Top 5 storylines for IHSAA football season openers

Welcome to opening nighttime of nan 2024 shot season.

Every week, we’ll item cardinal storylines for area games and matchups. So, present we go:

Trojans vs. Vikings continued

Two 6A title contenders meet successful their openers arsenic Rigby travels to Coeur d’Alene.

Coeur d’Alene is classed No. 1 successful nan authorities media poll, while Rigby is tied for 3rd pinch Eagle. The apical 5 besides includes nan accustomed suspects Rocky Mountain and Highland.

Rigby coach Armando Gonzalez is ever speedy to constituent retired that nan squad goals ne'er change: Beat rival Madison, triumph nan conference, triumph successful nan playoffs pinch a homefield advantage.

But Rigby vs. Coeur d’Alene is ever a bully early-season test.

Last year, nan Vikings hit nan Trojans, 27-21, starting Rigby connected a three-game losing streak to unfastened nan season. Two years ago, Rigby downed Coeur d’Alene 24-0 to commencement nan Trojans’ trek to a authorities championship. Coeur d’Alene won nan opener successful 2019, but Rigby won nan rematch 57-56 successful overtime successful nan authorities title game.

To opportunity nan 2 teams person history is an understatement.

Highland’s caller 22

Coming disconnected a 5A authorities title, Highland, 1 of nan state’s perennial shot powers, faces nan situation of replacing each 22 starters from a twelvemonth ago.

Head coach Nick Sorrell said that it mightiness beryllium expected for a squad to postgraduate each its starters erstwhile nan squad features 32 seniors.

The Rams statesman their play successful Las Vegas, facing reigning Nevada authorities champion Legacy High School.

An out-of-state powerfulness is simply a awesome trial — and measuring instrumentality — for immoderate team. But it is particularly existent for a squad that, among a wholly caller harvest of starters, will trust connected a transportation backmost — Keaton Belnap, who was pinch Marsh Valley a play ago.

Hornets vs. speed

Teton comes disconnected a authorities title crippled quality and originates nan caller play by hosting Declo, which is classed No. 2 successful nan 3A conference.

The Hornets person been a perennial authorities powerfulness and Teton, classed 5th successful 4A, mislaid a ton of talent from past year’s team.

The cardinal matchup? Let’s spot if nan Hornet defense has anyone who tin support up pinch Teton speedster Jack Joyce erstwhile he gets nan ball.

Shelley and Preston look for improvement

Jayson Bird takes complete nan caput coaching gig astatine Shelley. The Russets were competitory successful nan (previously) 4A District 6 convention and return a twelve players who made nan All-Conference database a twelvemonth ago. Bird, 1 of 3 caller coaches successful nan conference, takes his squad to Preston for nan opener.

Both teams earned playoff spots a twelvemonth ago, but dream to return it farther.

Shelley’s scoring defense (20.7) was 2nd successful nan convention past twelvemonth only to authorities finalist Hillcrest. Preston mislaid astir of its violative statement and tally game, truthful support an oculus connected really and if nan Russets tin put unit connected nan Preston passing game.

Soda Spring and American Falls look for offense

Soda Springs vanished 0-7 a twelvemonth agone and has caller caput coaches successful Rod Worthington and Scott Gambles.

The Cardinals look an American Falls squad besides looking for betterment aft finishing 3-7 past season.

Both strive to amended violative accumulation this year. American Falls returns a halfway group of linemen, backmost Dax Brower and astir of its accomplishment players that look to amended connected past season’s 16.3 points per game. Soda Springs averaged conscionable 10.29 points.