Idaho High School Football Quarterfinals Feature Several High-Powered Matchups

Five games pairing Top 15 teams highlight this weekend's slate of quarterfinals

Hillcrest can take another step toward defending its 5A state championship this week against Lakeland. / Idaho High School Activities Association

After a fairly quiet first weekend of the Idaho high school football postseason, things head up this week with the quarterfinal round, and High School on SI Idaho will have all the scores you need to keep tabs.

With the race to the Milk Bowl heating up, here are five quarterfinal matchups involving two High School on SI Idaho Top 15 teams that we’re watching over the weekend.

No. 4 Rocky Mountain (9-1) at No. 6 Eagle (8-1), Friday

This matchup was expected to take place two weeks ago in the SIC 6A championship game, only to see Timberline spoil the plans by upsetting the Grizzlies in their regular-season finale, then beat the Mustangs in the district title matchup.

Rocky Mountain set up the showdown with a 38-8 first-round win over Owyhee, reaching the quarterfinals for the 14th straight year thanks to its punishing run game that averages 299.8 yards, led by juniors Kaelan Custer (895 yards, 10 TDs) and Oakley Baxter (770 yards, 11 TDs). 

Eagle counters with a more balanced attack directed by senior QB Austin Ramsey (1,531 passing yards, 24 TDs) and featuring senior RB Noah Burnham (1,272 yards, 15 TDs), one of the state’s top uncommitted prospects.

No. 9 Madison (7-3) at No. 12 Coeur d’Alene (6-3), Friday

The Vikings earned a first-round bye due to its championship in the 6A Inland Empire League but now must face a Bobcats team that staved off an upset bid by Boise to reach the quarterfinals. 

Madison hasn’t been to the semifinals since 2015 and must find a way to slow Coeur d’Alene’s junior QB Tannar Stern, who has completed 48-of-69 passes for 630 yards and eight touchdowns since taking over for injured senior Caden Symons (collarbone), a University of Evansville basketball commit.

No. 13 Mountain View (7-3) at No. 2 Rigby (8-1), Friday

The Mavericks earned their shot at the defending 6A champion Trojans by blasting former top 10 Highland 45-7. Now, they must travel across I-84, hoping the defense they’ve flashed during their current five-game win streak (a 6A-leading 12.3 ppg allowed) — led by senior DE Riggins Stoor (14 sacks) and edge rusher Bill Matua (11.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks) — can slow a Rigby attack that averages 37.3 points per game.

No. 15 Lakeland (9-1) at No. 5 Hillcrest (9-1), Friday

The defending 5A champion Knights eased their way into the quarterfinals by beating Shelley last week and now play host to a Hawks team that needed overtime to beat Inland Empire League rival Lewiston in Round 1. Hillcrest will need to pick its poison between stopping Lakeland senior QB Peyton Hillman (1,898 passing yards, 22 TDs) or junior RB Griffin Tamagni (1,094 yards, 18 TDs).

No. 14 Sandpoint (8-2) at No. 10 Skyline (8-2), Friday

The Bulldogs escaped their first-round game at Minico and must travel even farther east this week to face the Grizzlies, who knocked out Bonneville in Round 1. Skyline senior Zyan Crockett, last year’s MaxPreps Idaho Player of the Year, is a threat in both the run (654 yards, 11 TDs) and pass (31 catches for 766 yards and six TDs) games. Sandpoint counters with junior RB Jensen Sheetz (1,088 yards, 12 TDs).

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