To reach the state semifinal round for the first time in recent memory, the Wildcats (8-2) scored a 68-36 upset of a familiar foe in previously unbeaten Prairie of Cottonwood. Senior quarterback Titus Yearout put on an offensive tour de force in the game as he passed for five touchdowns, ran for four, and totaled 509 yards of offense.

This year has seen a major football renaissance for Lapwai, a school known mainly for its dominant boys’ basketball program, which also features Yearout as a key leader. Yearout has passed for 1,915 total yards this season and rushed for 1,090, while sophomore receiver Mason Brown has run 863 and caught for 781. Titus’ brother, sophomore Ahlius Yearout, is second in receiving yards at 470 and has been a leader in recent outings, but is expected to be out of action for the remainder of the season because of a collarbone injury.

To secure a spot in the final, Lapwai will need to topple another undefeated opponent in the top-ranked and top-seeded Trojans (8-0), who swept past Potlatch 63-22 in the quarterfinal round. The teams’ results against their two common opponents suggest it could be a close match-up: Lapwai beat Potlatch 58-32 when they met earlier this season, and handled Clearwater Valley of Kooskia 58-6 compared with Raft River’s 48-0.

Josh Nelson, assistant to Lapwai coach Josh Leighton, said the staff has been studying film of Raft River hoping above all to glean insights through Leighton’s experienced eye, and the Wildcats have a “high-energy and fun” atmosphere amid this state run.

 

“All of our basketball team is on our football team, and they’re all ready to keep this football season going,” Nelson said.

 

Yearout said the team is confident heading into the matchup. He felt that the Trojans have a different combination of things the Wildcats have seen throughout the season.

“(Beating Prairie) definitely was a boost of confidence, but we stay humble and know what the next steps are,” said Yearout, who on Wednesday committed to play college basketball at the University of Idaho. “We just know we have to concentrate on this game and what’s in front of us.”

The Tigers (7-2) bounced back from a narrow upset loss to Genesee in their regular-season finale with a 48-8 mauling of Horseshoe Bend in a quarterfinal-round game. Ty Koepp threw for four touchdowns in the game, Jagger Hewett caught for two, and cousin Sawyer Hewett ran for two more.

“I definitely like the adjustments we made,” Kendrick coach Zane Hobart said of certain strategic changes his team implemented to start the postseason. “I thought we were a better football team because of them.”

The Tigers have struggled to get past this round, dropping their game at this point three consecutive years. They will be looking to go one step further this time as they take on the Castleford Wolves (9-1), who had an more dominanting quarterfinal-round win, downing Rockland 58-8.

“They’re a good football team; I think they’ve got some good athletes in all the specialty positions, and they’re big up front,” Hobart said of Castleford, emphasizing he and his team are focused on their next opponent, not on the game’s context in the tournament or team history. “They’re definitely looking to run the football.”

The Tigers might hope that their relatively even balance between the running and passing games will help them win out.

 

The championship games will be Nov. 19-20 at locations to be determined.

 

Donn Walden contributed to this report.