David vs Goliath; Panthers look to upset Grizzlies

I know that I am going to take some hits on this prediction but really, can I pick against the home team?THOMAS — As the Snake River Panther football team prepares for what will undoubtedly be the biggest game of most of their careers lets take a moment and analyze the championship game to be played on Saturday.
First the Fruitland Grizzlies.  Too say that they are loaded could be a bit of an understatement.  Standing at a perfect 11-0, the Grizzlies have blasted through their season like a sportswriter at an all you can eat pizza bar and on paper it looks as if they are a near lock to win the 3A title.
The Grizzlies are as potent an offensive squad as you will find any where in the state of Idaho, averaging 39.5 points per game for the season and in the playoffs they are rolling up 47.6 points per outing.
The Grizzlies rely on a three headed rushing attack behind what their head coach Bruce Schlaich considers his finest offensive line ever at Fruitland.
Jordan Martin, Daulton Blackwell and Coleson Warrington have proven themselves for the past three months and will have to be contained if the Panthers have any hope of bringing home a blue trophy for the trophy case.
The Grizzlies run a variation of the same offense that the Panthers run so defensively Snake River should have a good idea of what they will be facing.
The biggest question may be how well Fruitlands sophomore quarter back does in the biggest game of his career.
Last week, the Grizzlies escaped with a one point win over conference rival Weiser, largely in part to costly turnovers early in the game and a break down on special teams when Weiser returned a kick for a score.
The biggest plus, or minus, depending upon how you look at it is the fact that this will be Fruitlands fourth straight championship game.  Experience being at the game should bode well for the Grizzlies but before you jump on the Grizzly bandwagon, consider the fact that they have lost the last three title games so that may build extra pressure into an already intense situation.
Conversely, the Panthers are entering the title tilt with little pressure on them.  No one outside of the Snake River area had them going to the state title game and for the first half of the season, injuries and mental mistakes plagued the Panthers, lending no inkling of a state title run.
Over the past month, however the Panthers have continued to build momentum, culminating in a most impressive 26-0 white washing of the Kimberly Bulldogs last Saturday in Holt Arena.
The defense has been solid and the running game has been clicking on all cylinders in large part to the emergence of the passing game.
C.J. Toulouse has been on target as of late, hitting Chad Van Orden and Marin Hrabik on huge passing plays when the defense has been forced to play run against the Panthers.
I expect those passing plays to be available for the Panthers on the blue turf at Boise State and that very well could be the difference maker.
I know that on paper and in the power rankings that Fruitland is supposed to win this game.
That said, I hearken back to two seasons ago when the Salmon Savages were supposed to get throttled by Fruitland and low and behold, they emerged triumphant.
I’m hanging my hat on the Panthers coming into the game looser and with nothing to lose as they shock the Grizzlies with a thrilling 34-28 victory.

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