Gridiron Guesses Oct. 24, 2024: Final playoff berths to be decided this week
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 1 year, 10 months AGO
Gridiron Guesses 2024
Post Falls has qualified for the state football playoffs in six of the last seven seasons.
So even though the Trojans can’t get there by winning the 6A Inland Empire League ...
“We want to keep that tradition alive,” said Blaine Bennett, in his ninth season as Post Falls coach. “The playoffs, that’s a big deal for us.”
Post Falls (5-3, 0-1 6A IEL) travels to Lake City (4-4, 0-1) on Friday at 7 p.m., with the winner earning the league’s second berth to the state playoffs. The loser could also score one of two at-large berths to the 12-team playoffs based on MaxPreps ranking, but that might be easier for Post Falls (eighth in this week’s 6A MaxPreps rankings) than for Lake City (16th).
Both lost to Coeur d’Alene in league play.
“It’s a great opportunity we get, to control our own destiny,” second-year Lake City coach Byron Hout said. “It’s almost like playoff football.”
Lake City’s last trip to the playoffs was in 2019.
Coeur d’Alene (6-2, 2-0 6A IEL) wraps up the regular season Friday at home vs. Raymond (Alberta).
By winning the league title, the Vikings earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Coeur d’Alene will play host to a state quarterfinal game in two weeks.
The 5A IEL title will be decided Friday when Lakeland (6-2, 1-0 5A IEL) plays at Lewiston (5-3, 1-0) on the artificial turf at the new P1FCU Sports Complex at Lewiston High.
Both own league wins over Sandpoint (3-6, 0-2), which is idle.
The Lakeland-Lewiston winner earns the league’s automatic berth to the 16-team state 5A playoffs. The loser will be in the mix for one of eight at-large berths. And with Lakeland third, Lewiston fifth in 5A in this week’s MaxPreps rankings, the loser figures to be in the playoffs as well.
"We scrimmaged them in camp and have seen some film on them," third-year Lakeland coach Mike Schroeder said. "They've got some talented players and being on the road, it's going to be a heck of a game. Hopefully we prepare well and give ourselves a shot."
Sandpoint is 13th in the MaxPreps rankings, and will wait and see what happens statewide on Friday night.
Moscow (7-2, 2-0 Intermountain League) has wrapped up one of five automatic berths to the 12-team state 4A playoffs.
Timberlake (2-6, 0-1) travels to Bonners Ferry (4-4, 0-1) on Friday for the regular season finale. The winner finishes second in league, but still might be on the fence for a playoff berth, as Timberlake is 13th in the 4A MaxPreps rankings, and Bonners is 17th.
Ditto in 3A, where Kellogg (3-5, 2-1 Central Idaho League) travels to Priest River (5-2, 2-1), with the winner finishing second in league.
Grangeville (6-2, 4-0) has wrapped up one of four automatic berths to the 12-team 3A playoffs. Priest River is 12th, Kellogg 14th in the 3A MaxPreps rankings, which are used to determine the eight at-large teams that will play next week.
Also Friday, Lakeside (6-1, 4-1 North Star League) plays Wallace (7-1, 4-1) at Sather Field in Silverton for the league title and an automatic berth to the state 1A playoffs. The loser can also get an at-large playoff berth based on MaxPreps rankings.
Lakeside beat Wallace in the first meeting, but was upset by Coeur du Christ a couple weeks ago.
As for the picks, Mark Nelke went 6-1, and Jason Elliott and Josh McDonald each went 5-2.
For the season, Mark is 47-15, Jason 45-17, Josh 41-21.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
All at 7 p.m.
Raymond (Alberta) (7-1) at Coeur d’Alene (6-2)
NELKE: The visiting Comets are on a seven-game winning streak, averaging just over 40 points a game during that run. Not sure they’ve faced a defense like they’ll see in the Vikings.
Coeur d’Alene, 35-21
ELLIOTT: Coeur d'Alene is usually tough to beat at home, no matter who its playing.
Coeur d'Alene, 42-20
McDONALD: This may be the perfect game for the Viks before moving into postseason play. Low stakes against a quality opponent. The 7-1 Comets are the number two team in Football Alberta’s 5A ranks, but they’ll be playing 11-man football instead of Canada’s 12-man format.
Coeur d'Alene, 28-24
Post Falls (5-3, 0-1 6A Inland Empire League) at Lake City (4-4, 0-1)
NELKE: Lake City is at home, but Post Falls has beaten the Timberwolves nine straight times.
Post Falls, 28-21
ELLIOTT: Lake City completes a breakthrough season with a big home win.
Lake City, 28-20
McDONALD: Post Falls got thumped last week by Coeur d'Alene. Somehow, I feel like the Timberwolves are going to play for their neighbor's win.
Post Falls, 35-17
Lakeland (6-2, 1-0 5A Inland Empire League) at Lewiston (5-3, 1-0)
NELKE: Lewiston is 2-1 vs. 6A IEL teams, but Lakeland has looked tough of late — especially in last week’s blowout of Sandpoint.
Lakeland, 36-34
ELLIOTT: Lewiston has seemed to have figured a few things out. A loss to Post Falls, but wins over Coeur d'Alene and Lake City?
Lewiston, 34-28
McDONALD: The Hawks have been good all year, but it seems like they’ve been REALLY good since they lost to Frenchtown, including the one-point loss to Post Falls. Both of these teams will be in the playoffs, but one is going to get a week off.
Lakeland, 38-28
Timberlake (2-6, 0-1 Intermountain League) at Bonners Ferry (4-4, 0-1)
NELKE: It’s been an up-and-down season for Timberlake. Why not end on an up note — then see what happens?
Timberlake, 32-20
ELLIOTT: Timberlake is playing better than its record indicates.
Bonners Ferry, 34-28
McDONALD: A convincing win, and Timberlake is likely into the playoffs, where it feels like the Tigers will be a sneaky tough first-round opponent.
Timberlake, 35-18
Orofino (1-6, 0-3 Central Idaho League) at St. Maries (0-7, 0-3)
NELKE: The Lumberjacks, competitive in all three league losses, close out the season on a happy note.
St. Maries, 26-14
ELLIOTT: St. Maries, 34-20
McDONALD: It won't be a zero-win season for the Lumberjacks.
St. Maries, 28-6
Kellogg (3-5, 2-1 CIL) at Priest River (5-2, 2-1)
NELKE: The host Spartans could go from having to play a JV schedule last year due to numbers to a state playoff berth this year.
Priest River, 30-24
ELLIOTT: Probably a game that Kellogg should win with its recent experience compared to Priest River.
Priest River, 36-30
McDONALD: There’s a predictable unpredictability to this game. Kellogg throws, Priest runs. Neither defense is close to elite. Might come down to who has the ball last. The winner could be the final team to qualify for the 3A playoffs and their reward will be a playoff game against a top three ranked team.
Kellogg, 28-22
Lakeside (6-1, 4-1 North Star League) vs. Wallace (7-1, 4-1) at Sather Field, Silverton, all 7 p.m.
NELKE: Lakeside won the first meeting six weeks ago in Worley, 70-48. I hear Wallace has been looking forward to the rematch.
Wallace, 52-50
ELLIOTT: The last time these teams played at Sather Field with a game as large as this one, it dumped snow all day. This time, it might rain points.
Wallace, 53-52
McDONALD: Probably the most important game of the week. The winner takes the North Star League’s automatic berth to the playoffs, while the loser will need some help to stay in the race. I’ll take the home team.
Wallace, 55-48
Clark Fork (0-6, 0-5 NSL) vs. Coeur du Christ (2-5, 2-3) at Marimn Health Coeur Center, Worley
NELKE: Clark Fork forfeited last week to Lakeside due to mounting injuries. Earlier this week, the Wampus Cats reported they had eight healthy players. The game is eight-man football.
Coeur du Christ, 52-12
ELLIOTT: Coeur du Christ, 38-12
McDONALD: It may have been an up and down first season for the Saints, but they’ll get to end on positive note.
Coeur du Christ, 55-20
6A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Coeur d’Alene 2 0 6 2
Post Falls 0 1 5 3
Lake City 0 1 4 4
Friday’s Games
Post Falls at Lake City
Raymond (Alberta) at Coeur d’Alene
5A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Lewiston 1 0 5 3
Lakeland 1 0 6 2
Sandpoint 0 2 3 6
Friday’s Game
Lakeland at Lewiston
Sandpoint is idle
INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Moscow 2 0 7 2
Timberlake 0 1 2 6
Bonners Ferry 0 1 4 4
Friday’s Game
Timberlake at Bonners Ferry
Moscow is idle
CENTRAL IDAHO LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Grangeville 4 0 6 2
Kellogg 2 1 3 5
Priest River 2 1 5 2
St. Maries 0 3 0 7
Orofino 0 3 1 6
Friday’s Games
Orofino at St. Maries
Kellogg at Priest River
Grangeville at Nampa Christian
NORTH STAR LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Lakeside 4 1 6 1
Wallace 4 1 7 1
Coeur du Christ 2 3 2 5
Clark Fork 0 5 0 6
Friday’s Games
Lakeside vs. Wallace at Sather Field, Silverton
Clark Fork vs. Coeur du Christ at Marimn Health Coeur Center, Worley