Lewiston Back In Title Game For Fourth Time In Five Years
Milk Bowl ‘96
When the Lewiston High School football team finished the regular season undefeated, it became the first team in school history to do so since 1954.
The Bengals would like to close out the year 12-0. If they do it would mean a State A-1 Division I trophy.
Lewiston will be playing in its fourth state championship game in five years and will be seeking its second state title when the Bengals meet upstart Bonneville (7-4) Friday at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
In other Milk Bowl ‘96 showdowns Friday:
Defending champion and top-ranked Highland (11-0) will take on Centennial (9-2) in the A-1 Division I final at Holt Arena in Pocatello.
Riding a 23-game winning streak, Highland will be seeking a record fifth state title. Highland, which rallied from a 21-9 deficit in the third quarter to beat Twin Falls 30-28 last week, easily handled Centennial 35-7 earlier in the season.
In the A-2 showdown at Holt Arena, defending champion and No. 1-ranked Snake River will meet second-ranked Bishop Kelly. Both teams are 11-0.
It’s a repeat of the ‘94 when BK completed an undefeated season with a 35-20 win.
The A-3 title contest features two-time champion Glenns Ferry (11-0) against unranked Parma (10-1) at Holt Arena.
In A-4 11-man, Nampa Christian (10-0) tangles with Mackay (9-0) at Holt Arena. Nampa Christian knocked off defending champion Raft River 34-6 last week.
In the lone game Saturday, defending champion and No. 1-ranked Deary and second-rated North Gem will battle at Holt Arena in the A-4 eight-man final. Both teams are 11-0.
The game promises to be a typically high-scoring affair if the semifinals are an indication. Deary had to hold off a furious late rally by Lakeside for a 66-48 decision. North Gem drilled Council 76-30.
Bonneville vs. Lewiston
The Bengals’ first state title came in 1993. The game was played at the Kibbie Dome and featured the biggest offensive line in school history and one of the biggest Nick Menegas has ever coached.
If the Bengals win, they’ll do so with the smallest offensive line in Menegas’ 21-year coaching career.
The school record for wins in a season set in ‘93 (10) was broken last week.
For weeks, many thought the state finale would feature defending champion Madison and Lewiston. But Bonneville, which lost to Madison 41-14 in the next-to-last game of the regular season, upset the Bobcats 12-6 in triple overtime last week.
“It wasn’t an upset,” Menegas said. “I watched the film. That particular night Bonneville was the better football team. I’m very impressed with them. They’re peaking at the right time.”
Menegas said the key for Lewiston is to stick to the script.
“We have to put a lot of points up and play with great emotion,” he said.
, DataTimes