Ap Ranks Post Falls Second; East Favored
Idaho sportswriters and broadcasters picked teams from the eastern side of the state to dominate the upper divisions of Idaho high school football this year in the Associated Press preseason poll.
The prep football season kicks off Aug. 25-26, although many schools do not open their seasons until the following week.
Voters who cast ballots in the AP preseason poll ranked Highland of Pocatello atop A-1 Division I, which includes Idaho’s largest schools.
Cross-town rival Pocatello, which won the 1994 state championship despite a 4-4 regularseason record, was picked to finish second in 1995. Pocatello has won four football titles, more than any A-1 Division I school.
Capital of Boise and Centennial of Meridian, teams that lost playoff openers last year, are picked third and fourth, respectively, while Borah of Boise is fifth.
In A-1 Division II, Madison of Rexburg is expected to defend its 1994 state crown. Like Pocatello, the Bobcats stepped out of a mediocre regular season to win their first football championship.
Post Falls and Burley, two teams that battled to a 28-25 Burley victory in last season’s playoffs, are picked second and third, while Hillcrest of Idaho Falls and Blackfoot round out the top five. Lewiston and Coeur d’Alene received votes.
Snake River of Blackfoot picked up seven first-place votes and the No. 1 ranking among A-2 teams. The Panthers were 10-1 last season before falling to Bishop Kelly of Boise in the state championship game.
No. 2 Weiser is another team whose 1994 season ended in the playoffs at the hands of the Knights, who were undefeated and won the state title. Bishop Kelly is picked third entering this season, while Preston and Jerome start the season ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Four Intermountain League teams from the Panhandle - Bonners Ferry, St. Maries, Lakeland and Moscow - received votes.
Among the state’s smaller schools, south-central Idaho took home three championship trophies in 1994, and each of last year’s winners is expected to return strong in 1995.
Top-ranked Glenns Ferry rolled through an undefeated season to the A-3 crown last year. Runnerup Homedale is ranked second.
No. 3 Teton won its first playoff game before running into Glenns Ferry last season. Fruitland enters the season at fourth, followed by Grangeville and Clearwater Valley.
Among A-4 teams, Murtaugh dominated the field in 1994, going 11-0 and winning the school’s first football title. The Red Devils are picked to repeat. Their title-game opponent, Wilder, is picked second, followed by Oakley, Nampa Christian and Mackay.
The most dominant team in any division may have been Carey, which went undefeated and won the eight-man title.
The Panthers are picked No. 1 again, followed by Notus and Deary. Mullan comes in at fourth, with Highland (Craigmont) and Rockland fifth.