Best in the Northwest? Idaho football powers take on Oregon, Washington in new event
Some of the top high school football teams in the Northwest are coming to Meridian this fall.
Rocky Mountain High will host a four-game slate named the Northwest Showdown on Sept. 6-7 featuring powerhouse programs from Idaho, Washington and Oregon.
The lineup includes Rocky Mountain, Eagle, Rigby and Highland from Idaho. West Linn and Summit will represent Oregon, while Chiawana and Moses Lake make the trip from Eastern Washington.
The eight teams have combined to win four state championships in the past two seasons, and 14 titles in the past 11 years.
“In future years, we’d like to get Oregon, California and Washington state champs in there and give kids an opportunity to ball out and see where they’re at,” said Joel Schneider, the organizer of the event. “I think people will be surprised at the level in Idaho. It’s improved a lot. But the best way to prove that is to go out and play other teams.”
Tickets for the first edition this fall go on sale June 1 and are $8 for adults, and $5 for children and seniors.
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl signed as the primary sponsor, and Schneider said plans are in motion already for a second event in 2025.
Here’s a closer look at the schedule and the matchups.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN VS. CHIAWANA
When: 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6
Outlook: Rocky Mountain has won three state championships in the past nine years, and it made the semifinals nine of the past 11 seasons. Chiawana won the state title in Washington’s largest classification in 2013 and made the finals again in 2014. The Tri-Cities high school went 19-3 the past two seasons, and the Riverhawks have won at least a share of their league title five of the past six years.
RIGBY VS. MOSES LAKE
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6
Outlook: Rigby has won three 5A state championships and made the finals four times in the past five years, posting a 48-10 record in that time. Moses Lake is 21-10 the past three seasons with one playoff appearance. It won three straight league titles between 2015 and ‘17.
EAGLE VS. WEST LINN
When: 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7
Outlook: Eagle is the reigning 5A SIC champ and has qualified for the state playoffs 16 years in a row, the longest active streak in the 5A SIC. West Linn has won two state titles in the past seven years in Oregon’s largest classification, and the Portland-area program has reached the state semifinals three years in a row.
HIGHLAND VS. SUMMIT
When: 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7
Outlook: Highland remains Idaho’s most decorated program. The Rams won their record 12th state title last fall, and they’ve made the playoffs 34 years in a row, the longest active streak in Idaho. Summit won state titles in Oregon’s second-largest classification in 2022 and ‘15, and it reached the state semifinals last fall. The school from Bend is 28-9 the past three seasons and has made at least the quarterfinals each year.
NEW HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SHOWCASE
The Northwest Showdown gives Idaho its second large-school showcase event. The Rocky Mountain Rumble in Pocatello started in 2008.
Eagle coach James Cluphf said the 5A SIC’s large conference made scheduling out-of-state games difficult. But he always wanted to play in a similar event and jumped at the opportunity.
“It brings excitement to our community,” Cluphf said. “We’re always trying to make our community proud and give them something to root for.
“It’s another game to get our kids up for. We have a tough conference. There are no bad opponents. But it’s cool to see a regular-season team that people are talking about as the favorite in Oregon.”
