1A Division 2 Quarterfinal Look-Ahead

Houston Hennefer and the Carey Panthers have not been held below 36 points yet this season (Photo Courtesy: John Peck)

1A Division 1 Quarterfinal Matchups View Bracket Here

Dist. 5/6 "B" Clark County/Watersprings (7-2) at Dist. 4 "A" Carey (9-0)

Friday, 11/3, 5 PM at Carey

The top-ranked Panthers have only allowed one opponent to score more than 12 points this season. Meanwhile, only one team has held Carey under 42 points (Dietrich did both ... and Carey still won that game by two scores). Lane Kirkland's team, with QB Houston Hennefer spreading the ball around to weapons like Tanner Mecham, Kaden Koudelka, DJ Parke, Hilario Ruiz and Porter Mecham, has the firepower to put up a lot of points in a very short amount of time.

As a result, a big key for the co-op of Clark County and Watersprings will be ball-control and clock management. Senior QB/LB Kyson Poletti will be a key for the Warriors to spring the upset. They're not the most explosive team in the field, but they execute their systems very well. If Greg Shenton and Aaron Booth's squad can win the line of scrimmage, they can definitely hang with the Panthers on Friday.

Dist. 3 "B" Salmon River (6-2) at Dist. 1/2 "A" Deary (9-0)

Friday, 11/3, 7 PM at the Kibbie Dome (Moscow)

The Mustangs had a late-summer coaching change, from Doug Henderson to Darrah Eggers, but the team hasn't missed a beat. Senior Jalen Kirk - a player who should be a strong 1A Player of the Year candidate - leads a team coming off a tremendous playoff tuneup last week, a six-point road win over rival Kendrick. They had only played one other game decided by fewer than 26 points.

The Savages are the defending 1A Div. 2 state champion, but Charlie Shepherd lost a good group of seniors. Canyon Harper, another player who will get 1A Player of the Year consideration, and Devan Branstetter are back. along with Peyton Baugh and Joe Frederickson, so there's plenty of championship pedigree in Riggins. The team hasn't been this good, for this long, by accident. This would be a compelling title-game matchup, let alone a quarterfinal game.

Dist. 1/2 "B" Kendrick (7-2) at Dist. 3 "A" Tri-Valley (8-0)

Friday, 11/3, 5 PM at Cambridge

For much of the season, Bob Johnson's Tri-Valley team piled up lopsided win after lopsided win, but people outside of the Long Pin didn't really know what to make of it. Then, the Titans pounded Salmon River in Riggins, 42-8. Behind all-state candidate Collin Kindall, the Titans are for real, having outscored their opponents, 446-106, during the regular season.

But if there is a team that seemed primed to run with the Titans this season, it's Kendrick. Zane Hobart's team, led by QB Jerry Gorbett, scored 88 points in two separate games this season, topped 60 two other times, and also scored 58 and 56 in contests as well. They also have the experience of having reached the 1A Div. 2 state title game last season, so it is unlikely the moment will be too big for the Tigers.

Dist. 4 "B" Dietrich (7-2) at Dist. 5/6 "A" Butte County (7-1)

Thursday, 11/2, 5 PM at Butte County

The Pirates have enough weapons on offense to dominate a game without ever putting the ball in the air. Keyan Cummins leads the way, but head coach Sam Thorngren can also call plays for Brett Waymire, Ty Twitchell, Bridger Hansen and Dante Bernal. If the talented offensive line is opening holes, Butte County will be tough to beat.

The Blue Devils are coming off a good win over North Gem last week to reach this point. Head coach Rick Astle has had to replace a few key pieces from last season, but he and his staff have done a good job putting the right players in the right places. Junior quarterback Andrew Power has Kade Shaw, Tel Shaw, Kyler Robertson and Raygn Robertson to distribute the ball to on offense and Kade Shaw had a big game on defense in last week's win.

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