District 5 Week 3 recap: Aberdeen beats new conference foe Marsh Valley; Rockland, West Side remain undefeated

EASTERN IDAHO — The Rockland Bulldogs and West Side Pirates stayed perfect on the season with multi-score victories over 2025 playoff participants, while the Century Diamondbacks and Soda Springs Cardinals got off the schneid with their first wins of the season.

West Side (4-0, 0-0) hosted the Ririe Bulldogs (1-3, 0-0), who lost in overtime to Nampa Christian in the 2025 3A state championship game. Senior running back Drake Sage and the Pirates kept their 2026 championship aspirations running on a high with a 34-20 win. Through four games, West Side has outscored its opponents by 79 combined points.

Next up, though, is a road showdown with hated rival Declo (4-0). This year’s Pirate seniors enter the matchup with a 3-2 record against the Hornets, including victories in the 2023 and 2024 state championship games.

The Bulldogs (3-0, 0-0) continued their run of utter dominance Friday, beating the Challis Vikings (0-3, 0-0), last year’s 1A Rocky Mountain Conference champions, 61-0 at Rockland High School. Challis earned the conference title and a playoff berth last season, over Rockland and North Gem, by tiebreaker. This year, the Vikings are competing in the 2A High Desert Conference.

With its latest win, Rockland improved its point differential, through three games, to plus-184. The Bulldogs have scored more than 60 points in all three games, while holding their opponents to eight points or fewer in all three.

Seven different Bulldogs scored a touchdown, including one from Zach Permann, who retired to the sideline after the first quarter. Quarterback Xavier Parrish added three touchdowns, also in limited playing time.

In 6A action, the Highland Rams’ struggles continued with a 29-25 loss at Capital (2-1). The Rams (0-3, 0-0) have faced two Idaho opponents, losing by nine points between the two games. They will be in Montana Friday, facing Lake City (3-1) in a neutral-site game.

The Pocatello Thunder (1-2, 0-2) found themselves in a shootout with the Skyline Grizzlies (3-0, 3-0).

Poky kept it close, pulling within four points early in the third quarter with a defensive scoop-and-score touchdown, but Skyline pulled away late for a 43-32 win.

The Century Diamondbacks, on the other hand, recovered from back-to-back losses to start the season, beating Canyon Ridge (1-2) on the road, 33-16. Century will be on the road again this week, visiting the Hillcrest Knights (3-0, 2-0), while the Thunder will be at Idaho Falls to take on the Tigers (1-2, 0-1).

The 4A South East Idaho Conference had a rough week, going a combined 0-4.

American Falls (2-2, 0-0) lost 28-27 at Gooding (2-1); Preston (0-3, 0-0) lost 38-20 at Northridge (UT); and Snake River (0-4, 0-0) lost 44-14 to Weiser (3-1).

The Bear Lake Bears suffered their first loss of the season, 41-6, at the South Fremont Cougars (3-1, 0-0).

Aberdeen won the only 3A South East Idaho Conference game, beating the Eagles (0-4, 0-1) at Marsh Valley High School, 13-6, in the East Idaho Sports District 5 Game of the Week.

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The Tigers (2-2, 1-0) were led by senior running back Jeremy Partida, who scored both Aberdeen touchdowns. Seniors Erik Alvarez and Isaac Driscoll added several big plays on the offensive end, while Driscoll’s interception in the game’s final minute ended Marsh Valley’s comeback attempt.

The Soda Springs Cardinals (1-2, 0-0) got their second win since the start of the 2023 season. Like they did last year, the Cardinals bested the Firth Cougars (0-3, 0-0), 47-33.

Grace, last season’s 2A High Desert Conference champs, lost at home against the Adrian (OR), 54-22.

The Grizzlies (1-3, 0-0) will face the North Gem Cowboys on the road in this week’s East Idaho Sports District 5 Game of the Week.

North Gem (3-1, 0-0) won for the second week in a row, beating the Sho-Ban Chiefs (0-2, 0-0) 32-0 at North Gem High School.