GRIDIRON GUESSES Aug. 29, 2025: Good rivalries, key nonleague games and a 'cool little drive'

Lake City vs. Lakeland has developed into a pretty good early season nonleague football matchup between local teams. 

After going six years without meeting, 6A Lake City and 5A Lakeland have faced off each of the last seven years. Lake City won the first four, but Lakeland has won the last three, including two of them at Lake City. 

Tonight’s meeting is set for 7 p.m. at Corbit Field in Rathdrum, where last Saturday, Lakeland opened with a 41-0 victory over 4A Bonners Ferry. 

It’s the season opener for Lake City. 

“It’s a good rivalry, and has been for a while,” third-year Lake City coach Byron Hout said. “We are the bigger school on paper; you would think that the bigger school would win, but coach (Mike) Schroeder and his coaches do a heckuva job of getting those kids ready to play and having them play hard. Shoot, they were one game away from playing for a state title last year.” 

The average margin of victory over the last seven games has been 8 points. 

"The challenge for us is that they didn't have a game and we've played a game," Lakeland coach Mike Schroeder said. "They got a chance to scout us and we've got nothing to scout. We've seen them at some camps, and I think it's going to be a great, entertaining game. They made a large amount of improvement last season and it's going to be a difficult challenge for us."

6A Post Falls also opens its season tonight, traveling to 5A Lewiston to face the Bengals (0-1) for the first time on the turf at the new P1FCU Sports Complex at Lewiston High. 

Lewiston, under first-year coach Zane Hobart, opened last week with a 24-13 loss at Columbia of Nampa. 

With Lewiston in its second year in a lower division, this is now a nonleague game. But ... 

"Every game is (important),” Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett said. “We open up in Lewiston, and that’s a big game. Even though they’re 5A, I think Hobart will do a good job down there, and they will win some games. They’re going to have a good win-loss record ... and they always play us well at home.” 

Coeur d’Alene (0-1), which opened with a 38-7 loss at defending state 6A champion Rigby last week, plays host to Silverton (Ore.) tonight at 7 at Viking Field. The visiting Foxes finished 10-2 last season, and reached the semifinals of the Oregon state 5A playoffs.   

After playing at the Lakeland JV, St. Maries faces Salmon — a 76-0 loser at Priest River last week — on Saturday at Big Sky High in Missoula, Mont. 

“The Salmon game should be an exciting one,” first-year St. Maries coach Hayden Humphrey said. “They’ve got a new coach as well. They wanted to play someone that was different and they’re in a remote part of the state, like we are. Salmon reached out and asked us to see if we’d play them, and we settled on playing in Missoula. It’s a cool little drive over there for us.” 

As for the picks, Josh McDonald took the first-week lead, thanks to his pick of Rigby over Coeur d'Alene. Josh went 6-1, and Mark Nelke and Jason Elliott each went 5-2.

FRIDAY’S GAMES 

Lake City (0-0) at Lakeland (1-0), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: It’s up to the visiting Timberwolves to change the narrative in this one. Until then ... 

Lakeland, 21-19 

ELLIOTT:  Lakeland has used a strong ground game the past few years to grind past Lake City. Just how improved are the Timberwolves this year, we'll find out tonight.

Lakeland, 22-20

McDONALD:  I think the Timberwolves will be better than they have been, but Lakeland is still a very good football team.

Lakeland, 24-14

Silverton (Ore.) (0-0) at Coeur d’Alene (0-1), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: It doesn’t get any easier this week for the Vikings — though that’s the way the like it in nonleague play. Maybe because Coeur d’Alene has a game under its belt ... 

Coeur d’Alene, 21-17 

ELLIOTT:  On its home turf, Coeur d'Alene finds a way. 

Coeur d'Alene, 24-20

McDONALD:  The Foxes (BTW an excellent and underutilized animal mascot) were the best team in Oregon’s 5A classification a year ago but were upended by a league rival in the state semis. The Viks are licking their wounds from last week’s trouncing, but they’re facing an uphill battle in their home opener.

Coeur d'Alene, 24-20

Post Falls (0-0) at Lewiston (0-1), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: Post Falls has won the last three vs. Lewiston, and eight of the last nine. But the Trojans have a new quarterback and new receivers, so we’ll find out what they can do in a hurry. 

Post Falls, 28-27 

ELLIOTT: Lewiston is just a strange place to play sometimes.

Post Falls, 30-28

McDONALD:  Experience wins the day for the Trojans.

Post Falls, 30-18

Timberlake (0-1) at Grangeville (1-0), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: 3A Grangeville turned a few heads last week with a 26-20 win at 4A Moscow, a 5A school which is playing down a level in football for the second straight year, and won the Intermountain League last year. 

Grangeville, 28-21 

ELLIOTT:  Timberlake improves, but another tough matchup for them on the road. The 3A Bulldogs move to 2-0 in the 4A Intermountain League.

Grangeville, 26-24

McDONALD:  The Bulldogs won a thriller in Spirit Lake last year. Coming into week 1, Grangeville has a big win over Moscow while the Tigers took another beating courtesy of Sugar-Salem. Unless Timberlake finds an offensive spark, it might be two in a row for Grangeville.

Grangeville, 28-21

Orofino (0-0) at Kellogg (0-0), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: Not only is it the season opener for both teams, it’s a Central Idaho League game. 

Kellogg, 36-12 

ELLIOTT: Orofino, 16-12

McDONALD: There’s a lot of unknowns for both teams. Orofino has been the league whipping boy for the past couple of seasons. Kellogg lost some pieces to graduation and injury but they’re returning the CIL’s best QB. But can they get stops?

Kellogg, 35-17

Clark Fork (1-0) vs. Coeur du Christ (1-0) at Marimn Health Coeur Center, Worley, 7 p.m. 

NELKE: This first meeting of the year is a nonleague tilt between foes who will meet later in the season in North Star League play. 

Coeur du Christ, 48-42 

ELLIOTT: There's a reason the Saints were receiving some votes in the media poll this week guys.

Coeur du Christ, 44-30

McDONALD: This might be one of the better games this weekend. The Saints have a terrific offense, but the Wampus Cats appear to have a solid, balanced team. 350 rushing yards, two takeaways, and an early win against a fellow league foe could give them a little more momentum.

Clark Fork, 45-38

Lakeside (0-1) vs. Council (0-0) at Prairie, 2 p.m. 

NELKE: This game is part of the North Star League’s quest to play tough teams in nonleague games, in an effort to boost their MaxPreps rankings. The Lumberjacks went 7-2 last year and reached the quarterfinals of the state 1A playoffs. 

Council, 36-34 

ELLIOTT: Tough matchup for the Knights, who will be there when it really counts.

Council, 44-30

McDONALD: Color me and the other pickers shocked by last week’s loss to Clark Fork, but it appears that Lakeside is destined to start the season 0-2 as they take on the Lumberjacks in a neutral-site game.

Council, 45-30

SATURDAY’S GAME 

Salmon (0-1) vs. St. Maries (1-0) at Big Sky High, Missoula, noon PDT 

NELKE: Last week, Salmon made the 350-mile trip to Priest River, and suffered a 76-0 loss. This week, the Savages travel only 140 miles to Missoula (St. Maries will travel 180 miles for the meet-you-halfway game). The Lumberjacks opened with a 41-14 win over the Lakeland junior varsity as Jack Barta passed for 203 yards and three touchdowns, Brock Barta caught six passes for 64 yards and a score, and K. Morris rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown. 

St. Maries, 36-22 

ELLIOTT: The Lumberjacks showed flashes in last week's opener against the Lakeland JV. This week will be a bit more challenging.

St. Maries, 34-20

McDONALD:  Last week, Salmon got embarrassed by Priest River. Things won’t get much better for them this week.

St. Maries, 41-7