More predictions. Week two of the State Football Play offs!

BLACKFOOT — Week one of the state football playoffs are in the books and yours truly was 2-2 for my picks last week.  READER OPINION:  Did last weeks games go how you thought?  How do you see this weeks games playing out?
Both Snake River and Aberdeen fell last week, ending their dreams of a state title, although both had the ball at the end of the game for either a tie or a win.
Blackfoot and Shelley moved on over the weekend with Shelley cruising to a 52-6 win over an American Falls team that had no business being in the post season.
Blackfoot gutted out a nice road win over Century, completing the season sweep of the Diamondbacks.
For their efforts, the Shelley and Blackfoot now move into the quarter final round with Shelley tangling with Salmon in the dome on Thursday evening while Blackfoot will make the long trip to Boise to take on Bishop Kelley on Friday night.

Shelley (9-0) vs Salmon (5-4) Thursday, 7 P.M. Holt Arena

These two teams know each other like the back of their hands, playing in the Mountain Rivers conference the two teams have already met this season, with Shelley scoring a late touchdown to escape Salmons home field with a 38-36 win.
Salmon is on a roll right now, winning their last three ball games, most recently an overtime win over the then undefeated Marsh Valley team.
Speaking of rolls, Shelley has been on one all year, with their lowest scoring out put being thirty-two points in week two at 4A Rigby.
In the last three weeks, Shelley has ran up 42,47 and 52 points respectfully and were able to rest their starters for large portions of the second half in each of those games.
In the first meeting between the two teams, Shelley did a great job of holding down Salmons main threat, wide receiver Trey Infanger, who tallied no catches and just thirteen yards on two carries.
Salmon did get a nice game from their running game as the Savages racked up 202 total rushing yards but I suspect that the Shelley defense will make the proper adjustments to that.
The real question will be if the Russets can maintain their vaunted rushing attack.  In the game in September, a trio of Russets had two-touchdown nights with Aaron Adams, McCade Bono and Chase Richins each finding the end zone twice, while the Russets rushed for over four hundred yards.
Salmon, the defending state champions, are peaking at just the right time and given the recent tussles between the two teams, don’t be surprised if this isn’t a good old fashioned donny brook before it is all said and done.
I like the Russets, however.  They are rested, primed and looking to avenge last seasons semi-final loss to the Savages.  In a high scoring affair. . .
Russets 44, Savages 32

Blackfoot (8-1) vs Bishop Kelley (8-1) Friday 7 P.M. @ Bishop Kelley

On Friday night, Blackfoot will make the long trip to Boise to tangle with the Bishop Kelley Knights.
Bishop Kelley, the 4A Southern Idaho Conference champions enter the game with an identical 8-1 record.
Comparing these two teams on paper is like comparing apples to oranges.  Both teams boast offenses capable of dropping forty plus on any given night and the defenses are as stingy as Ebenezer Scrooge, a facet of the game that I believe will be the determining factor.
While Running the table in their conference, the Knights defense turned in an impressive four shut outs, most recently last weeks drubbing of Kuna on the Kavemens home field 45-0.
Blackfoot has some defense of their own, however holding last weeks opponent, the Century Diamondbacks to just three points on their home turf in Holt Arena, their lowest offensive out put of the season.
In addition to identical win-loss records, both teams have identical 91.33 power rankings, as reported on the idahosports.com web site.
Blackfoot ranks number two in the state media poll while Bishop Kelley has made a steady climb to number three in the last poll released last Wednesday.
I could go the chickens route and flip a coin, as this game really is this close to call but I will stick my neck out.
Blackfoot is at a decided disadvantage with the long travel over to the game.  The unfamiliar field.  Unfamiliar referees and of course the hostile environment.
That said Blackfoot will turn to their kicker, Luis Oseguera who will respond with a game winning field goal, sending the Broncos on to the Semi-Finals.
Broncos 38, Knights 35

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