Prep football recap: Timberline gets revenge. BK, Homedale join it in state semis
An unlucky draw in the state football bracket forced Timberline to face the only team it lost to this season. But instead of fearing a potential rematch, the Wolves embraced it and got some payback Friday.
No. 1-ranked Timberline stuffed Middleton’s power-run game, scoring a 21-7 victory in the state quarterfinals at Dona Larsen Park.
The win sent the Wolves (9-1) to the semifinals for the first time in program history, where they will host Coeur d’Alene (7-3) next week. The victory also set a new single-season program record for wins, and it provided Timberline’s defense with some redemption.
“We all wanted Middleton,” Timberline senior quarterback Jack Brant said. “We want to beat every team in the state, and we couldn’t do that if they didn’t win (vs. Capital).”
Five weeks ago, Middleton (7-4) running back Jake Perez shredded the Timberline defense for 215 rushing yards and three TDs in a 26-12 upset. But on Friday, the Wolves held the 6A-leading rusher to just 37 yards on 14 carries.
Timberline shut down running lanes all night, keeping Perez from ever getting started and finding a rhythm. The Wolves also took control of the game early, jumping out to a 14-0 lead to prevent the Vikings from feeding Perez the ball 30 times.
“We knew they were gonna come and try to run on us,” Timberline senior Hudson Lewis said. “They ran it at us for the last two years and beat us. So we knew we had to make sure we had a great game plan. We loaded the box and we stopped them, and they couldn’t really do much.”
Timberline’s defense forced a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, and Brant spotted the Wolves the early lead with a 21-yard touchdown scramble. Timberline’s Karl Fransen then recovered an ensuing onside kick, and Lewis punctuated that possession with a 14-yard touchdown run.
Timberline coach Ian Smart said his team needed to steal extra possessions with Perez looming on the other sideline. That recovery and three forced turnovers forced Middleton to play from behind all night and turn to its passing game.
The Vikings finished the night with just 152 total yards, including 36 on the ground. Middleton entered the quarterfinals running for 214 yards per night, and Perez ran for 1,045 yards in the past five weeks alone.
“Thirty-six (rushing) yards? That’s crazy,” Smart said. “Again, they’re a fantastic football team. So to kind of see that is a testament to what our kids on defense prepared for.”
Middleton looked to roar back to life on several occasions. Carsen McConkie recovered a fumble at his own 1-yard line to prevent Timberline from taking a 21-0 lead. The Vikings executed a 2-minute drill as Briar Baughman hit Talyn Kaminski for a 6-yard TD with 22 seconds left before halftime. And Middleton looked to cut it to one score early in the fourth quarter with a promising drive.
But Andrew Price punched the ball loose for a sack fumble, ending the Vikings’ last chance for a comeback and extending Timberline’s historic season.
The East Boise school entered the season with just two playoff wins in its previous 27 years. Timberline was known as a baseball, basketball, volleyball — anything-but-football — school until the season started. But the perennial doormat keeps setting new records week after week to become one of the last four teams standing.
“I’ve always told them I would rather lose with good humans than win with turds,” Smart said. “It’s really nice to win with good humans.
“They’ve just done everything we’ve asked, and they just play the game the right way. It’s a blast.”
TIMBERLINE QB INJURED
The record-setting victory also came with a scary moment for the Wolves when Brant limped off the field with a noncontact injury in the fourth quarter.
The senior planted his left foot into the turf and saw his left knee give out on a third-down run with 5:25 left. He tried to limp off the field but failed to make it to the sideline.
“I just cut, and it popped a little bit,” Brant said. “But so far, the doctors think it’s pretty good, maybe some like microtears. But for now, everything is good.”
Trainers taped up his knee, and Brant ran up and down the sideline before the Wolves’ final drive. But with a two-score lead, Timberline let sophomore Kian Borja run out the clock.
“I figure I’ll be good for next week,” Brant said.
Brant ran for a game-high 105 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. He also finished 12-for-19 for 123 yards through the air, including a 7-yard, over-the-shoulder TD pass to Lewis for the game’s final score.
RIGBY 42, MOUNTAIN VIEW 28
The Mavericks led 14-7 at halftime in Rigby. But it was all Rigby the rest of the way as Mountain View (7-4) saw its season end in the 6A state quarterfinals.
No stats were reported for either team.
Rigby (9-1) will host Rocky Mountain next week in the semifinals.
BISHOP KELLY 40, BLACKFOOT 8
Both teams scored on their opening drives. But top-ranked Bishop Kelly pitched a shutout the rest of the way to return to the state semifinals.
The Knights (11-0) will host Skyline (9-2) next week for a spot in the state championship game.
Bishop Kelly’s defense finished the night forcing three turnovers, adding to its 5A-leading total while limiting Blackfoot (7-4) to just 207 yards of offense.
Ryan Arellano led a balanced offense, running for 218 yards and two TDs on 21 carries. Meanwhile, quarterback Ben Avella finished 10-for-15 for 169 yards and two TDs for the Knights, who built a 30-8 halftime lead.
FRUITLAND 41, BUHL 27
Even in the state quarterfinals, the blowouts continued for the top-ranked Grizzlies.
Quarterback Titus Vidlak kept up his back-breaking pace, collecting 218 passing yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 144 yards and three more scores. He also made field goals of 22 and 28 yards.
Receiver Joel Philpot totaled four receptions for 89 yards and a TD, and Killian Wilson caught five passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. Wilson added 83 yards on the ground, and Kysen MacKenzie grabbed an interception on defense.
Fruitland (10-0) will host Kimberly (7-3) in next week’s semifinals.
HOMEDALE 30, WEISER 22
The Trojans (9-1) dominated on the ground, running for 311 of their 327 yards and averaging 8.2 yards per carry to return to the state semifinals for the ninth straight year.
Homedale will travel to face its longtime nemesis Sugar-Salem (8-1) next week. A kickoff time, date or location will be set over the weekend.
Javid Blewett ran for 116 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries to lead the Trojans, while Kade Hall ran for 90 yards and a score on 12 carries.
The loss ended Weiser’s season at 6-5. The Wolverines were led by Cole Ingle, who finished with 197 total yards and one touchdown on 19 offensive touches Garrett Walker also hauled in six catches for 68 yards and a score.
NAMPA CHRISTIAN 30, NORTH FREMONT 14
Pete Dice carved up the Huskies’ defense, completing 14-of-21 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns as Nampa Christian (7-2) led throughout and returned to the state semifinals for the first time since 2015.
Dice completed passes to six different receivers. Ian Johnson led the Trojans with 73 receiving yards, and he ran for an additional 116 yards. Dylan O’Brian, CJ Pond and Philip VanGilder all found their way into the end zone courtesy of Dice’s arm.
Nampa Christian will travel to West Side (8-1) next week.
KENDRICK 80, NOTUS 6
The Pirates took it on the chin against a perennial 8-man juggernaut as Kendrick (10-0) rolled to its 15th straight win in the 2A quarterfinals.
Maddox Kirkland threw for five touchdowns and ran for another for the Tigers. Notus (5-6) scored its only points of the night on Sawyer Nicoletti’s 6-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.
TRI-VALLEY 82, DEARY 32
Eli Noah ran for five touchdowns to carry the Titans (8-2) into the 1A state semifinals, where they face Wallace (9-2) next week.
Quarterback Jace Waggoner also ran for a pair of Tri-Valley touchdowns, and he returned an interception 60 yards for a score.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 6:45 PM.
