Week 6 of Idaho high school football saw the established powers maintain their grip on the top of the rankings, with the top 15 remaining largely intact. Top-ranked Bishop Kelly and No. 4 Eagle both survived scares to stay undefeated, while the rest of the top teams took care of business.
But beneath the surface, significant movement reshaped the bottom half as several teams made their case for recognition. The week's biggest story was the shuffling at the bottom of the rankings, where quality wins and upset losses created opportunity. Two new teams broke into the rankings - Minico at 4-1 and Ririe with an impressive 6-0 start.
So here are this week's state rankings:
1. Bishop Kelly (5-0) — The Knights survived their toughest test of the season, holding off a furious Columbia rally to escape with a 22-20 victory Friday night. After leading 22-7 entering the fourth quarter, Bishop Kelly watched Columbia storm back with two late touchdowns before the Knights' defense came up with crucial stops to preserve the win and their perfect record. Quarterback Ben Avella showcased his dual-threat ability with 72 rushing yards and a touchdown along with 168 passing yards and another score.
2. Rocky Mountain (5-0) — The Grizzlies remained perfect with a 41-7 victory over Centennial on Friday night. Parker Kleinkopf ran for three touchdowns in the first quarter and finished with 96 yards on just six carries in the impressive performance that kept Rocky Mountain undefeated and firmly entrenched as one of the state's elite programs.
3. Rigby (4-1) — The Trojans delivered a resounding 46-0 shutout victory over Lewiston on Thursday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on the University of Montana campus. With four of the last six state titles, the defending state champions continue to prove they remain among the state's most dangerous teams.
4. Eagle (5-0) — The Mustangs remained unbeaten with a hard-fought 21-14 victory over No. 18 Mountain View in a defensive struggle. Senior running back Noah Burnham broke open the game with two clutch fourth-quarter touchdowns, finishing with 101 rushing yards and 67 receiving yards. The win extended Eagle's winning streak over Mountain View to four games and pushed Burnham's season rushing total past 650 yards.
5. Hillcrest (5-0) — The defending 5A state champions stayed perfect with a 44-20 victory over Shelley at home Friday night. Quarterback Tyson Sweetwood led the way with a spectacular dual-threat performance, throwing for 189 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 100 yards on the ground. The Knights continue to show why they're among the state's elite.
6. Skyline (4-1) — The Grizzlies rebounded from their heartbreaking loss to Hillcrest with a commanding 55-13 victory over Idaho Falls on Friday night. Zyan Crockett was nearly unstoppable, accumulating 111 rushing yards and two scores on just six carries while adding a punt return touchdown in the impressive performance.
7. Timberline (5-0) — The Wolves remained undefeated with a 50-19 rout of No. 23 Capital at home Friday night. Quarterback Jack Brant accounted for six total touchdowns, throwing for 356 yards and four scores while adding two more on the ground. Receiver Hudson Lewis turned seven touches into 221 yards and four touchdowns in the explosive offensive showcase that improved Timberline to 5-0.
8. Kendrick (5-0) — The four-time reigning Class 1A state champions delivered another overpowering performance with a 90-0 demolition of Lapwai on Friday night. The Tigers have now pushed their winning streak to 10 games and have outscored opponents 415-8 this season. Quarterback Maddox Kirkland threw for 215 yards and four touchdowns while adding a rushing score in the lopsided victory.
9. Lakeland (6-0) — The Hawks are 6-0 for the first time in more than 20 years following a 49-0 shellacking of Moscow on Friday night. The shutout performance showcased Lakeland's balanced attack and stifling defense as they continued their best start in over two decades.
10. Sugar-Salem (4-1) — The reigning 4A state champions, who have won six of the last seven state titles, held their position during their bye week. The Diggers remain well-positioned among the state's top programs as they continue to show the championship mettle that has made them a perennial contender.
11. Homedale (5-0) — The Trojans are off to a 5-0 start for the third consecutive season after a 48-0 shutout of Payette on Friday night. The emphatic performance was highlighted by Javid Blewett's remarkable first quarter, in which he rushed for two touchdowns, grabbed an interception, and blocked a punt that he returned for a score.
12. Fruitland (5-0) — The Grizzlies posted back-to-back 5-0 starts for the first time in 12 years with a 51-20 victory over Cole Valley Christian on Friday night. The program's impressive resurgence continues as they remain among the state's undefeated teams.
13. Madison (4-2) — The Bobcats stayed hot with a 44-14 victory over Thunder Ridge on Friday night. Quarterback Micah Dougherty threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns, while Brock Hammond ran for 155 yards and a score and Baden Wheeler hauled in three receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Despite their 4-2 record, Madison's two losses have come by a combined two points to top-10 teams.
14. Highland (5-1) — The Rams continued their strong season with a 32-7 victory over Pocatello on Friday night. Cedric Mitchell led the way with 130 rushing yards, including 120 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter alone.
15. Owyhee (5-0) ↑1 — The Storm are 5-0 for the first time in program history after a dramatic 16-14 victory over Kuna on Friday night. Corbon Gill drilled a 33-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining to secure the narrow win and keep Owyhee's perfect season alive.
16. Carey (5-0) ↑3 — The Panthers extended their winning streak to 15 games, the longest in the state, with a 44-14 victory over Hansen on Friday night. The reigning 1A state champions continue their dominant run and show no signs of slowing down.
17. Coeur d'Alene (3-2) ↑5 — The Vikings dominated No. 15 Sandpoint 50-9 in a homecoming rout on Friday night. Quarterback Caden Symons threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns while also catching a score in the impressive win. Coeur d'Alene has now won three straight games and extended their winning streak over Sandpoint to nine consecutive victories.
18. North Fremont (5-0) ↑2 — The Huskies posted their first 5-0 start in three years with a thorough 47-0 shutout victory over Salmon on Friday night. North Fremont continues to position itself well among the state's undefeated programs.
19. West Side (3-1) ↑2 — The defending 3A state champions, who have won five of the last six state titles, got back on track with a 20-8 victory over Declo on Friday night. Running back Drake Sage racked up 203 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the strong performance.
20. Blackfoot (3-2) ↑4 — The Broncos responded well to their tough loss to Madison with a 40-22 victory over Bonneville on Friday night. Blackfoot showed resilience in bouncing back from adversity and remains positioned among the state's top programs.
21. Sandpoint (5-1) ↓6 — The Bulldogs suffered their worst loss in five years, falling to Coeur d'Alene 50-9 on Friday night. The defeat dropped Sandpoint from No. 15 and snapped their perfect start to the season. Despite the setback, their 5-1 record keeps them in the rankings.
22. Twin Falls (4-1) ↑3 — The Bruins have won four straight games since a 1-point overtime loss to Sandpoint in their season opener, most recently posting a 40-0 shutout victory over Mountain Home on Friday night. Twin Falls continues to prove they belong among the state's top programs.
23. Mountain View (2-3) ↓5 — The Mavericks fell to No. 4 Eagle 21-14 in a defensive struggle on Friday night. Despite dropping to 2-3, Mountain View's two losses in ranked play have come against top-five opponents - No. 2 Rocky Mountain and No. 4 Eagle - showing they can compete with the state's elite.
24. Minico (4-1) NR — The Spartans enter the rankings after posting their second consecutive 4-1 start with a 40-7 victory over Burley on Friday night. Minico's only loss this season came against top-ranked Bishop Kelly, proving their credentials as a quality program.
25. Ririe (6-0) NR — The Bulldogs burst into the rankings after improving to 6-0 for the first time in more than 20 years with a 45-18 victory over Firth on Friday night. Ririe dominated on the ground with 385 rushing yards, including 236 yards and three touchdowns from Kolter Lewis.
DROPPED OUT: Middleton (3-2) fell out after a heartbreaking 21-20 loss to Meridian; Capital (2-3) dropped out following a 50-19 loss to Timberline.
Sept. 24 Idaho High School Football Top-25 Rankings
National Week 8 high school football rankings