1A Division 2 Semifinal Look-Ahead

Senior Brett Waymire and his Butte County teammates travel to the Idaho mountains for their 1A Div. 2 semifinal. (Photo Courtesy: Sharleece Lambson)

1A Division 2 Semifinal Look Ahead

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Butte County (8-1) at Tri-Valley (9-0)

Friday, 11/10, 4:00 at Cambridge HS

Butte County scored 48 points in a season-opening win over Division 1 Idaho City. Then 20 in a week-two loss to Division 1 Grace. Since then ... 62, 58, 58, 52, 46, 60, and 58. That's an average of 56 per game during the team's current seven-game winning streak. The Pirates have a big, strong offensive/defensive line and a stable of good backs in their run-first offense.

But Tri-Valley, almost certainly, presents Butte County's biggest challenge. First, it's the state semifinals. Second, the Titans are just as big and just as strong. Tri-Valley features a 240-pound fullback, Collin Kindall, who is a load when he's moving downhill. Quarterback Jayden Mink has a 6-foot-3 receiver (Chip Mitchell) and a 6-foot-3 tight end (Parker Cornwell) to look for as well.

Key to the Game: Who wins the line of scrimmage? Both teams score a ton, but both also have stout defenses. If one of the team's defenses can win the battle up front, it will give that team a big leg up in what is expected to be rainy, sloppy weather conditions in Cambridge.

Deary (10-0) vs. Carey (10-0)

Saturday, 11/11, 12:00 at Holt Arena, Pocatello

Weather won't be a concern inside Holt Arena in Pocatello, which could bode well for the offenses. Deary, as usual, will lean on quarterback Colten Heath and running back Jalen Kirk to lead the offense and are coming off back-to-back challenges from good opponents in Salmon River and Kendrick - and, obviously, passed both tests.

While Deary has Kirk as a viable Player of the Year candidate at the 8-man level, Carey doesn't have one "guy." They have several. And they've used several. Some games it's running, some games it's throwing. The ability to make plays either on the ground or through the air has triggered the ten-win season to this point as the Panthers have passed each challenge with flying colors to this point.

Key to the Game: After talking about the offenses, we should note the two teams have combined to give up 220 points -- that's a total, in 20 combined games. No one has punctured either defense for more than 28 points. Both teams score a lot, but neither team gives up much (11 games, combined, of 8 points or less allowed) so big plays could be at a real premium. Which team creates those "explosive" plays?

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