“We crept back on them and then turnovers killed us,” Teton coach Don Betts said. “We had 30-plus again.”

Kyerstie Hogan scored 11 for Ririe, but Tayler Pond led all scorers with 19 points.

“We even had her doubled, but nobody could touch her,” Betts said.

Angela Beard led Teton with nine points, and Chloe Place scored eight.

Teton (0-3) hosts Snake River on Tuesday.

Butte County 49, Grace 34: At Arco, Butte County posted double digits in every quarter to move to 2-0 on the season.

Pirates coach Jesse Lettington said the keys were ball movement and forward Libby Kern, who scored a game-high 16 points.

“We had patience tonight,” Lettington said. “In our first game last night, weren’t patient moving the ball. Tonight, we ran through the offense, looked for the open man. They ran a 2-3 against us, but we put Libby Kern on the high post, and she was on tonight.”

Korbin Traughber chipped in nine points, and Chelsie Pope scored eight.
Lettington said he likes that kind of balance.

“We’re working it inside tonight,” Lettington said. “When they collapse, we’re starting to hit outside, too. We’re really balanced, playing good team basketball.”

Butte County’s next game is at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at Grace.

Challis 60, Raft River 45: At Malta, Challis outscored Raft River 19-7 in the third quarter to win its first game of the season.

Lauren Garlie and Jenna Hamilton led Challis with 20 and 19 points, respectively.

Challis led by six at the half but stretched the lead thanks in part to three 3-pointers by Hamilton.

“Lauren’s points were close under the basket rebounding and fast breaking,” McGowan said. “Jenna hit three big 3s at the end of third and start of the fourth that helped us out a bunch. Defensively, they both played well.”

Challis (1-2) plays at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Sho-Ban.

The school board lopped it, along with every other extracurricular program from volleyball to Future Farmers of America, out of the budget after a supplemental levy failed.

The town had no choice. Mackay has always been dependent on state education money because the federal government owns more than 90 percent of Custer County, leaving it a miniscule tax base. Add in cuts in the state budget amid a recession and a dwindling district population, a basis for how much money the district receives from the state, and Mackay was hit with both barrels.

Without the passage of a supplemental levy, Mackay’s budget was left with a gaping hole. But Mackay, and the football team, still had a Hail Mary.

The school board scheduled another levy in July, and thanks to a doubling of voter turnout, and the necks of the athletics programs positioned on the chopping block, the levy passed. Mackay football would live on.

On Saturday, the Miners will fight for their eighth title in the past 13 years. That’s an embarrassment of riches. But as the past five months show, the litany of the issues facing the American West reach even the kings of football.

When the Miners take the field Saturday, all of this will seem miles away and years in the past. And in truth, it won’t matter. At least not Saturday. Mackay has a football game to win, first and foremost, a tradition to uphold.

“It won’t hit these kids until five years down the road how special it is,” Mackay football coach Lance Rosenkrance said. “Maybe they’ll look at it and say how crazy it was because there was a chance they wouldn’t even play.

“But that isn’t even crossing their mind now. We’re just focusing on playing a football game. That’s something they’ll see down the road.”

No one can compartmentalize painful memories like an athlete. But I have a favor to ask of the Mackay football team. Don’t forget the past.

Take a moment sometime before Saturday’s game to remember. Remember where you were that day in May when the first levy failed. Remember what you were going to do if you couldn’t play football. Remember how many friends would have transferred if they couldn’t play, and how many you would never seen again.

And then remember what it is that keeps you together.

Eastern Idaho still has three teams vying for three titles. Looking into my crystal ball, I see all three bringing home the blue trophy.

Blackfoot vs. Sandpoint

For all the X’s and Os’ and storylines entering this 4A title matchup, one made me laugh.

To simulate what Blackfoot quarterback Anthony Clarke can do, Sandpoint had its quarterback coach run the scout team this week. That wouldn’t be newsworthy if its quarterback coach wasn’t Jake Plummer. As in, former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer.

“Their quarterback is not any better than the QB we’ve faced in Jake,” Sandpoint coach Mike Mitchell told the Bonner County Daily Bee this week.

Well, duh.

One thing is for sure, though. Sandpoint is glad to be done with the double wing offenses it’s faced the past two weeks.

“Blackfoot runs a real offense, like us,” Mitchell said. “The last couple of weeks, we’ve been playing the groundhog stuff, and now we get a chance to cover somebody.”

I wasn’t aware that the double wing is imaginary, but let’s move on.
Looking at these two teams, Clarke stands out as the only difference. Both teams can throw the ball. Both have a couple of capable backs. And both feature loads of 6-foot-1, 200-pound athletes on defense. These two teams are mirror images of each other.

“It’s not like it’s a lot of trickery offensively,” Blackfoot coach Stan Buck said. “It’s just line up and play and know your assignment.”

With that being said, Blackfoot has the ace in the hole in Clarke’s running ability. Sandpoint’s ace, Plummer, unfortunately doesn’t have any eligibility left.

Blackfoot 24, Sandpoint 21

Shelley vs. Fruitland

Stop me if this sounds familiar — Shelley will face Fruitland for a state title.

Whether it’s football or basketball, these two teams have been head and shoulders above the rest of the 3A classification for the past decade, building a rivalry despite being separated by more than 300 miles of sage brush.

And with Shelley in its last year in 3A, what better to go out than a battle to determine the team of the decade?

As always, be ready for physical running attacks from both teams. Shelley’s two-headed attack of Aaron Adams and Gabe Nii has piled up 2,294 yards on the ground while Fruitland’s two-headed attack of Jordan Martin and Daulton Blackwell has rushed for 2,166 yards.

But Shelley coach Dwight Richins makes an excellent point. Because the strength of both teams is running and stopping the run, the passing game might make the difference.

“The break (today) may come from the passing game,” Richins said. “Whoever can exploit the other throwing the football may have an advantage.”

And I trust Chase Richins more than I trust Fruitland quarterback Ryan Wright, who didn’t attempt a pass last week, because he didn’t need to.

But in the end, do you really think Shelley will exit 3A without a football title? I don’t.

Shelley 20, Fruitland 14

Mackay vs. Salmon River

Salmon River has made a magical run, winning five in a row, with three shutouts, after starting the year 2-3 thanks to a couple of key injuries.
But Mackay coach Lance Rosenkrance said he won’t make the mistake the rest of the state has.

“I think we’re all a little guilty of looking at records, and they were overlooked,” Rosenkrance said. “They’re a really good football team or they wouldn’t be here. They beat (previously undefeated and No. 1-ranked) Kootenai to make it here.”

But for all the magic on Salmon River’s side, it pales in comparison to the year Mackay is having. From having football cut five months ago to playing in the title game, their season is a story that’s too good to be true.

Except it is.

Mackay 34, Salmon River 27

Capital vs. Eagle

Capital has obliterated opponents, outscoring them 43.5 to 10.7 on average, on its way to a perfect season. But I’m going with the underdog, Eagle, because the best player on the field will stand in its huddle.

Senior quarterback Taylor Kelly, who’s committed to the University of Nevada, has completed 163-of-249 passes (65 percent) for 2,345 yards and 21 TDs with four interceptions this season. And he’s added 893 yards and eight TDs on the ground.

He missed last year’s title game against Highland with a broken leg. Now that he’s on the big stage, look for him to make up for lost time and carry Eagle to the title.

Eagle 28, Capital 21

Declo vs. Parma

In the first of two rematches from last year’s title games — Parma won 29-28 in overtime — I’m going with the repeat. Declo shook my confidence when it needed double overtime to escape Malad in the quarterfinals.

Parma, on the other hand, has been an iron curtain on defense. In two playoff games, it has allowed a total of six points.

Parma 22, Declo 21

Prairie vs. Oakley

Oakley has been the gold standard of 1A football the past three years, posting a 34-1 record. That one loss? To Prairie in last year’s title game.

Considering Prairie has yet to allow more than eight points in any of its 11 games this year, it’ll repeat.

Prairie 30, Oakley 27

Clark County and Leadore will join the football conference next fall after the Montana athletics association asked the two out-of-state schools to leave its 6-man classification in October.

Montana had 32 schools in its 6-man classification this year, and with possibly two to four more schools joining, it plans to split into two classifications. The majority of the smaller schools, the classification Clark Country and Leadore would play in, are scattered throughout the state, creating too much travel.

“A lot of teams are in northern and eastern Montana and are too far to travel to,” Clark County coach Mark Williams said. “Some coaches were wanting us to protest and stay, but we felt we were uninvited guests, so we stepped out.”

That leaves Clark County and Leadore to jump to 8-man football played in Idaho, a game it left because the schools had so few students.

Clark County left the Sawtooth Conference and joined the Montana 6-man classification in 2006. Leadore restarted its football program in 2007 thanks to 6-man football after two decades of being unable to field a team.

Clark County, with 53 students in last year’s state enrollment count, should make the transition easier than Leadore. Clark County has more students than six schools currently playing 8-man football, including Salmon River, which is playing for the 1A Division II title tonight.

Meanwhile, Leadore has the lowest enrollment of any public schools in the state, 29.

“We’re scheduling 8-man here in Idaho, but we’re also going to look to see if we get a 6-man league in Idaho,” Leadore athletic director Kathy McRea said. “I’m not sure how it will work, but we’re looking at it.”

While Clark County and Leadore try to establish a 6-man league, it will participate in what will be an 11-team Sawtooth Conference, split into two divisions, next year.

“It’s going to be tough,” McRea said. “Looking down the road, there’s no boys in the fifth grade and no boys in the third grade. That’s why we’re looking at getting six-man going.”

That may seem like a long shot and no possible league could start until fall 2011, but there is a precedent. Wyoming used to have a handful of schools playing in Montana’s 6-man classification until it broke off and formed its own eight-team classification this year.

And Idaho has 15 1A schools without a football program.

In the meantime, both schools will slug it out in 8-man football.

“It’s take a year or two (to get a classification started) and I don’t want to see the program die,” Williams said. “Because if it does, I don’t know that we’ll get it back.

“We’ve approached a couple schools, and coaches seem open about it. But fans don’t think it’s real football. It’s breaking tradition and it’s tough for people to do.”

Six-man football primer

- Field is 40 yards wide by 80 long
- 15 yards are needed for a first down
- Three players need to be on the line of scrimmage
- The quarterback can’t advance the ball past the line of scrimmage. He has to exchange it to someone else first.
- A kicked point after touchdown is worth two points. A run or pass is worth one point.
- Field goals are worth four points.
- Six-man football is played in Texas (with more than 110 teams), Nebraska, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and parts of Canada.

Remember when? Shelley's Jordan Kidman, No. 3, gets a key block from teammate Daniel Cook at Holt Arena in 2007. Shelley beat Fruitland 19-13 to win the title. Jason Bean / prphoto@postregister.com

When No. 1-ranked Shelley takes the field at Holt Arena tonight, the Russets won’t just be playing for a 3A state championship. With a win over Fruitland, undefeated Shelley can cement its legacy as the power of the 3A classification before jumping to 4A next season.

By winning titles every other season starting in 2003, Shelley (11-0) has a chance to win its fourth title in the last seven seasons under coach Dwight Richins.

That adds importance on an already big game for Richins and the Shelley senior class, including quarterback Chase Richins, Dwight Richins’ son.

“This is an opportunity we may not get again for a while,” Dwight Richins said. “This is my son’s senior year — my last son. That’s an added incentive for me and him. You never know what the next chance is going to bring you, when the next one’s coming.”

Shelley’s final hurdle is the 8-3 Fruitland Grizzlies in a rematch of the 2007 championship game that Shelley won 19-13.

After an unspectacular 4-3 start, Fruitland has rattled off four straight wins on its way to Pocatello.

Facing Fruitland is a fitting end to the Shelley era in 3A. Fruitland won the 2006 title and will appear in its fourth straight championship game.

The 300-mile rivalry extends to the basketball court. The Shelley and Fruitland boys have faced off at the basketball state tournament four times since 2005, culminating in Shelley’s 49-39 win over Fruitland in the state title game last season.

The Shelley boys basketball team leads that series 3-1.

Tonight’s title game will be a case of an immovable object against an irresistible force. Both teams rely on punishing running games, but both teams also excel in stopping the run.

Fruitland is bigger. Shelley is faster.

Like Weiser, who Shelley beat in the state semifinals, Fruitland sets up in the double wing and either runs a play or shifts to the Wing T.

The Fruitland offensive line averages more than 220 pounds to a man, heft that has paved the way for running backs Daulton Blackwell and Jordan Martin to each eclipse 1,000 yards rushing.

Dwight Richins said the Shelley defensive line will have to absorb blockers to keep the linebackers free to pursue Blackwell and Martin.

“I always worry about being pushed around,” he said. “We definitely feel it’s a challenge. I sure hope we can stop them. If we don’t, we will be in for a long night.”

Meanwhile, Fruitland will have its hands full trying to slow down Shelley’s rushing attack.

Aaron Adams has pounded his way up the middle for 1,387 yards this season, while Gabe Nii has flown off the edge for 907 yards. Where Fruitland runs mostly between the tackles, Shelley’s mixed attack makes it less predictable, Richins said.

“It stresses the defense when you have an inside/outside game,” Richins said. “We did that to Weiser last week (407 yards rushing). It spreads your defense out even though we are running.”

Shelley and Fruitland are both run-based offenses that rely on traps, power and counter plays. However, Shelley has shown the ability passing the ball where Fruitland has been reluctant to take to the air.

Chase Richins completes 5 of 10 passes on average for 87 yards per contest. Those numbers won’t scare anybody, but Fruitland throws once or twice a game and didn’t attempt a pass in the semifinals against Payette.

Shelley’s ability to move the chains with the passing game could be a critical difference between two similar teams.

“I take a beating for not throwing it, but they really don’t throw it,” Dwight Richins said. “We’re a juggernaut throwing the ball compared to them.”

Several other factors point Shelley’s way. The game is in Holt Arena, the site where Shelley has already won three state games this season and where the Russets won each of their three titles. The Astroturf should play to Shelley’s speed.

The irrelevant factoid department also smiles on Shelley.

Starting in 2003, Shelley has won titles in ever odd-numbered year — 2009, of course, is an odd-numbered year.

Lauren Garlie and Jenna Hamilton led Challis with 20 and 19 points, respectively.

Challis led by six at the half but stretched the lead thanks in part to three 3s by Hamilton.

“Lauren’s points were close under the basket rebounding and fast breaking,” McGowan said. “Jenna hit three big threes at the end of third and start of the fourth that helped us out a bunch. Defensively, they both played well.”

Challis (1-2) plays at Sho-Ban at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Ririe 49, Teton 32
At Driggs, Teton tied the game at 29 late in the fourth quarter, but Ririe went on a 20-3 run to end the game and come away with the win.

“We crept back on them and then turnovers killed us,” Teton coach Don Betts said. “We had 30-plus again.”

Kyerstie Hogan scored 11 for Ririe but Tayler Pond led all scorers with 19 points.

“We even had her doubled, but nobody could touch her,” Betts said.
Angela Beard led Teton with nine points and Chloe Place scored eight.

Teton (0-3) hosts Snake River on Tuesday.

Butte County 49, Grace 34

At Arco, Butte County posted double digits in every quarter to move to 2-0 on the season.

Butte County coach Jesse Lettington said the keys were ball movement and forward Libby Kern, who scored a game-high 16 points.

“We had patience tonight,” Lettington said. “In our first game last night, weren’t patient moving the ball. Tonight, we ran through the offense, looked for the open man. They ran a 2-3 against us, but we put Libby Kern on the high post, and she was on tonight.”

Korbin Traughter chipped in nine points, and Chelsie Pope scored eight.

Lettington said he likes that kind of balance.

“We’re working it inside tonight,” Lettington said. “When they collapse, we’re starting to hit outside, too. We’re really balanced, playing good team basketball.”

Butte County’s next game is at Grace at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4

Sugar-Salem 52, Snake River 46

No further information available.

Butte County 49, Grace 34
Grace 10 6 9 9 – 34
Butte County 10 11 11 12 – 49
GRACE (34) Hamp 2, Mathews 7, Burton 2, Jensen 15, Skinner 5, Kimball 3. FG: 12. FT: 7-14. 3-pointers: 1 (Kimball). Total fouls: 15. Fouled out: Mathews.
BUTTE COUNTY (49) Kelsey Deal 2, Sami Childers 3, Korbin Traughber 9, Savannah Collins 3, Cheyan Coburn 2, Jessika Harralson 2, Libby Kern 16, Chelsie Pope 8, Carly Hansen 4. FG: 17. FT: 12-21. 3-pointers: 1 (Childers). Total fouls: 19. Fouled out: none.

Challis 60, Raft River 45
Challis 20 10 19 11 – 60
Raft River 14 10 7 10 – 45
RAFT RIVER (45) Cassi Ottely 7, Hailey Higley 5, Echo Hansen 2, Denali Manning 3, Leanne Carpenter 6, Whitney Holtman 1, Wynter Holtman 6, Chelzee Nye 10. FG: 12. FT: 16-21. 3-pointers: none. Total fouls: 20. Fouled out: none.
CHALLIS (60) Nicole Helm 2, Jenna Hamilton 19, Amber Kimmerer 10, Loni Dawton 4
Lacen Moss 5, Lauren Garlie 20. FG: 22. FT: 12-18. 3-pointers: 4 (Hamilton 3, Moss 1). Total fouls: 20. Fouled out: Garlie.

Ririe 49, Teton 32
Ririe 11 6 10 22 - 49
Teton 8 5 12 7 - 32

RIRIE – Paige Wood 2, Brooke Bowden 8, Tayler Pond 19, Alexis Brown 8, Alexandria Park 1, Kyerstie Hogan 11. FG 18. FT 12-17. F 13. 3-pointers: 1 (Hogan). Fouled out: none.

TETON – Alysa Beard 2, Angela Beard 9, Chloe Place 8, Caitlin Kerr 1, Kelsey Bagley 2, Tara Mangum 2, Emily Thompson 2, Kristen Anderson 6. FG 15. FT 2-6. F 17. 3-pointers: None. Fouled out: none.

Released Nov. 18.

Records are through Tuesday. First-place votes in parentheses.
5A
1. Coeur d’Alene (6) 1-0 38
2. Boise 1-0 24
3. Centennial (2) 3-0 23
4. Lake City 2-0 12
5. (tie) Highland 0-0 5
Madison 0-1 5
Lewiston 0-1 5
Vallivue 1-1 5
Others receiving votes: Capital 2, Meridian 1.
4A
1. Bonneville (8) 1-0 40
2. Middleton 2-0 27
3. Jerome 1-1 25
4. Lakeland 1-0 7
5. Moscow 0-2 5
Others receiving votes: Burley 3, Rigby 3, Preston 3, Mountain Home 2, Nampa 2, Bishop Kelly 2, Century 1.

3A
1. Sugar-Salem (8) 2-0 40
2. Snake River 1-0 25
3. Fruitland 1-0 15
4. Kimberly 0-0 12
5. (tie) Timberlake 2-0 8
Wendell 0-1 8
Others receiving votes: Shelley 6, Bonners Ferry 3, Teton 3.

2A
1. West Jefferson (6) 1-0 36
2. Soda Springs (2) 0-0 28
3. Valley 0-0 16
4 (tie) Grangeville 1-0 12
Parma 1-0 12
Others receiving votes: North Fremont 5, Kamiah 4, Declo 4, Firth 3.
1A Division I
1. Lapwai (4) 1-0 32
2. Challis (4) 0-0 30
3. Clearwater Valley 1-0 24
4. Kendrick 1-0 11
5. Raft River 0-1 8
Others receiving votes: Rimrock 7, Sho-Ban 4, Lakeside 3, Tri-Valley 1.

1A Division II
1. Richfield (8) 1-0 40
2. Dietrich 1-0 26
3. Carey 0-0 20
4. Garden Valley 0-0 10
5. Summit Academy 3-0 9
Others receiving votes: Mackay 7, Greenleaf Friends 5, Camas County 2, Clark Fork 1.

Voters
Mark Nelke, Coeur d’Alene Press
Greg Lee, Spokesman-Review
John Wustrow, Idaho Press-Tribune
David Bashore, Twin Falls Times-News
Mark High, Blackfoot Morning News
Matt Baney, Lewiston Tribune
Jesse Zentz, Idaho Statesman
Zach Kyle, Idaho Falls Post Register

Blackfoot senior quarterback Anthony Clarke went from throwing 19 interceptions last year to six this year.

BLACKFOOT — One question swirled around the Blackfoot High School football team this summer.

Yes, it was returning seven starters on defense and eight on offense. But none of that would matter if its quarterback Anthony Clarke threw another 19 interceptions, most in the area, like he did in 2008.

After losing to Jerome in the first round of the playoffs last year, Blackfoot’s earliest exit since 2005, Clarke was determined not to be the reason his team sat at home in November again.

He spent the summer working with his receivers. From July to the start of practice in late August, he threw to his receivers over and over again, getting his drop right, working on his timing, figuring out exactly when his target came out of his break and when he’d need to deliver the ball.

“I worked real hard this summer to come back, pick up from last year and not make so many mistakes, so we could come out and dominate like we should have,” Clarke said. “The turnovers we had last year did limit us. I threw three (interceptions) and our backup threw one in that Jerome game. Turnovers killed us in that first playoff game last year.”

With his team poised for its second title in the past three years, and second in school history, Clarke has cut his interceptions from 19 to six. There’s loads of reason Blackfoot is playing for another title. But no singular reason stands out more than the improvement in Clarke’s decision making, making him the most dynamic two-way threat in eastern Idaho.

“He’s more mature and has got more experience,” Blackfoot coach Stan Buck said. “He’s seen it and he’s a better player because of that.”

While his passing numbers are impressive, that’s just the start of Clarke’s game. He’s rushed for 1,328 yards in Blackfoot’s spread option, starting, stopping, cutting, bobbing and jumping his way to countless backbreaking, long runs. Any plan to slow Blackfoot’s offense starts with Clarke, and he’s still fourth in the area in rushing.

But to stop him, defenses have to find him first. Blackfoot moves Clarke out to receiver as part of its Wildcat package, with running back Chris Percy under center, giving Clarke a 15-yard running start on sweeps. And sophomore Trae Pilster comes into the game under center, letting Blackfoot split out its fastest player on the edge in another package

All in all, it creates a nightmare for defensive coordinators.

“We try to get the focus on him and maybe capitalize with somebody else,” Buck said. “He’s a threat out there as far as a receiver. That’s fine with us. If they want to focus on him, we still have other good players.”

Madison senior Josh Fuller accepted a scholarship to play for the University of Utah on Wednesday. Photo courtest of Steve Conner Photography.

Josh Fuller just made it a lot tougher for his friends who root for BYU.

The Madison High School senior and reigning Idaho boys basketball Gatorade Player of the Year will suit up for the Utah Utes in 2010.

Fuller, 6-foot-7, 195 pounds, will attend Utah on a partial academic scholarship and red-shirt in 2010-11, then plans to go on his LDS
mission. When he returns, he’ll be on full athletic scholarship.

“Our assistant principal is a big BYU fan, all my seminary teachers are BYU fans,” said Fuller, who averaged 17 points and eight rebounds as a junior while leading Madison to a second-place finish in the 5A state tournament. “I grew up a lover of basketball.”

Fuller’s love of the game drew the attention of Utah’s third-year coach Jim Boylen, first at last year’s state tournament, then at Utah’s Elite Camp in July and later in conversations.

“The greatest thing about him for me is he’s very passionate about being at Utah and playing in our program,” Boylen said. “Then you add the length, the athleticism and the toughness. I love this type of guy.”

Fuller, who has spent most of his playing time in the post at Madison, will transition to the wing in college. He expects to spend more time away from the basket this winter while trying to get the Bobcats back to the title game.

“We have really good size this year with Parker Anderson and Austin Blair,” said Fuller, who also considered BYU, Utah Valley, Southern Utah and San Diego. “That gives me some versatility to go out of the wing.”

Boylen is confident Fuller can make the move.

“This isn’t a charity. We really think he can play,” Boylen said. “His time will come.”