Ranking Idaho’s top five teams in every high school classification entering 2025

Ranking Idaho’s top five teams in every high school classification entering 2025 originally appeared on The Sporting News

Predicting Idaho high school football rankings in August is a bit like trying to forecast the weather in October — you might get lucky, but you’ll probably be wrong.

Advertisement

We kept it pretty chalk at the top of each division, starting with the defending state champion in each of the six divisions, starting with 6A powerhouse Rigby all the way down to 1A Carey.

Here are our top-five preseason teams in each classification going into the year, with full expectations that this list will look ridiculous by November.

STREAM:Idaho high school football, live on NFHS Network

6A (Largest Schools)

1. Rigby – The Trojans are the defending state champions, having won four of the last six state titles. Highland is the only other team in the classification to achieve that feat.

2. Rocky Mountain – The Grizzlies are a perennial power and should be once again with four Division I FBS recruits on the roster and counting.

3. Eagle – Fresh off their first state championship game since 2009, the Mustangs return two-time, first-team all-state running back Noah Burnham and a defense filled with three-year starters.

4. Coeur d’Alene – The Vikings are another perennial contender with 13 consecutive playoff appearances from 2009-2021 and have most recently made back-to-back state semifinal appearances.

5. Timberline – Might be an odd inclusion with the Wolves having not posted back-to-back winning seasons in a decade, but they have five Division I commits.

MORE: Where every Idaho D-1 commit in Class of 2026 is playing next year

5A

1. Hillcrest – The Knights are the defending state champions and bring back a lot of talent from that team, including reigning Class 5A Player of the Year Tyson Sweetwood.

2. Bishop Kelly – The Knights are one of the most storied programs in the state with seven state titles and are back this year with 12 returning starters.

3. Skyline – The Grizzlies are going to have their least experienced team in years, but it’s still hard to bet against a program that’s played in four of the last five state championship games and has nine state titles to its name.

4. Minico – The Spartans graduated 16 starters, but they’ve only lost one conference game over the last four years and have made the final four in two of the last three seasons.

5. Lakeland – The Hawks had a 14-point lead over Hillcrest in the semifinals last season and bring back several players from that team.

4A

1. Sugar-Salem – The Diggers are the reigning state champions, having won six of the last seven state titles — only the second team in Idaho history ever to do so.

2. Homedale – The Trojans have made seven consecutive state semifinal appearances and played in five state championship games over the last seven seasons.

3. Fruitland – The Grizzlies return the state’s top recruit, five-star lineman Kelvin Obot, a University of Utah commit, and all-state quarterback Titus Vidlak, who led the classification in passing last season with 2,649 yards and 35 total touchdowns.

4. Kimberly – The Bulldogs outscored conference opponents 210-27 and bring back several returners, including junior Titus Osterman, who picked up an offer from Washington in May.

5. Weiser – Since winning the state championship in 2021, the Wolverines have been to the semifinals every year and are led by Tom Harrison, whose 11 state titles are the most in Idaho history.

MORE:Idaho’s 6 biggest coaching changes to watch in 2025

3A

1. West Side – The Pirates became just the third team in Idaho history to win five state championships in six years last season and bring back several contributors, including all-state linebacker Drake Sage.

2. Aberdeen – The Tigers had one of the best seasons in program history a year ago with a state semifinal appearance and return two all-state players from that team.

3. Firth – The Cougars have played in four of the last five state championship games, so it’s hard not to like them again.

4. Declo – The Hornets lost eight starters, including five all-state players from a team that made back-to-back state finals, but you still have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

5. Grangeville – The Bulldogs have lost in the playoffs to a team that went on to play for a state title each of the last two seasons. Is it finally their time?

2A (8-man)

1. Kendrick – The Tigers became the first team in 22 years to win four consecutive state championships last season, so there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

2. Butte County – The Pirates return plenty of talent to a team that’s made back-to-back state championships, including winning it all in 2023.

3. Hagerman – First-team all-state quarterback Wyatt Mavencamp, who led the entire state in yards (3,080) and touchdowns (49), returns to a team that made a run to the semifinals last season.

4. Valley – The Vikings will look to improve from a team that won the Snake River Conference championship and made the quarterfinals last year.

5. Logos – The Knights have gone 18-3, including handing Kendrick its first loss in nearly three years, and made back-to-back trips to the semifinals over the last two seasons.

1A (8-man)

1. Carey – To be the man, you have to beat the man. The Panthers are just that after cruising to the state championship last season with every win coming by double digits.

2. Dietrich – The Blue Devils lost seven all-state players, but have proven they’re able to reload with three state championship game appearances and four semifinal appearances over the last five seasons.

3. Tri-Valley – The Titans only lost one senior and bring back four all-state players from a team that advanced to the state semifinals.

4. Council – The Lumberjacks are fresh off a 7-2 year and a state quarterfinal appearance — their best season in a decade — and bring back the Long Pin Conference’s reigning Player of the Year in quarterback Owen Hatfield.

5. Rockland – The Bulldogs dealt with a depleted roster from injuries, but still found a way to win a third straight league title and qualify for the playoffs, so imagine what they could do when healthy

More high school football news