Recap: Bye weeks starting to shed light on playoff positioning

EASTERN IDAHO – Way back when the season started with Week 0 games, it was unclear then how the eventual bye weeks would impact standings and playoffs.

Now we’re at the point that postseason scenarios are taking shape.

In 6A, Rigby had a bye after its loss at Bishop Kelly and has since put up 121 points in wins over Lewiston on the road, and conference-clinching wins over Highland and Madison.

Perhaps the most fun will come this week when the Trojans host 5A state champion and unbeaten Hillcrest.

The game is meaningless in terms of standings and playoff implications, but the winner gets bragging rights. At least for a week.

With its win over Madison last week, Rigby has already clinched the conference title and the top seed in the east for the upcoming playoffs.

Interestingly enough, it was the Bishop Kelly win over Rigby that dropped Hillcrest out of the top spot in the 5A state media rankings.

Also in 5A, Century has cruised through its schedule unbeaten and gets a bye this week before closing out the regular season next week against city foe Pocatello.

Sugar-Salem has been the team to beat in the Mountain Rivers Conference, and with just three teams in the conference, every game is crucial.

The Diggers picked up a conference win over South Fremont last week and get a bye this week before finishing out the regular season against Teton.

Sugar-Salem is already in playoff mode, but a week off would be helpful to its title chase.

There’s no rest in the South East Idaho Conference, another three-team conference, as American Falls and Snake River meet up this week.

The Beavers had a bye two weeks ago and returned to handle Bear Lake 48-7 last week.

American Falls and Snake River are 1-0 in conference. Despite the Panthers’ 3-4 overall record against a tough schedule, they would win the SEI with a win over American Falls.

The Beavers (6-1) have won five straight games.

In the 3A Nuclear Conference, Ririe picked up arguably its biggest win of the year two weeks ago, knocking off previously unbeaten West Jefferson, before getting a bye last week.

The Bulldogs (7-0,2-0) host North Fremont Friday in a game that could determine the conference champion.

A win by Ririe and the Bulldogs are champions. A win by North Fremont sets up a showdown next week where the Huskies face West Jefferson and can claim the conference title with a win.

If Ririe, North Fremont and West Jefferson all finish with one loss, there will be a Kansas City playoff the following Monday after the regular season.

Aberdeen can continue to play the spoiler when it takes on conference leader West Side this week.

The Tigers already put a dent in North Fremont’s unbeaten season with an 18-16 win two weeks ago.

West Side is 2-0 in conference, but Aberdeen (1-1) and Declo (2-1) will have a say in how the 3A South East Idaho Conference plays out.

Grace is 7-1 overall. The Grizzlies have a bye this week before the one and only 2A High Country Conference game against Butte County next week

Despite it being a two-team conference, the winner gets a bye in the playoffs while the loser could still make the playoffs based on its MaxPreps rankings.

Grace is currently fourth in the 2A rankings, while Butte County (1-6) is 13th.

In 8-man 1A, Challis put itself in good position with last week’s win over North Gem.

The Vikings (4-4, 4-0) have won three straight games and would clinch the 1A Rocky Mountain title with a win this week against Rockland.

The Bulldogs (5-2, 3-0) would take over first place with a win, but still have a regular-season game against North Gem in two weeks that could determine who finishes atop the standings.

Stats and stuff

This week’s local top-5 state leaders (based on teams that submitted stats).

-Kolter Lewis, Ririe, second with 1,103 rushing yards.

-Justus Burtenshaw, West Jefferson, fourth with 914 rushing yards.

-Kaden Andersen, Bear Lake, fifth with 695 receiving yards.

-Kolter Lewis, Ririe, first with 134 total points.

-Cade Esplin, Blackfoot, fourth with 86 points.

-Andrew Martin, North Fremont, fifth with 84 points.

-Kolter Lewis, Ririe, first with 20 touchdowns.

-Cooper Brown, Ririe, tied for first with six interceptions.