Mid-Term Report: District I/II

Wallace (black) and Clearwater Valley (white) both have playoff hopes in a deep White Pine League (Courtesy: Les McPhail)

Six weeks done. September is over. It's time to start looking ahead to see who is in good shape and who has work to do to qualify for the Idaho 1A state football playoffs.

We'll start with District I/II.

Division 1 White Pine League Bids: 3 Bracket Preview

Looking Good: Genesee (4-0 overall, 3-0 WPL): The Bulldogs have allowed a total of 44 points in four games while featuring a balanced, potent offense led by Kolby Moser, Edward Becker and Coy Stout (among others). They're in the driver's seat, though a big home date against Lapwai looms on October 13.

Lapwai (4-1 overall, 3-0 WPL): The Wildcats lots a lot of talent from last season's White Pine champion, but returned plenty of experience and it has shown this season, averaging 45 points per game in their four wins. Their lone loss was a non-conference defeat against defending Division 2 state champion Salmon River.

Prairie (4-1 overall, 2-1 WPL): The Pirates have been outstanding since a season-opening loss at Genesee, which likely means Prairie will not earn the top seed (and home-field advantage) but, with WPL wins over Clearwater Valley and Kamiah, the team has tie-breaking advantages over two of the teams pursuing it in the standings.

In the Mix:

Wallace (3-3 overall, 2-2 WPL): The Miners, at times, have looked terrific. There are capable playmakers on offense but the team's defense has surrendered 46, 40, and 54 points in the team's past three games. Wallace doesn't need to shut teams out, but no team flourishes when needing that many points to win.

Mathematically Alive:

Kamiah (1-4 overall, 1-2 WPL): The Kubs thrust themselves into the conversation with an impressive home win over Wallace two weeks ago and the team still has its fate in its own hands with games left against both Genesee and Lapwai, but the task at hand is not an easy one.

Clearwater Valley (1-3 overall, 1-2 WPL): The Rams crushed Kamiah. Kamiah crushed Wallace. Wallace crushed Clearwater Valley. On any given Friday, the Rams can be a handful for anyone but Coach Roger Whalen's team is young. The experience it gains now will likely pay dividends in the coming two years.

Troy (1-4 overall, 1-2 WPL): The Trojans' offense finally found its extra gear in a conference win over Potlatch, but earlier losses to Genesee and Lapwai leave little margin for error if Troy wants to fight back into one of those top three spots. It does face Prairie, Kamiah and Clearwater Valley, so ... the door isn't closed.

Potlatch (1-4 overall, 0-3 WPL): The Loggers would essentially have to win out to join the party. Coach Cliff Dudley's team has shown progress this season, but a four-week run against Genesee, Clearwater Valley, Prairie, and Kamiah (in that order) is a tall order for anyone.

Division 2 White Star League

Bids: 2

Bracket Preview

Looking Good:

Deary (5-0 overall, 3-0 WSL): The Mustangs have been flat-out overpowering so far in 2017, its only game decided by fewer than 40 points was against a solid Garfield-Palouse team out of Washington. The season-ending game at Kendrick may be for the league championship. Jalen Kirk should be in the State Player of the Year discussion.

Kendrick (5-1 overall, 4-0 WSL): After reaching the Division 2 championship game last season, Zane Hobart's team has put up 88, 56, 52, 58, and 66 points since its season-opening loss to Division 1 power Genesee. The Tigers' week two win over Lakeside looms large, it gives Kendrick a potentially crucial tiebreaker over the Knights.

In the Mix:

Lakeside (3-2 overall, 3-1 WSL): Senior Bryar Sanchez may be as valuable to his team as any 8-man player in the state. Anecdotal evidence - he missed one game earlier this season and his team was beaten by 74 points. The Knights have won three of four with him in the lineup, but they need to win out and have Kendrick lose twice to earn a post-season spot.

Clark Fork (2-3 overall, 2-1 WSL): The Wampus Cats have some heavy lifting to do in order to reach the Division 2 playoffs. An earlier loss to Lakeside puts the Cats at a disadvantage but Clark Fork still gets a shot at Deary and Kendrick with the hopes of gaining ground and putting itself in the discussion.

Mathematically Alive:

Kootenai (2-2 overall, 2-2 WSL): The Warriors are alive, but losses to Lakeside and Clark Fork put them at a tie-breaker disadvantage. The good news, though, for Coach Doug Napierala's team is that their last two games are against Kendrick and Deary. Win out, get a little help ... and maybe Kootenai finds itself in the playoffs.

Lewis County (1-3 overall, 0-3 WSL): Losses to both Deary and Kendrick have the Eagles' postseason hopes on life support but, with four games to go, the team doesn't appear to be eliminated. Coach Monty Moddrell's team would need to win out and both Deary and Kendrick to lose twice and Kootenai to lose at least once more. That gets them in the conversation. Odds are long, but that's why you play the games on the field.

Out:

Timberline-Weippe (0-5 overall, 0-3 WSL): If the Spartans win out and Deary loses out, the two teams would both be 3-3 in league play and Deary owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. And that assumes the teams between Deary and Timberline also lose at least 2-3 games as well.

Mullan (0-4 overall, 0-4 WSL): Head Coach Stetson Spooner may have a star in the making in sophomore Skye Galloway, but roster numbers continue to be a problem. The effort to breathe life into the program has been fantastic but Spooner needs more depth to work with.

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