First look as three District 6 powers move onto the state semifinals

EASTERN IDAHO – The state semifinals are set, with three District 6 teams still alive to make a title run.

Rigby still has its sights set on a 3-peat in 6A after a convincing 28-3 win over rival Madison.

Hillcrest in 5A and Sugar-Salem in 4A both look to add another blue trophy to their collection after both came up short in the playoffs last season.

Weiser vs Sugar-Salem, Friday, 5:30 p.m. at the ICCU Dome

The Diggers are no strangers to the playoff spotlight, having won three consecutive state titles before losing to Homedale in last year’s semifinals.

Sugar-Salem has won six titles in the past eight seasons, but will have to get by a Weiser team that gave Snake River Valley Conference foe and No. 1 Homedale a scare in the regular season.

Weiser (8-2) put up 52 points in last week’s win over Kimberly and will challenge the Diggers’ defense with its running game. Six different Wolverine players have scored multiple rushing TDs, led by Zayne Crossley with 14 rushing touchdowns. Klete Cook has thrown 10 touchdown passes.

The Diggers have the top scoring defense in 4A, surrendering just 13 points per game, and also thrive with a balanced offense, averaging nearly 200 yards rushing, with QB Frank Fillmore averaging 105 yards through the air.

Hillcrest at Columbia, Friday, 7 p.m.

The Knights have been to three straight 5A championship games, winning a title in 2024.

Hillcrest (9-1) will have to get past the Wildcats to make another appearance.

Columbia was the only Idaho team to challenge No. 1 Bishop Kelly this year, falling 21-17. The Wildcats (8-2) have outscored opponents by more than 23 points per game and are the No. 2 seed behind Bishop Kelly.

Hillcrest lost its regular finale 34-22 to Blackfoot, but bounced back to beat Twin Falls 37-27 last week after a bye.

Logan Taylor passed for 263 yards and threw three TDs to three different receivers in the win, and Elam Miner and J’Vion King each had rushing touchdowns as the Knights rolled up 459 yards.

Rocky Mountain at Rigby, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Rocky Mountain lost a close game to a good Boise team, but is back on track with consecutive wins over Mountain View while rolling up 93 points in the two wins.

Rigby (9-1) lost to No. 1 Coeur d’Alene 34-27 back on Oct. 1, but has won four straight since, including beating rival Madison to end the regular season, and then beating the Bobcats 28-3 last week after a bye week to open the playoffs.

The Trojans have won back-to-back 6A state titles and have a history with Rocky Mountain.

Rigby beat the Grizzlies in the semifinals the past two seasons. The Trojans also beat Rocky Mountain in the 2022 and 2019 semis.

The Grizzlies beat the Trojans 17-14 in the 2020 state championship game.