MERIDIAN — Both coaches cringed when they saw their 3A state tournament pairing.

“Oh no, not them!’’

Despite the geographic difference, the programs at Fruitland and Snake River are very familiar with each other, the two schools hooking up in four of the last five state tournaments.

“I know I’m sick of facing Snake River, and I’m sure they’re sick of us,’’ Fruitland co-head coach Willie Lake said after his Grizzlies held off the Panthers 71-59 in Thursday’s first-round game at Meridian High School. “I saw it when it came out and I thought ‘not again.’”

Snake River’s Robert Coombs echoed his peer.

“I’m sure they’re tired of us and I know we’re tired of them,’’ said the Panthers’ 27th-year coach, who has been on the wrong end of all four matchups. “They’re just a real good group. They’ve got size and a couple good shooters. That’s every coach’s dream, that combination.’’

One week after a shocking District 3 title game upset loss to Homedale and losing senior Colton Capps to a knee injury, Fruitland co-head coach Mark Van Weerdhuizen liked the way his top-ranked Grizzlies stuck to their original quest.

“Our ultimate goal was to get to state. We did that, it was just different where we fell. That’s the only thing that changed,’’ the Griz coach said of drawing the top bracket instead of the bottom four. “Yes, they were down, but they look at it as a challenge and I think they showed that today.’’

Fruitland (23-2) flexed its inside muscle in the second quarter, Coombs’ major concern coming in. Leading 18-17 early in the period, the Griz finished off the half with a 22-9 run to lead 40-26 at intermission, repeatedly getting inside the Panthers’ zone and man-to-man defenses. Fruitland finished the half hitting on 16 of 29 shots from the floor (55.2%) from the floor, many of those coming off its seven offensive rebounds in the half.

“Seven offensive rebounds, that’s 14 points right there. And I’ve got them for 16 (offensive rebounds) for the game,’’ Commbs said of Fruitland’s success inside. “Offensive rebounds, I think that was the key to the ballgame. Sixteen offensive rebounds, that’s a big difference in the any game.’’

Six-foot-4 forward Hyrum Lindsey led the Griz inside attack, finishing with 10 of his team-high 20 points, while pulling down seven of his eight rebounds prior to intermission. And it wasn’t just inside where he flexed his muscle.

“He’s a good player, an all-around good player,’’ Coombs said. “Those two 3s he hit were huge. We made that little run early in the fourth, but those 3s really took the wind out of us.’’

Snake River had pulled to within 56-48 with seven minutes remaining in the game before Lindsey buried the two extra-pointers within 40 seconds of each other to end any threat of late-game heroics.

“I’m very, very happy with the fight we showed today,’’ said Lake, who got 13 points each from Joe Henggler, Josh Henggler and Nolan Bower, who also pulled down 10 rebounds. “We played very, very hard today and that is a tribute to them. I’m very proud of what they did today.’’

The win sets up a No. 1 vs. No. 2 semifinal Friday at 6:30 p.m., when Fruitland takes on 22-1 Kimberly, a 77-64 winner over Marsh Valley in Thursday’s second game.

“It’s a sense of excitement, to be on this side of the bracket and face a team like Kimberly and a player like (Dawson) Cummings,’’ Van Weerdhuizen said as his team chases his program’s sixth title and second in three years. “We feel like if we play well, like we can play, we have a real good shot against them.’’

Snake River was led by Noah Watts’ 21 points and 10 each from Treyton Young, Michael Ibarra and Trey Poulter. The Panthers face District 5 rival Marsh Valley in the consolation bracket at 1:15 p.m. Friday.

FRUITLAND 71, SNAKE RIVER 59

Fruitland 18 22 12 19 — 71

Snake River 13 13 18 15 — 59

Fruitland — Henggler 13, Weatherall 5, Beltran 2, Lindsey 20, Watson 2, Hartman 3, Bower 13, Henggeler 13.

Snake River — Young 10, Ibarra 10, Watt 21, Anderson 4, Poulter 10, Wray 4.