No. 10 Bonners Ferry (5-3) @ No. 7 Cole Valley Christian (5-4), 6 p.m. 

MERIDIAN — Courtesy of their second straight Intermountain League title, the Bonners Ferry Badgers will get the chance to chase a 4A state title this fall. 

To do so, they'll need to win nearly every game on the road, and that starts with a trip to Meridian to face off with the Cole Valley Christian Chargers on Friday at 6 p.m. PDT.  

The two teams are on opposite trajectories entering the first round of the state playoffs. Bonners Ferry has returned to form after a three-game skid, winning their last two games en route to a league title and coming off a bye week. Meanwhile, Cole Valley Christian is fresh off four straight losses, including a narrow 3-point loss to No. 4-seeded Fruitland last week. 

Fruitland is the one common opponent that the two teams share, with both falling to the Grizzlies in their contests. The Chargers played them far closer, 16-13, than the Badgers did, 41-13, though Bonners Ferry was nursing injuries in that pivotal game. 

Now healthy, Bonners Ferry will look to continue the defensive dominance that carried them past Timberlake on Oct. 16, 26-15. The Badgers forced two interceptions from the Tigers' quarterbacks, racked up nine tackles-for-loss and four sacks in that victory.  

Bonners Ferry's front-7 has been pivotal to their success all season, and that will remain true on Friday.  

The Chargers are led offensively by senior running back Ethan Minegar, who averages over 115 rushing yards per game and has scored 19 touchdowns on the season. Cole Valley Christian's junior quarterback Braydon Van Boven and star wide receiver Ethan Epler are the other offensive threat at the Badgers will try to slow. 

Van Boven completes 63% of his passes to the tune of 13 touchdowns, nine to Epler, and only five interceptions. Bonners Ferry will need big days from seniors Cooper Higgins and Hunter Campbell up front to put Van Boven in bad spots and try to force him into mistakes. 

Bonners Ferry's senior quarterback Alex Stolley will be the other key to victory for the Badgers. Stolley is the offensive engine for the Badgers and will need to play very clean to keep Bonners Ferry in the game. That starts on the ground, where Stolley leads the team in yardage. 

If Stolley can take advantage of the Badgers' front giving him a push, that will unlock the rest of the offensive weapons, like junior Tyson Dickson and senior Easton Scarborough. Look for the Badgers quarterback to find senior Riston Allred in the passing game, who has been a consistent big-play threat for Bonners Ferry all season.  

A victory for Bonners Ferry against Cole Valley Christian would keep their season alive and advance them to the quarterfinal against No. 3-seeded Weiser High next week.  

The Badgers' game will be streamed live on the NFHS Network at 6 p.m. PDT, 7 p.m. MTD, for those looking to watch Bonners Ferry's playoff opener.