Week 10 Idaho high school football preview: Top games to watch, players to see, score predictions

CLASS 5A

NO. 10 MOUNTAIN VIEW MAVERICKS (5-4) at NO. 7 NAMPA BULLDOGS (7-2)

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

Game nugget: Mountain View has made it out of the opening round of the playoffs every year since 2014.

About the Mavericks: Mountain View was stunned two weeks ago in a 23-14 loss to Nampa after dominating the previous four meetings. The Mavericks will need to contain RB Daniel Carrillo (168 yards, two TDs in first game) while also cutting down on the turnovers (four) in the rematch.

About the Bulldogs: Picked in the preseason to finish 12th out of 13 schools in the 5A SIC, Nampa is the classification's biggest "Cinderella" story this fall. Rushing attack (310 yards per game) and opportunistic defense (plus-11 in turnover margin) has fueled the team to more wins than the past two seasons in Class 4A.

SBLive Idaho pick: Mountain View, 27-21.

NO. 9 MIDDLETON VIKINGS (6-3) at NO. 8 LEWISTON BENGALS (7-2)

7 p.m. (PST) at Lewiston High School

Game nugget: First-ever meeting between two schools.

About the Vikings: Another 4A-jump-to-5A surprise this fall, Middleton has featured both a top 10 offense and defense. Vikings coming off a tough 22-21 loss to Kuna where it blew a two-touchdown lead. WR Tate Johansen (62 catches, 806 yards, eight TDs) needs to be involved for this offense to go.

About the Bengals: Experienced and motivated, they have the best scoring offense in the classification (45.1 ppg) and it’s not particularly close. QB Drew Hottinger is a pass-run threat. RBs Ethan Shaw and Jackson Lathen are tough to slow down. And ATH Christopher Ricard, the school's best baseball player, flourishes in "Slash" role.

SBLive Idaho pick: Middleton, 35-28.

CLASS 4A

VALLIVUE FALCONS (5-4) at NO. 2 MINICO SPARTANS (8-1)

7 p.m. (MST) Friday at Minico High School, Rupert

Game Nugget: Rematch of last year’s first-round game.

About the Falcons: After a few close calls (shootout loss to Burley, one-point loss to Emmett) - is this the week Vallivue gets its signature win this season? Falcons will now have to try and do so without standout RB Tyson Fox, the classification’s leader rusher (1,524 yards, 18 TDs) who broke his leg last week.

About the Spartans: Oh, they remember! It was this same juncture last season when the top seeds lost to Vallivue in the first round, ending their season. Much like the Falcons, Minico wants to run the football, and has a good one in senior RB Jafeth Bendele (1,015 yards, 17 TDs).

SBLive Idaho pick: Minico, 42-30.

NO. 9 BURLEY BOBCATS (6-3) at NO. 5 TWIN FALLS BRUINS (7-2)

7 p.m. (MST) Friday at Twin Falls High School

Game nugget: Twin Falls has won the past nine meetings.

About the Bobcats: Burley is back in the postseason for the first time since 2009. It’s done so with the state’s top-ranked offense at 50 points and 505 yards per game, paced by four-star WR Gatlin Bair (67 catches, 1,023 yards, 18 TDs) and QB Caleb Loveland (2,977 yards, 34 TDs).

About the Bruins: Twin Falls lost out on its opportunity to claim the Great Basin Conference title last week, losing to Minico. But Bruins still have a chance at some bigger hardware - and will ride a defense that forces more turnovers (24) than any team in 4A. .DBs Carter Orr and Zach Beem have seven interceptions. 

SBLive Idaho pick: Burley, 38-34.

NO. 7 LAKELAND HAWKS (7-2) at POCATELLO THUNDER (4-4)

7 p.m. (MST) Friday at Lookout Field, Pocatello

Game nugget: This is Lakeland's first winning season since 2014.

About the Hawks: What a season for the Hawks, who have a win over 5A Inland Empire champion Post Falls on their resume. Now they will look for that to translate into the postseason where they haven’t won in 15 years. Defense gives up 13.2 points per game.

About the Thunder: After a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season, Pocatello was seemingly written up. But the Thunder rallied to win their second consecutive South East Idaho Conference title. RB Ryken Echohawk is a shifty runner who is tough to bring down.

SBLive Idaho pick: Pocatello, 21-14.