Diehard jock: Championship bound?
By Scott Ford
Thursday, November 12, 2009 10:53 AM PST
Five area Idaho teams are on the cusp of playing for a championship, with New Plymouth and Parma in the 2A ranks and Payette, Fruitland and Weiser in class 3A.
There is only one thing set in stone coming into the these semifinals matchups, and that is at least one Snake River Valley Conference team will compete for a title in 2009.
Looking at the games that will take place this weekend, football fans can get excited about all the possibilities that could unfold.
Like an all-SRV championship, with Payette or Fruitland taking on Weiser. Even an all-Western Athletic Conference championship could unfold between Parma and New Plymouth.
In the 3A ranks, fans will get a taste of of what an all-SRV title game would be like when the Pirates and Grizzlies take the field Friday.
Making a pick in this contest has been a tough one. I like Fruitland because the Griz just seem to know how to win, that tradition thing. As for Payette, I like what the Pirates bring to the table on the defensive side of the football, and I am a firm believer in that old adage that defense wins championships.
The Pirates also bring a balanced offense that can and will throw the football, whereas the Grizzlies rely on their running game and have not thrown the ball too much this year. Not to say that they can’t and they won’t. It’s just something they have not had to do with two running backs with 1,000-plus yards rushing.
In the end, this game looks to be one in which the fans will get their money’s worth, and I see this game coming down to one thing. The team that can take advantage of that one moment in the game where the momentum is up for grabs — Payette 27, Fruitland 20.
Weiser has had, by far, the toughest road in this postseason of the SRV teams, and the Wolverines have risen to the occasion each time. Not many thought the Wolverines could beat Buhl, and they did. Then the doubters questioned Weiser’s ability to fend off a bigger South Fremont team, and they did.
Weiser has proven to be able to rise to a level of excellence when it matters in this postseason.
Now they have another tough competitor in the Shelley Russets.
The Russets have won 10 games this season, compared to Weiser’s seven wins and three losses. But I think Weiser has played a much tougher schedule in both the regular season and in the playoffs — Weiser 22, Shelley 12. Setting up the all-SRV championship game.
Now for the 2A semifinals. Parma is on the road at Glenns Ferry, and New Plymouth is hosting Declo.
It could be really easy to call the 2A championship a repeat of last year’s game between Parma and Declo.
But I am not so sure it will be that way.
Parma is taking on a Pilots’ team that is 8-2 and a team that can put up the points. In 10 games, Glenns Ferry is averaging 32 points a game, and Parma averages 34 points. The big difference is, Parma’s stingy defense is allowing a mere three points a contest compared to the Pilots’ 29 points per game. Too much Panther defense in this one — Parma 35, Glenns Ferry 16.
In an intriguing game, New Plymouth against Declo, my heart wants the Pilgrims to win, but my mind says it will be Declo. My mind tells me that Declo’s defense will cause the Pilgrims fits, while its offense will call enough right plays to win the game.
Also, I have to ponder if New Plymouth has what it takes to overcome any mistakes they might make.
They proved last week that they could after coming back to defeat Kamiah after trailing 16-0 early. Hosting this game, will give the Pilgrims an edge — New Plymouth 22, Declo 21.
In Oregon, the 3A state tournament gets underway with Vale hosting Jefferson at 1 p.m Saturday. Vale has been playing with a ton of confidence, and it made a pretty loud statement to end the regular season with its 32-7 win over Nyssa. Jefferson is the No. 4 seed from the PacWest league and comes into this game with a 3-7 record and a two-game losing streak. Good contest for Vale to tune-up its game — Vale 44, Jefferson 0.
