Upset-minded Aberdeen ready for rematch with top-ranked Ririe

POCATELLO — There are 12 high school football playoff games this weekend, featuring eight teams from eastern Idaho schools. Only one of those games will pit a pair of local schools against each other — the EastIdahoSports.com District 5 Game of the Week showdown between the Ririe Bulldogs and Aberdeen Tigers.

No. 5 Aberdeen hosted No. 1 Ririe earlier this season, on Sept. 18. The Tigers (7-3) were unable to get their offense going in that game, falling 20-8 to the Bulldogs (10-0).

The key to Ririe’s success in the regular-season matchup was making Aberdeen one-dimensional on offense. As head coach Josh Huntsman told EastIdahoSports.com after that game, Tiger quarterback Lupe Ortiz is dangerous with the ball in his hands.

“We tried to be in his eye space all the time,” Huntsman said of Ririe’s defensive game plan against Ortiz in that win. “We didn’t want him to get away from us — we let him go the one time.”

Ortiz set up Aberdeen’s only score in that game, when he broke a 50-yard run. But as Ririe — and West Side just a few weeks later — proved, Ortiz will not beat championship contenders alone.

The senior ran for 80yards against the Bulldogs in that first matchup, meeting his per-game average for the season. Ortiz ran for 121 yards against West Side on Oct. 17, accounting for more than two-thirds of the Tiger offense in a 21-0 loss.

While the offense is centered on Ortiz running the read option, Aberdeen’s defense has been stout, especially against stars like Ririe’ Kolter Lewis. The Tigers allowed more than 20 points just twice this season — 21 points both times, in losses to the Pirates and Declo Hornets.

In their first meeting, Aberdeen held Lewis to 79 yards. The senior superstar enters this weekend’s rematch leading the state in rushing, with 1,730 yards, averaging 173 yards per game and 8.7 yards per carry. Lewis’ 26 rushing touchdowns are also tops in the state.

Aberdeen was the only team this season to hold Lewis under 100 yards rushing, so it’s no surprise they were one of only three teams to hold the Bulldogs to 20 points.

The Tigers’ upset aspirations will hinge largely on the ability to repeat that defense performance. Offensively, someone no named Ortiz will need to produce something.

Ririe, 3A’s top seed, will be the home team when they meet the Tigers at the ICCU Dome Thursday night. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.