Week 7 Idaho high school football preview: Top games to watch, players to see, score predictions

Here is an inside look at the top high school football games across the state of Idaho during the seventh full weekend of 2022.

CLASS 5A

NO. 1 ROCKY MOUNTAIN GRIZZLIES (6-0) at NO. 2 MERIDIAN WARRIORS (6-0)

7 p.m. (MST) Friday at Meridian High School

Game nugget: Battle of the top two defenses in Class 5A.

How the Grizzlies win?: Rocky Mountain’s vaunted defense is no secret. It’s been doing it for years and this one is no different with just 8.5 points and 157 yards per game. But the Grizzlies’ offense will be key. Yes, they are third in the classification at 36.0 points per game. But half of that has come against Capital, Centennial and Coeur d’Alene, which are a combined 5-13. Take away those, and they’re down to 20.3. The play of dual-threat QB Tegan Sweeney will be crucial.

How the Warriors win?: This is the last team in the 5A SIC for Meridian to check off in its recent resurgence. It hasn’t beaten Rocky Mountain in a decade. If the Warriors are going to end the drought, it will need to be with defense and running the football. The Warriors are giving up just 6.7 points per game, have only allowed one team to reach double figures (Week 1/Eagle) and have forced 23 turnovers. RB Marco Del Rio leads a rushing attack averaging 235.0 yards per game.

SBLive Idaho pick: Meridian, 21-14.

NO. 4 MOUNTAIN VIEW MAVERICKS (4-2) at NO. 5 EAGLE MUSTANGS (4-2)

7 p.m. (MST) Friday at Eagle High School

Game nugget: Winner takes over first place in 5A SIC River Division.

How the Mavericks win?: Remember when Mountain View was 0-2? It’s turned into a completely new team almost over the past month, especially on offense. The Mavericks have averaged 41.5 points per game during that stretch and are now top five in the state in points per game (32.3). The critical question is the status of QB Dawson Wahl who missed last week’s game with an injury. But Justin McGee did well in his stead with 296 yards and three touchdowns.

How the Mustangs win?: Eagle has also found an identity on offense, especially lately by scoring 68 points over its past two games. The Mustangs have done so with their ground attack that has had nearly three different rushers go for more than 100 yards. QB Jake Longson, RB Roy Hull and Noah Burnham have more than picked up the slack with the loss of all-league tailback Deegan Martinho.

SBLive Idaho pick: Mountain View, 27-23.

NO. 3 RIGBY TROJANS (5-1) at NO. 6 HIGHLAND RAMS (3-3)

7 p.m. (MST) Friday at Iron Horse Stadium, Pocatello

Game nugget: Rigby has won the past four meetings.

How the Trojans win?: Rigby’s defense might not be getting enough credit. It’s third in the state in points allowed at 9.8. The Trojans just shutout a Skyline offense that has the state’s top 2023 commit in Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon). They’ll now look to take advantage of a banged-up Rams’ offense that, up until last week, had struggled to find its footing. LBs Conner Gneiting, Zach Hawkes and DB Zxaeb Falevai are ones to watch

How the Rams win?: Highland broke the 30-point barrier for the first time last week by racking up 280 yards on the ground. QB Drew Hymas accounted for half of that, but he’s probably not going to do that against this defense. He will need to throw the football. Sophomore WR Kai Callen will hopefully be back after missing last week’s game. If so, he should be Hymas’ go-to target. Junior WR Rhidge Barela should be looked at, too.

SBLive Idaho pick: Rigby, 35-22.

CLASS 4A

NO. 4 EMMETT HUSKIES (5-1) at NO. 1 BISHOP KELLY KNIGHTS (6-0)

7 p.m. (MST) Friday at Bishop Kelly High School, Boise

Game Nugget: Winner takes over first place in 4A SIC.

How the Huskies win?: Score. No team has been able to score more than 14 points against the Knights all season. But maybe Emmett can be the one. It’s the third-ranked offense in the state at 41.8 points per game. QB Dakota Perry can sling the football. He has the second-most touchdowns passes (25) in the classification with only two interceptions. WR Steve Howie has caught more than half of those (13), and RB Ry Fullerton (809) is approaching 1,000 yards.

How the Knights win?: Defense wins championships. Whether it’s LB Jack Dennis, DL Jack Marshall or DB Luke Legarreta, Bishop Kelly is proving that mantra to be true by allowing just 6.7 points and 160.0 yards of total offense per game. But the Knights can score with the best of them, too. Historically, a run-first team, they’ve been pretty balanced on offense with 190 rushing yards to 147 passing. QB Hadley Smith has a great command of the offense right now.

SBLive Idaho pick: Bishop Kelly, 30-20

CLASS 3A

NO. 2 HOMEDALE TROJANS (5-1) at NO. 3 WEISER WOLVERINES (3-0)

7 p.m. (MST) Friday at Weiser High School

Game Nugget: Homedale has won the past five meetings.

How the Trojans win?: It would be easy to point to the offense that is averaging north of 43 points per game, thanks to the play of guys such as QB Jaxon Dines (1,160 yards, 11 TDs), WR Mason Strong (356) and running backs Trenton Fisher and Rylan Binford, who both have at least 350 yards and seven touchdowns this season. But the defense has already posted three shutouts this season. It hasn’t allowed a single Class 3A team to score against them this season.

How the Wolverines win?: Dare we say the reigning state champion has been overlooked this season? Weiser now has the longest winning streak in the state at 11 and looks like a team poised to repeat. The Wolverines have also recorded three shutouts and have the classification’s best defense at just 5.8 points per game. But don’t underestimate the offense at 35.6 ppg with WR Brock Spencer (410 yards of total offense) and QB Andrew Enders (885 yards).

SBLive Idaho pick: Homedale, 28-24.