. Minico returns only five starters but has exceeded expectations so far with dominant wins over Skyview (37-13) and Mountain Home (52-0).
Prediction: Bishop Kelly 29, Minico 20
This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 8:04 PM.
