Pick six: Down by one, won’t get fooled again

After Sam goaded me into picking something different that him last week, he takes a one-game lead over me in the second-half standings. I won’t get fooled again.

There’s not much football left to be played so now that I’m in a hole I had to go out on a limb to try to even things up.

Post Falls (8-0, 2-0) at Coeur d’Alene (6-2, 2-0), Friday at 7 pm

Nichols: Game of the week, game of the year and maybe a preview of the Idaho 5A state title game. These teams are that good. Among common opponents the both held Lewiston and Lake City to fewer than 20 points and both gave up 40 to Mead, while hanging 50-plus on the Panthers. It depends on which side of the highway you live on. If I don’t pick CdA my wife will kill me. Coeur d’Alene 48-38.

Adams: What more can you ask for? This is like Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s in basketball, where the Post Falls Trojans (Gaels) have the superior record, but the Coeur d’Alene Vikings (Zags) have the superior schedule. You may be surprised, though, to find that there is a small group of Vikings seniors who have lost to the Trojans not once, but twice (2014, 2015). I think CdA will finally hand Post Falls its first loss of the season, though it come down to a gutsy 2-point call by head coach Shaun Amos in the final seconds. You heard it here first. Coeur d’Alene 48-47.

University (4-3, 1-2) at Central Valley (5-1, 3-0), Friday at 7 pm

Nichols: Central Valley is ranked ninth in state 4A after handling Mead on Friday, while U-Hi was dumped in a bounce-back by Gonzaga Prep. The Bears are on a roll toward the playoffs. Central Valley 35-20.

Adams: The Bears are riding their third win streak of five games or more in the last three years. That win streak should hit six in the annual “Greasy Pig.” This team has the best defense in the area, and has found a tremendous run-pass balance between Hunter Chodorwoski in the backfield (358 yards rushing in his last two games) and quarterback Grant Hannan. The say you throw records out the window in rivalry games, but it’s hard to ignore what CV has done since its season opening loss to Coeur d’Alene. Central Valley 31-17.

West Valley (7-0, 2-0) at East Valley (3-3, 2-0), Friday at 7 pm

Nichols: Another rivalry game with one team ranked in the top 10 in the state. West Valley comes in undefeated and No. 4 in state 2A after cruising over Cheney 41-7 last week. East Valley has the firepower for an upset, but I don’t think they quite get there. West Valley 38-28.

Adams: Did you know West Valley hasn’t lost to rival East Valley since dropping a 27-14 decision on Oct. 22, 2010? Unfortunately for the Knights, this might the best iteration yet of the Eagles. East Valley should put up a fight, but unless the Knights find a way to get the ball in Rodrick Fisher’s hands 30 times, I’m sticking with the Eagles. West Valley 35-20.

Freeman (5-2, 4-1) at Newport (5-1, 4-1), Friday at 7 pm

The Scotties were blanked by Colville last week and look to get back on track against am more than competitive Newport squad, which only has one blemish: a loss to that same Colville team. A close one. Freeman 17-16.

Adams: I’m really curious to see how the Scotties rebound from a blowout loss in Colville. Freeman has had Newport’s number as of late, beating the Grizzlies five years in a row by a combined score of 216-26. Newport is markedly better this year, suffering just one loss in 2017, and that was a 28-14 loss to Colville. But something tells me Freeman is going to come out determined to forget last week’s 34-0 defeat. Freeman 20-14.

Colville (6-1, 5-0) at Lakeside (4-2, 3-2), Friday at 7 pm

Nichols: Colville is ranked No. 5 in state 1A and coming off back-to-back shutouts of Medical Lake and Freeman. The Indians only loss was a 13-12 decision to West Valley back on Sept. 9. This is a great football team regardless of classification. Colville 40-14.

Adams: Is there a hotter team right now than the Colville Indians? Since a 13-12 loss to 2A West Valley, the 1A Indians have won five in a row by an average margin of 32 points. Dawson Flugel was the go-to receiver (four receptions, 172 yards, two TD) in last week’s win over Freeman, but the team can also run the ball effectively with a stable of running backs, who seem to take turns every week leading the team in rushing. Colville 35-24.

Davenport (6-1) at Liberty (7-0), Friday at 7 pm

Nichols: Essentially, the Northeast 2B title game. Both have another game remaining but this one will decide the champ. Liberty, ranked second in state 2B, has allowed 18 points in its last four games while Davenport has averaged 28.6 points per game. This is the limb I climb out on to hopefully tie Sam in the standings again. Davenport 24-21.

Adams: Let’s give a thump of the chest for the Gorillas, who have run their record to 6-1 after a fourth win in a row last Friday against Colfax. Unfortunately for Davenport, they must now travel to Spangle to take on a Liberty defense that hasn’t surrendered a point in its last two games (shut out vs. Colfax, and Northwest Christian only managed a safety), and hasn’t allowed multiple scores since a 21-14 win over Asotin more than a month ago. The Lancers have a lethal combination of a stout defense and a reliable running game, led by James Heer, and they could very well lead Liberty to an undefeated regular season in 2017. Liberty 27-23.