Lewiston Starts No. 1; Post Falls Ranked 5th
The Highland Rams open the 1997 Idaho high school football season ranked in the same spot they spent virtually all of 1996 No. 1 in The Associated Press poll.
Highland, of Pocatello, won state titles in 1993 and 1995, and was unbeaten until losing last year’s A-1 Division I championship game to Centennial of Meridian. The Patriots start the season ranked No. 2 among the state’s largest schools in balloting by sportswriters and broadcasters.
The Rams, which beat third-ranked Capital of Boise in their season opener last week, travel to Centennial this Friday. Boise and Idaho Falls, which both opened the season with victories, round out the poll at fourth and fifth.
In A-1 Division II, defending champion Lewiston starts the season at No. 1, followed by opening-day winners Bonneville and Madison. The Bengals open against Moscow, No. 5 in A-2, on Friday.
Fourth-ranked Eagle will play host to the No. 2 Bonneville Bees this week, while No. 5 Post Falls opens against A-2 Lakeland.
Two-time defending state champion Snake River is the early pick to repeat in A-2. It will get an early test against A-1 Blackfoot this weekend, while No. 2 Bishop Kelly opens at home against Baker, Ore.
Third-ranked Kuna started with a victory over Skyview of Nampa. Lakeland of Rathdrum, tied for third, faces a tough opener against Post Falls.
A-3 state champion Parma is 1-0 and ranked No. 1 again after a narrow victory over Grace, while 1996 runner-up Glenns Ferry is ranked second. The Pilots open at home Friday against Challis.
Firth got the nod at No. 3 after beating Shelley in the Cougars’ opener. Teton is fourth, followed by 1-0 Grangeville at fifth.
A-4 leader Mackay came the closest to being a unanimous No. 1, garnering all but one first-place vote.
The defending state champions blasted Challis in their opener as the only ranked team in the division to have played.
Raft River is No. 2 after making the playoffs last year. Wilder is third, followed by Oakley and Murtaugh in a fourth-place tie.
Defending eight-man champion North Gem already has lost more games - one - than it did all of last season. But despite a 34-6 drubbing at Carey, the Cowboys are ranked second behind Deary and ahead of No. 3 Carey.
Deary won its opener by 50 points, and will host fourth-ranked Council this Friday. Lakeside of Plummer is tied for fourth.