Top 5 games played in high school football this week

It is unusual for a league race to be decided so early in the season, but it may be the case this year.

This week’s Whitepine League schedule includes some games that could have a significant impact on the rest of the season. There are also two traditional border-battle contests scheduled.

The top five high school football games of the week are listed below.

Friday at 7 p.m., Moscow plays at Pullman

The annual football game between the Moscow Bears and Pullman Greyhounds is the first of two border battles this week.

After losing to Lakeland 42-21 last Friday, Pullman is still searching for its first victory of the year. In its most recent match, Moscow lost to Clarkston by a score of 30–29.

The Bears, who have already shown they are a superior club to the 0-8 group from the previous season, will want to get revenge on the Greyhounds.

The possibility that it may come against its cross-state rival should make this game one of the most intriguing ones of the week. Pullman will already be determined to get its first win of the season.

Logos at Kamiah — 7 p.m. Friday

One of the biggest surprises of the season thus far is Logos. With quarterback Jack Driskill at the helm, the Knights are 2-0 and possess one of the classification’s most productive offences. The Kubs, the defending Division I winners of the Whitepine League, will test that offence.

Kamiah is 1-0 and just defeated Lapwai 52-8.

The Kubs defence is one of the best in the league, so it will be intriguing to watch how it performs against the over 400-yard-per-game Logos offence.

This most recent example of “unstoppable force vs. immovable object” may have ramifications in the future.

The Whitepine League did not have a lone team in first place until later in the season the previous year, and thus far this year, the pattern is continuing. Potlatch, Prairie, Kamiah, and Logos are all undefeated both overall and in their conference. The winner of the match between the Knights and the Kubs will have a significant advantage over the rest of the league.

Prairie at Potlatch on Friday at 7 p.m.

For the same reasons as Kamiah vs. Logos, this matchup between two undefeated Whitepine League teams may have effects on the rest of the season.

The Loggers vs. the Pirates is a matchup between two teams hoping to regain popularity, as opposed to the Knights and the Kubs, which includes a club on the rise and an established team attempting to defend its title.

Last Friday’s game in the area with the most points earned had Potlatch as a player. Among them, 74 were Loggers. It’s a sign that Potlatch is prepared to compete for the top spot in the Whitepine League for a squad whose three losses from last year were by two points or less.

After a poor year in the Whitepine League last year, Prairie, a traditional powerhouse, started its comeback this year with a decisive 56-16 victory over Troy. The Pirates defeated the Loggers in a thrilling 56-52 victory in the matchup from the previous season.

The competition this year ought to be just as intense.

Clarkston at Lewiston — 7 p.m. Friday

The annual Battle of the Bridges between the Clarkston Bantams and Lewiston Bengals takes place in Lewiston and is the second border battle of the week.

The Bantams aim to repay Lewiston for their 52-12 win in Clarkston last season by defeating them this time around.

The Bengals and Clarkston were each 1-0 heading into the match from the previous year. Lewiston is winless so far this season and is hoping to start winning to improve its record.

Both teams had great seasons in 2022, but this year they haven’t started off as well as they did then. The squad may gain momentum for the remainder of the season with a victory in the Battle of the Bridges.

Garfield-Palouse at Tekoa-Rosalia — 7 p.m. Friday

The Garfield-Palouse Vikings defeated the St. John-Endicott/LaCrosse Eagles 36-32 last Friday to avenge two losses from the previous campaign. This Friday, Garfield-Palouse will attempt to avenge a loss they suffered against the Tekoa-Rosalia Timberwolves in Rosalia last season.

Last year, both teams saw comparable challenges due to injury-plagued squads, which resulted in unsatisfactory season outcomes for both.

Last week’s 32-0 loss to DeSales by the Timberwolves was an apparent rout. But given that the Irish scored 40 points or more in all but one of their games last season and reached the 70-point threshold three times, it could be an indication of a more competitive Tekoa-Rosalia team. Last year, neither team truly had a chance to show off its whole roster’s potential. We’ll get to see what both clubs are capable of on Friday.