Mountain West High School Football: Who’s Up, Who’s Down Across the Region (Oct. 5, 2026)

All across the Mountain West region, there were some impressive performances that took place on high school football fields in six states from Idaho to the Dakotas.

High School On SI wanted to look at some of the highs and lows from the region that took place this weekend. Here are some of the highlights we found.

Three Up

Coeur d’Alene (ID)

A year ago, the Vikings lost to Rigby 38-7 to open a season that ended in the 6A semifinals. This year, the Trojans made the trip to the Panhandle, and in a game that lived up to the hype, CdA jumped out to a 27-7 lead and held on for a 34-27 victory Thursday that should give the Vikings a huge boost in a month when the playoff bracket takes shape.

Tannar Stern connected with Gibson Comstock for four touchdowns, and Dawson Riley made an interception in the final minute with Rigby driving for a potential tying touchdown to seal the victory over the reigning two-time 6A state champions.

“We had a lot of kids step up and play hurt and battle against a really good football team,” Vikings coach Shawn Amos told the Coeur d’Alene Press. “That was a gut check, and our kids responded.”

Mitchell (SD)

The Kernels were coming off a 34-20 Homecoming loss to West Central a week ago, so what do they do? They go and spoil rival Watertown’s Homecoming festivities, with Rocky Clark blocking Carson Schlaht’s PAT kick in the second overtime to secure a 23-22 victory and lift them to 3-0 in ESD league play for the first time since 2017.

“We needed this win to prove to our kids and maybe some of our community that we’re making that next step in the program,” Mitchell coach Pat Larson told the Watertown Public Opinion.

East Helena (MT)

The Vigilantes accomplished plenty of firsts a year ago — first shutout, first three-game win streak, first time being ranked, first playoff win. Now, they can add their first first of the 2026 season — a first-ever victory over Laurel. Senior QB Bearek Shuman threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two scores in a 35-0 victory over the Locomotives, who won the last of their three state titles in 2020 and reached the Class A final two years ago.

Three Down

Cody (WY)

The Broncs must feel snakebit. They picked off Star Valley quarterback Ross Hilton five times and had their archrival right where they wanted them — 70 yards from the end zone, with 90 seconds left on the clock, trailing 21-13.

But Hilton finally found a rhythm, and with 20 seconds remaining, he hit Travis Thomson for a touchdown. The Braves then broke out the Philly Special for the two-point conversion to force overtime.

In the extra period, Drew Lancaster scored first for Star Valley on a 6-yard run. Cody answered on its first play as Cache McFadden hit Griffin McCarten on a 10-yard pass, and the Broncs went for two, only for Weston Crogg to knock the pass down to seal the 28-27 victory for the hosts.

Fargo Davies (ND)

The Eagles were poised to end a four-game losing streak to their 25th Street rival Shanley. Chase Kungel’s interception set up Bennett Simmers’ fourth touchdown of the game for a 50-42 lead with 1:27 left.

But the Deacons raced downfield to tie the game with 6 seconds left in regulation, then won it in overtime when they stopped Davies’ 2-point try following Simmers’ fifth TD run, followed by a TD pass from Jacob Perkerewicz to Charlie Dukart and a PAT by freshman kicker Ian Maguire for a 57-56 win.

Pocatello (ID)

For the 16th straight year, the Thunder met crosstown rival Highland for the Black and Blue Bowl. And for the 16th straight year, the Rams brought the thunder down on their rivals — this time by a 17-8 score, increasing their lead in the series to 56-15. Pocatello fell to 1-5 with the loss.

Who rises and falls next? High School On SI will return each week with Three Up, Three Down from around the Mountain West high school football scene.

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