Week 3 football preview: Friday night will feature several matchups of undefeated foes

IDAHO FALLS — Week 3 of nan IHSAA shot play brings an accrued number of convention matchups and a fistful of games featuring eastbound Idaho teams presently classed among nan state’s elite.

The Highland Rams (3-0), who jumped to No. 2 connected nan state 6A media canvass this week, will play 1 much out-of-region force astatine Lake City High School — successful Coeur d’Alene — Saturday, earlier opening their convention schedule hosting Thunder Ridge (2-0) adjacent week. Rigby (2-1), who opened their play pinch a nonaccomplishment astatine Coeur d’Alene, fell from nan apical 5 aft CDA mislaid to Lewiston past week. That pushed Madison (3-0) into nan No. 5 spot among nan state’s 6A schools.

Rigby, looking to move backmost into nan apical five, will big Bishop Kelly (2-0) successful our East Idaho News Game of nan Week. The Knights are presently nan apical 5A squad successful nan state, according to nan media poll.

Here are immoderate of nan different apical storylines going into nan 4th play of Idaho High School football.

Another showdown of unbeatens

West Side (2-0) sits atop nan state’s 3A Division, pinch wins complete Firth (No. 5) and South Fremont.

Marsh Valley (2-0) has scored a mixed 80 points en way to wins complete South Fremont and Teton. The Eagles received votes but person not yet joined nan ranks of nan state’s top-five 4A teams.

A triumph complete nan Pirates would undoubtedly move them onto that database while a West Side triumph would cement nan reigning authorities champs arsenic a contender erstwhile again.

Who gets disconnected nan schneid

Idaho Falls (0-2) and Century (0-3) person each limped done nan first fewer weeks of games.

The Tigers person suffered done a 20-13 nonaccomplishment astatine Thunder Ridge and a 35-16 nonaccomplishment hosting Pocatello. Now they will spell to Pocatello to look nan big Diamondbacks, who person suffered lopsided losses to Nampa (42-7), Burley (33-0) and Canyon Ridge (41-13).

One of them will gain their first triumph of nan season.

Surprise?

Speaking of Pocatello, nan Thunder (2-0) find themselves classed 5th successful nan 5A Division. This aft finishing 7-3 pinch a semifinal nonaccomplishment successful nan authorities tourney past year.

Blackfoot, connected nan different hand, suffered done an 0-9 play successful 2023, earlier hiring caller caput coach Josh Steward, formerly pinch Declo. Stewart told EastIdahoNews.com that he did not want to put a win-total anticipation connected nan season, but insisted his squad would “win immoderate games” while being competitory week successful and week out.

The Broncos (1-1) were speedy to scrap immoderate fearfulness of different winless play erstwhile they scored a 34-28 triumph complete Preston successful Week 1. They followed that pinch a 42-0 nonaccomplishment to Skyline. Now, successful its first roadworthy trial of nan caller season, Blackfoot will look to found itself arsenic a threat against a Pocatello squad pinch title hopes.

Ririe looks for 3rd win

The Bulldogs are disconnected to a 2-0 commencement and effort to make that 3-0 against a Marsing squad that is besides 2-0 and leads nan Western Idaho Conference. Both are receiving votes successful nan 3A authorities media poll.

Ririe won conscionable 3 games each play a twelvemonth ago. The Bulldogs won 2 games successful 2022, 1 successful 2021, and 2 successful 2020.

A 3-0 commencement would lucifer nan team’s champion commencement since 2019 erstwhile they vanished 5-4.

Madison takes connected Skyline

Madison’s 3-0 commencement has been impressive, but nan Bobcats deed nan roadworthy for nan first clip this play erstwhile they return connected Skyline astatine Ravsten Stadium.

The Grizzlies bounced backmost from a reliable Rocky Mountain Rumble nonaccomplishment to Morgan (UT) to down Blackfoot 42-0 successful past week’s convention opener.

The Bobcats person been bolstered by a coagulated elder people and averaged astir 37 points done nan first 3 games, astir of those coming successful nan first half of games.

The crippled could get very absorbing if it’s adjacent astatine nan half.

How galore points tin Sugar-Salem and Star Valley score?

That mightiness not beryllium nan correct mobility for this matchup. While nan Digger discourtesy continues to ray up nan scoreboard, nan Digger defense has been arsenic impressive.

Through nan first 3 games, Sugar-Salem has posted 2 shutouts and fixed up six points successful a 41-6 triumph astatine Snake River.

Star Valley (2-0) downed Shelley 44-0 and hit Preston 49-13 past week. The discourtesy has been prolific, but nan Sugar-Salem defense has typically been up to nan task.