High school football state championship previews (Nov. 21, 2015)
4A
BISHOP KELLY VS. SANDPOINT
Bishop Kelly is seeking to become the first 5A or 4A team to win three straight titles with its trip to the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.
Bishop Kelly has won seven in a row after starting 2-2 with losses to 5A playoffs teams. Sandpoint has won seven straight after starting 1-3 against teams with a combined record of 22-9. Both are built around powerful offensive lines and running games.
“It’s their bigs vs. our bigs,” Bishop Kelly linebacker Jon Baumgardner said, “and I’d take our bigs every day.”
Bishop Kelly is devoted to the ground game, averaging 296.5 rushing yards per game and 6.1 yards per carry. Both Luke Burley (901 yards, 13 TDs) and Ivan Torrez (857 yards, 11 TDs) could break the 1,000-yard mark with big games.
Sandpoint started the year in a double-wing set. It switched to an I-formation but still runs many of the same plays and has proven dangerous in play action. QB Davan Norris has thrown for 2,411 yards and 25 TDs, and Wyatt Cox has 55 catches for 1,091 yards and 14 TDs.
“They run the football very well, throw play action and try to beat you deep,” Bishop Kelly coach Tim Brennan said. “We’ve got to be very disciplined and not give up big plays.”
Bishop Kelly is 3-0 vs. Sandpoint, winning 28-24 in the 2006 quarterfinals, 21-20 in the 2005 semifinals and 49-48 (OT) in the 2001 quarterfinals.
3A
EMMETT VS. GOODING
Emmett is looking to win its first state title at Holt Arena in Pocatello.
The Huskies have dominated opponents all season — save for a two-point victory over 4A Middleton — and has the state’s top 3A scoring offense at 51.3 points per game. Senior running back Mason Farnsworth (1,416 yards, 22 TDs) is the heart of the offense. But Emmett has proved dangerous through the air as Saige Wilkerson has completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,672 yards and 21 TDs with three interceptions.
Gooding has nine underclassmen starting on offense. Senior QB Wyatt Williams has 4,100 total yards and 49 total TDs, including 2,827 yards and 38 TDs through the air.
2A
GRANGEVILLE VS. ABERDEEN
Undefeated Aberdeen returns to the final for the second year in a row, looking for the first title in school history.
The classification’s No. 1 defense (9.7 points allowed per game) has carried the Tigers all year. Senior Hilario Carrillo (114 tackles) leads the defense and serves as the top weapon on offense (1,015 rushing yards, 12 TDs).
Grangeville returns to the final for the first time since 2011, when it won its only title. Quarterback Layton Harris threw for 265 yards and five TDs to lead the Bulldogs past Nampa Christian in the semifinals last week.
1A DIVISION I
VALLEY VS. PRAIRIE
This is a rematch of last year’s championship, which Prairie won 72-18. Neither team has lost since (Prairie has won 23 straight).
Reigning 1A All-Idaho Player of the Year Jake Bruner continues to lead a Prairie offense that averages 59.8 points per game. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound quarterback has thrown for 2,643 yards and 29 TDs, and he’s added 919 yards and 20 TDs on the ground.
Valley features its own dynamic quarterback in Ben Taylor, who leads an offense that averages 64.9 points per game and hung 104 points on Lapwai in the semifinals. Taylor has thrown for 2,556 yards and 47 TDs.
1A DIVISION II
SALMON RIVER VS. DEARY
Salmon River is in line for its third eight-man title in four years, but the Savages have to go through undefeated Deary.
Led by senior running back Devin Buys with 1,287 yards, Salmon River has been dominant on the ground, but junior quarterback Tucker Boyd is effective when the Savages turn to the air.
Senior RB Tyler Anderson has carried Deary, rushing for 1,431 yards and 22 TDs while adding 354 receiving yards and six more scores.
“Both teams control the tempo of the game, and both are known for sustaining long drives,” Salmon River coach Charlie Shepherd said. “If you get behind, it’s going to be very tough playing catch-up.”
By Michael Lycklama and Rachel Roberts
New blood in finals
Bishop Kelly and Salmon River are the only championship leaders in the IHSAA era, which began in 1978, looking to win titles Saturday.
School | Titles |
Highland | 10 |
Snake River | 10 |
Homedale | 8 |
Mackay | 8 |
Madison | 7 |
Bishop Kelly | 6 |
Shelley | 6 |
Carey | 5 |
Coeur d’Alene | 5 |
Pocatello | 5 |
Salmon River | 5 |
West Side | 5 |
STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF GLANCE
CLASS 5A
QUARTERFINALS
Rocky Mountain 65, Lewiston 20
Highland 29, Eagle 27
Madison 22, Coeur d’Alene 12
Mountain View 42, Capital 14
SEMIFINALS
Rocky Mountain 24, Highland 7
Mountain View 23, Madison 21
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday
At Albertsons Stadium, Boise
Rocky Mountain (10-1) vs. Mountain View (11-0), 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A
QUARTERFINALS
Century 42, Twin Falls 35 (OT)
Bishop Kelly 28, Middleton 21
Sandpoint 34, Kuna 13
Rigby 43, Blackfoot 13
SEMIFINALS
Bishop Kelly 56, Century 20
Sandpoint 31, Rigby 22
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday
At Kibbie Dome, Moscow
Bishop Kelly (9-2) vs. Sandpoint (8-3), 2 p.m. MT
CLASS 3A
QUARTERFINALS
Emmett 55, Shelley 14
Sugar-Salem 28, Fruitland 26
Gooding 34, South Fremont 33
Homedale 28, Parma 0
SEMIFINALS
Emmett 42, Sugar-Salem 14
Gooding 43, Homedale 34
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday
At Holt Arena, Pocatello
Gooding (9-2) vs. Emmett (10-0), 4 p.m.
CLASS 2A
QUARTERFINALS
Nampa Christian 23, North Fremont 22
Grangeville 41, Melba 6
Declo 34, West Jefferson 28 (OT)
Aberdeen 17, St. Maries 0
SEMIFINALS
Grangeville 48, Nampa Christian 34
Aberdeen 28, Declo 7
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday
At Kibbie Dome, Moscow
Grangeville (8-3) vs. Aberdeen (11-0), 5 p.m. MT
CLASS 1A DIVISION I
QUARTERFINALS
Raft River 36, Notus 8
Prairie 42, Oakley 22
Lapwai 44, Glenns Ferry 25
Valley 48, Kamiah 36
SEMIFINALS
Prairie 44, Raft River 30
Valley 104, Lapwai 48
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday
At Holt Arena, Pocatello
Valley (11-0) vs. Prairie (11-0), 1 p.m.
CLASS 1A DIVISION II
QUARTERFINALS
Carey 26, North Gem 8
Deary 36, Council 28
Salmon River 48, Kendrick 20
Lighthouse Christian 34, Clark County 32
SEMIFINALS
Deary 20, Carey 16
Salmon River 44, Lighthouse Christian 32
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday
At Kibbie Dome, Moscow
Deary (11-0) vs. Salmon River (9-1), 8 p.m. MT
This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 10:45 PM with the headline "High school football state championship previews (Nov. 21, 2015)."