Panhandle Picks

Here’s the last intallment of the season.

Click below to see Greg Lee’s football picks for the first round of the Idaho state playoffs.

I went 6-1 last week, missing on the Post Falls/Coeur d’Alene game. That puts my final regular-season record at a respectable 68-22 (.756).

 

There was a snafu last week on the ‘Mike & Greg’ video produced at KHQ’s studios. We never got an explanation in what happened. Anyway, after bumbling along most of the season I finished strong, reaching the .500 mark at 27-27. Hats off to Mike Vlahovich. He finished 34-20 overall.

 

This will be the final Panhandle Picks of the season. I always do the first week of the state playoffs and offer my prediction on which teams will capture state championships.

 

So here we go:

 

5A: Coeur d’Alene (6-3) at Lake City (3-6)

Lake City’s win over the Vikings two weeks ago had to be classified an upset. It would be less so if it happened a second time. LC comes into the game playing the best between the teams. But the Vikings will be inspired mightily. They will be playing without three starters, and the most glaring hole could be at free safety. CdA will have to plug some holes up front as well and play some linemen both ways. I wonder if LC will be just satisfied in qualifying for the state playoffs after the difficult non-league stretch the T-Wolves survived. But that would run counter to a Van Troxel team. CdA has a big chip on its shoulder and the Vikings hope to get as much motivational energy out of it as possible. After all the emotions settle, I just have a suspicion that LC will find a way to win. LC 27, CdA 21.

 

State champ: Capital

 

4A: Middleton (7-2) at Sandpoint (7-2)

The Bulldogs have the talent and passion to go deep in the playoffs. This is the second matchup this year between these teams. Sandpoint defeated visiting Middleton 36-14 in mid September. Playoff games are generally more tightly contested. So this will be closer. But the Bulldogs will advance. Sandpoint 28, Middleton 14.

 

State champ: Sandpoint

 

3A: Payette (7-2) at Timberlake (8-1)

If the Snake River Valley League was as competitive as the scores indicate, Timberlake could have difficulty here. While I’ll admit that the SRVL was competitive, I question the quality. I know this: Timberlake is good – and this could be the best of recent Timberlake teams. Timberlake 27, Payette 20.

 

State champ: Shelley

 

1A Division I: Potlatch (8-1) at Wallace (6-3)

The Loggers’ lone loss was to No. 1-ranked, undefeated and defending state champ Prairie. They’ve had just two wins the past two seasons, but coach Pat Amos (oldest brother of CdA coach Shawn Amos) has his team believing. Potlatch 44, Wallace 18.

 

State champ: Prairie

 

1A Division II: Mullan (3-6) at Kootenai (9-0)

The top-ranked Warriors keep rolling along. Kootenai 52, Mullan 18.

 

State champ: Carey