1A Division 1 Quarterfinal Look-Ahead

Kodi Burk and the Valley Vikings open the postseason on the road at Genesee (Photo Courtesy: Valley High School)

1A Division 1 Quarterfinal Matchups View Bracket Here

Dist. 4/5/6 "C" Valley (6-3) at Dist. 1/2 "A" Genesee (8-0)

Sat., 11/4/ 3PM, Kibbie Dome (Moscow)

Three weeks ago, this looked like a dream matchup. It could still be a very good one, but the Vikings will need some big contributions from new faces to spring the upset. QB Jason Hardy missed Valley's regular-season finale and key TE/DE Zane Mussman is out for the season with an injury. Who rises to the challenge for Valley? It's a well-coached group, they'll be ready.

Genesee QB Kolby Moser has missed some time with an injury as well. Hayden Woods has done a great job stepping into that role, but the Bulldogs' strength all season has been its variety of playmakers. Moser, Woods, Edward Becker, Coy Stout ... the Bulldogs are no fluke. They can score in bunches, they can shut you down, they can out-physical you and they can run by you. It's a very good football team.

Dist. 4/5/6 "B" Challis (7-2) at Dist. 3 "B" Horseshoe Bend (3-4)

Sat., 11/4, 3 PM at Horseshoe Bend

Challis's only two losses came against a full-strength Valley team in the opening game of the season and a couple of weeks ago against Oakley. TT Cain's team has answered the bell all season, including a dramatic home win over Raft River and a dramatic, season-saving win at Grace last week.

Three weeks ago, Horseshoe Bend was winless and almost an afterthought in the District 3 playoff race. But Craig Elliot's group, led by senior QB/DE Gavin Miller, finished with three straight wins, including a winner-take-all game at home last week against Idaho City to earn the second seed. The Mustangs are playing their best football at the right time.

Dist. 1/2 "B" Prairie (8-1) at Dist. 3 "A" Wilder (6-2)

Fri., 11/3, 5PM at Wilder

Wilder features a young quarterback (sophomore Pablo Martinez), a young deep threat (sophomore Norman Rodriguez) and maybe one of the most underrated players in all of 1A Division 1 (senior Ezequiel Vargas). They've steadily gotten stronger as the season has progressed and get this game on their home field.

Prairie, meanwhile, almost feels like a forgotten powerhouse with all the talk about rival Genesee and the depth of District 4/5/6. Quarterback Spencer Schumacher is healthy again for the Pirates, who also have a talented pair of running backs in Jacob Stubbers and Caleb McWilliams. People should not sleep on the Pirates.

Dist. 1/2 "C" Lapwai (6-3) at Dist. 4/5/6 "A" Oakley (7-1)

Fri., 11/3, 7PM at Oakley

The host Hornets will be without starting QB Tate Cranney, but backup Chandler Jones helped lead the team to a big win last week against a desperate Raft River team. Austin Bedke is one of the top players in the state, while Jake and Josh Nyman (among others) make this one of the more-talented 8-man teams in the entire state.

Lapwai has ridden talented playmakers Kendall Leighton and Tui Moliga much of the season to earn its spot in the postseason. The Wildcats only list three seniors on the roster, so this entire experience, win or lose, will serve this program well (it's over 400 miles from Lapwai to Oakley). But make no mistake, Lapwai has the tools to give Oakley everything it can handle.

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