1A Division 1 Semifinal Look-Ahead
- idaho8man
- Nov 9, 2017
- 2 min read
Caleb McWilliams (15), Hunter Chaffee (20) and the Prairie Pirates are in the 1A Division 1 semifinals for the fourth time in five years. )Photo Courtesy: Michelle Slate)
1A Division 1 Semifinal Look-Ahead
Oakley (8-1) vs. Prairie (9-1)
Friday, 11/10, 7:00 at Kibbie Dome (Moscow)
Oakley is the "A" seed out of District 4/5/6, meaning they're the district champ, but they're making the 450(ish)-mile drive to Moscow to play a very good Prairie team. Sophomore quarterback Chandler Jones, filling in for an injured Tate Cranney, threw three touchdown passes, two to Jake Pulsipher, last week against Lapwai and also ran a pair of scores into the end zone for the Hornets. He's settled in nicely to the key position for one of the best teams in all of 8-man football.
Prairie, on the other hand, completed one pass last week in its win over Wilder, a 30-yard score from Spencer Schumacher to Hunter Chaffee. But you don't usually throw much when it's rainy, windy and cold (which it was) or when you run for 398 yards on 41 carries (which they did). Shumacher (three rushing TDs), Jacob Stubbers (two rushing TDs) and Cole Martin (one rushing TD) keyed an impressive road win over a Wilder team that had played well in recent weeks.
Key to the Game: Stopping the run. Both teams want to pound the ball if they can and, for the most part, both teams have this season. Stubbers has been a tremendous threat for Prairie all season while Austin Bedke, finally healthy and rolling, is one of the top players in the Idaho 8-man football scene.
Challis (8-2) vs. Genesee (9-0)
Saturday, 11/11, 1:00 at the Kibbie Dome
Among the four 1A Division 1 teams still standing, Challis is the fresh face of the group. The Vikings had seven wins over three seasons coming into 2017, which likely made the team's road win over Horseshoe Bend last weekend that much sweeter. The team was winless just two seasons ago and now TT Cain's team is one win away from reaching the 1A Division 1 state championship game.
Challis's foe, Genesee, has been a juggernaut all season. The Bulldogs have played just two games (vs. Prairie and vs. Kamiah) that were decided by fewer than 40 points. Led by quarterback Kolby Moser's seven total touchdowns, Genesee hung 86 points - 80 through three quarters - on a very good (albeit short-handed) Valley team last weekend. If Genesee wins, they'd play their third straight playoff game at the Kibbie Dome, 15 miles away, next week.
Key to the Game: Challis can't give up big plays. Genesee has jumped on teams all season with piles and piles of big plays. If Challis can force Genesee to work its way down the field, it will do two things - (1) slow the pace of the game down, and (2) potentially frustrate a team that has barely been challenged all season.
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