GRIDIRON GUESSES Oct. 31, 2025: Lakeland, Wallace begin playoff journeys tonight

For the third time in eight days, and in the third different town, Lakeland and Lewiston will meet on the football field. 

This time, it’s in the first round of the state 5A playoffs, as No. 9 seed Lakeland (8-1) travels to No. 8 seed Lewiston (3-6) tonight for a 7 p.m. kickoff at the P1FCU Sports Complex at Lewiston High. 

Last Friday in Rathdrum, Lakeland pulled away from Lewiston for a 42-17 victory that created a three-way tie for the 5A Inland Empire League title, each team with a 1-1 league record. 

That led to a Kansas tiebreaker Monday night at Coeur d’Alene High, where Lewiston prevailed over Lakeland and Sandpoint, with Lewiston beating Lakeland in the final round. 

All three teams were already guaranteed to make the 16-team state playoffs; at stake in the tiebreaker was a home game in the first round for the winner. 

Since only one team from the 5A IEL received an automatic bid to the state playoffs, the other two schools could only get in as one of the eight at-large teams, based on MaxPreps rankings. 

Lakeland, ranked fifth, and Sandpoint, ranked seventh, easily got in as at-large teams. 

“We’re going to have to out-execute them to win the game,” Lakeland coach Mike Schroeder said of playing Lewiston a third time in a week. “We’ll be ready to go.”

Sandpoint (7-2), the No. 11 seed, travels to No. 6 Minico (6-3) of Rupert tonight for a 6 p.m. PDT clash. 

Also tonight, Wallace (7-2) will play at home in the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The Miners will face Salmon River (6-3) of Riggins tonight at 5 p.m. at Sather Field in Silverton in the first round of the state 1A playoffs. 

Two other local teams received byes in the first round of the playoffs. 

In 6A, Coeur d’Alene (6-3) won the 6A Inland Empire League title, and will play host to either Boise (4-5) or Madison (6-3) of Rexburg next week in the quarterfinals. Those teams play tonight in Rexburg in the first round. 

And in 1A, Coeur du Christ (7-1), in its second year with a football program, won the North Star League and earned a first-round bye. The Saints will learn their quarterfinal matchup and site following the results of this week’s first-round games. 

As for the picks, Jason Elliott went 8-0, and Mark Nelke and Josh McDonald each went 7-1. 

For the season, Mark is 54-20, Josh 53-21, Jason 52-22.

FRIDAY’S GAMES 

Lakeland (8-1) at Lewiston (3-6), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: All three teams beat each other at home during league play. However ... 

Lakeland, 38-16 

ELLIOTT: It was an interesting game last Friday in Rathdrum. Even more so on Monday in Coeur d'Alene. 

Lakeland, 34-24

McDONALD: Will one week and swapping home field advantage make a 26-point difference ... I don't think so. 

Lakeland, 35-21

Salmon River (6-3) vs. Wallace (7-2) at Sather Field, Silverton, 5 p.m. 

NELKE: The only common opponent is Genesee/Colton (Wash.). Salmon River lost 50-20, but that was back on Aug. 29. Wallace lost 22-18 on Oct. 3. 

Wallace, 30-28 

ELLIOTT: Wallace, with some trickery at home.

Wallace, 38-28

McDONALD: Self-inflicted wounds have cost the Miners in both of their games against quality opponents this year. Hopefully, they've learned from those mistakes.

Wallace, 38-26