Midway through the fall campaign, the post-season playoff pictures are rounding into view in both the 1A Division 2 eight-man football ranks and the new 4A Great Basin Conference six-school league.
Carey School's defending 1A Division 2 state champs look like they'll probably emerge from the nine-school Sawtooth Conference and qualify as one of four Sawtooth teams in the eight-team Division 2 playoffs.
But Carey's 26-22 loss at Mackay Sept. 18 could put the Panthers in the tougher #2 seed this year—and it likely meant that Carey won't be the Sawtooth Conference champion for the first time since 2004.
Wood River High's 35-14 home loss to Burley last Friday damaged Wolverine chances to become one of the four Great Basin schools qualifying for the 4A Great Eight playoffs covering schools in south-central and southeastern Idaho.
Sawtooth outlook
Mackay's Miners (5-0, 4-0 league) have swept away Camas County 49-0 and Jackpot (Nev.) 47-0 the past two weeks since their home win over Carey and will look to take out a challenger at Rockland (3-1, 3-1 league) on Friday, Oct. 9.
Right now, it looks like Mackay is #1, Carey #2 and North Gem #3, but the battle for the fourth seed will be interesting. Rockland might have to win two of its three games against Mackay, Dietrich and Carey to make it in.
North Gem (4-1, 4-1) has won four straight since its 40-14 home loss to Carey Sept. 4—and Rockland has lost 32-8 at North Gem. Dietrich (2-3, 2-2) and Richfield (3-2, 2-2) are locked in a tight race and will play at Dietrich Oct. 23. Don't rule out Murtaugh (3-3, 2-3), which plays at Richfield this Friday.
Playing spoilers down the stretch will be Camas County (0-6, 0-5) and Jackpot (0-8, 0-5). But, really, seven of the nine teams are still in the mix.
Great Basin Conference
Coach Gary Krumm's Jerome Tigers will be hunting for Wolverine when they visit Hailey's Phil Homer Field on Friday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
That's because Jerome (2-3, 1-1 league) has lost three of its last four, all on the road to Middleton, Twin Falls and Pocatello, and is danger of having its first losing season since the 0-9 Tigers of 2005—when Jerome lost 16-0 at Wood River.
On the other hand, Jerome could upset the Minico and Twin Falls applecart and begin a late-season run with a victory at Wood River. Jerome has lost to front-running Twin Falls, but the Tigers host Minico and Burley for their final two.
Twin Falls (2-3, 2-0) and Minico (3-3, 2-0) will likely be unbeaten and settle the league title when they collide Oct. 23 in Rupert—if four-time defending conference champion Minico wins at Jerome Oct. 16.
If Jerome beats Wood River and loses to Minico, it's likely that Jerome and Burley (2-3, 2-1) will fight for #3 seed at Jerome Oct. 23.
Right now, with only four teams qualifying, it seems Wood River (1-4, 0-2) and Canyon Ridge (0-5, 0-3) are on the outside, looking in. And they'll meet Oct. 23 in Twin Falls.