How 8 Boise-area football teams can make the state finals — and which ones will
Only 24 Idaho high school football teams remain standing as the state semifinal round kicks off this week.
That elite group includes eight squads from the Treasure Valley and Southwest Idaho. So which of those eight will advance to championship weekend? We broke down all the matchups, and their keys to victory, below.
COEUR D’ALENE (7-3) VS. TIMBERLINE (9-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday at Dona Larsen Park
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Listen: IdahoSports.com
Timberline key to victory: Protect the ball. Normally, Timberline is the one with a turnover-happy defense. But Coeur d’Alene brings the state’s top defense (14 ppg) and the best unit at forcing takeaways (25) to the Treasure Valley.
The Vikings forced seven turnovers in last week’s quarterfinal win over Madison, and they’ve created 14 takeaways in the past three weeks alone. Timberline has coughed up the ball only seven times this season, the least in 6A. But quarterback Jack Brant suffered a knee injury last week, and whether he can play, or be at 100%, remains in question.
Pick: Coeur d’Alene 29, Timberline 22
ROCKY MOUNTAIN (10-1) AT RIGBY (9-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Listen: IdahoSports.com
Rocky Mountain key to victory: Lean on the big boys. In a pass-heavy era, the Grizzlies are a throwback team that lines up behind their beefy offensive line and dares opponents to stop them. Eagle provided the toughest test yet last week, holding the state’s top rushing offense to 156 yards. But Rocky Mountain found a way to pull out the 13-6 victory.
Rigby provides a similar challenge with a hard-nosed defense and a scale-tipping running game led by Amani Morel, a two-time all-state running back. Rocky Mountain’s offensive and defensive lines must control the trenches for the Grizzlies to return home with a victory.
Pick: Rocky Mountain 27, Rigby 22
SKYLINE (9-2) AT BISHOP KELLY (11-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Listen: IdahoSports.com
Bishop Kelly key to victory: Find and contain Zyan Crockett. The Grizzlies move the reigning first-team all-state receiver all over the field, looking to exploit mismatches and get him the ball in space. The strategy has worked thus far with Crockett putting up 1,542 total yards and 21 TDs to lead Skyline to its fifth straight semifinal appearance.
Bishop Kelly can score with anyone, leading all 11-man teams with 45.1 points per game. But a return trip to the finals becomes a lot easier without Crockett running loose all over the secondary.
Pick: Bishop Kelly 35, Skyline 30
KIMBERLY (7-3) AT FRUITLAND (10-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: IdahoSports.com, NFHSNetwork.com
Fruitland key to victory: Don’t get cocky. Fruitland routed the Bulldogs 49-13 on their home field to start the season. But Kimberly navigated arguably the toughest schedule in 4A, and it proved how far it has come with a 42-0 beatdown of American Falls last week.
Fruitland has looked unbeatable all season behind quarterback Titus Vidlak (3,270 total yards, 43 TDs). But the Grizzlies let Buhl hang around last week in a closer-than-expected finish, and they can’t afford to make that mistake again.
Pick: Fruitland 40, Kimberly 27
HOMEDALE (9-1) VS. SUGAR-SALEM (8-1)
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. Friday at ICCU Dome, Pocatello
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Listen: IdahoSports.com
Homedale key to victory: Forget the past. The Diggers have ended Homedale’s season six of the past seven years, presenting a mental hurdle for the Trojans. But none of those previous matchups or points carry over into Friday’s battle.
Sugar-Salem fields a more potent passing game this fall behind Frank Fillmore (1,159 yards, 17 TDs). But its defense remains as tough as ever, leading 4A with just 11.4 points per game allowed. Homedale’s two-headed rushing attack of Kade Hall (805 yards, 20 TDs) and Javid Blewett (728 yards, nine TDs) needs to find a way to soften up that strong defense to finally beat Sugar-Salem.
Pick: Sugar-Salem 27, Homedale 20
NAMPA CHRISTIAN (7-2) VS. WEST SIDE (8-1)
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. Friday at ICCU Dome, Pocatello
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Listen: IdahoSports.com
Nampa Christian key to victory: Attack, attack, attack. The Trojans made their first semifinal in 10 years. Meanwhile, West Side will play in its ninth straight semifinal round and has captured five state titles in the past six years.
Translation: Nampa Christian is a huge underdog. But West Side doesn’t see a lot of potent passing games on that side of the state. Trojan quarterback Pete Dice and his slate of weapons sliced up North Fremont’s state-leading defense for 296 yards and three TDs last week. Nampa Christian might as well air it out one more time and see where the chips fall.
Pick: West Side 29, Nampa Christian 22
WALLACE (9-2) AT TRI-VALLEY (8-2)
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday
Watch: IdahoSports.com, NFHSNetwork.com
Tri-Valley key to victory: Control the clock. The Titans’ multi-headed ground game runs the ball as well as anyone, averaging 429 rushing yards per game. But that will become even more important as Wallace trots out one of the state’s most prolific weapons in sophomore quarterback Cooper Miller (4,094 total yards, 66 total TDs, one INT). The more time he spends on the sideline, the better for Tri-Valley.
Pick: Tri-Valley 45, Wallace 35
CAREY (9-1) AT COUNCIL (8-1)
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday
Watch: IdahoSports.com, NFHSNetwork.com
Council key to victory: Contain Stockton Sears. The senior has racked up 1,997 rushing yards and 28 TDs so far this season, accounting for 56% of the defending state champs’ total offense. Council struggled to slow a similarly potent Tri-Valley running attack three weeks ago but pulled out a victory. The Lumberjacks will need to do the same to return to the finals for the first time since 2013.
Pick: Council 44, Carey 40
This story was originally published November 13, 2025 at 12:00 PM.
