4A SIC football preview: A new favorite emerges to threaten BK’s stranglehold

Bishop Kelly has established itself as the cream of the 4A Southern Idaho Conference, winning four straight league titles and finishing one point shy of four consecutive state titles.

But it’s Skyview sitting atop the preseason coaches’ poll, edging out the Knights by a single point (again).

Can Skyview live up to the hype? Will Bishop Kelly reload and hang another banner? Or will a new challenger rise from the deepest 4A conference in the state?

Below are team-by-team previews, ordered by each team’s finish in the coaches’ poll.

SKYVIEW HAWKS

Last season: 8-4, 5-2 4A SIC

Playoffs: Lost to Skyline 47-35 in semifinals

Coach: David Young, 15th season

Career record: 77-66

Skyview lost the school’s career leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns (Kyle Pierce) to graduation. But don’t expect the high-flying Hawks to slow down anytime soon.

Junior quarterback Wyatt Storer returns after a record-setting season of his own, and he brings back another tall, athletic and explosive receiver in DeMonte Horton that opposing teams will struggle to cover.

Add in the return of last season’s leading rusher — junior Tyler Crowe (555 yards, 9.0 yards per carry, eight TDs) — and Skyview will remain an offensive juggernaut.

“Wyatt played beyond his years as a sophomore,” Young said. “Many claim it was his receiving corps. They were good, but Wyatt reads a defense as well as any QB we have had.”

The defense is less decorated. Crowe, a linebacker, is the only returning starter, and the Hawks are a bit undersized. But Young said the defense is loaded with fast and athletic players, including Horton, who will take on a larger role as a safety.

BISHOP KELLY KNIGHTS

Last season: 11-1, 7-0 4A SIC

Playoffs: Lost to Skyline 50-49 in state championship

Coach: Tim Brennan, 22nd season

Career record: 190-73

The Knights saw their 20-game winning streak snapped in last year’s state championship when Skyline converted a do-or-die two-point conversion with 19 seconds left. Graduation cost BK 18 of 22 starters from that team, but expectations are always high for the Knights, who have reached four straight state finals.

The trio of Rex Irby, Cam Foley and Khalil Forehand, who has an offer from Idaho, lead a potent stable of running backs. Brennan said he’ll use all three of the track stars, swapping them in and out and moving them around the field to keep them fresh and create mismatches.

“Sometimes Cam will play fullback, and the other two tailback,” Brennan said. “And Khalil will play some slot to get him the ball in open space.”

That speed also translates to the defense, specifically the defensive line and the secondary. Irby serves as the leader and brains of the group. He’s entering his third year as a starter and was a first-team All-Idaho defensive back last season.

MIDDLETON VIKINGS

Last season: 7-4, 4-3 4A SIC

Playoffs: Lost to Bishop Kelly 34-14 in quarterfinals

Coach: Bill Brock, 18th season

Career record: 204-100

Get ready for a new era at Middleton.

After installing the double wing in 2008, Brock is switching the Vikings to a spread-based offense this fall. He cautions Middleton will still run the ball, but it’s a departure from the identity that built the Vikings into a state power.

“I just feel like it was the right time to do something else. I just got that feeling,” Brock said. “We got some kids back out (playing football) that wouldn't have played in years past.”

Mitch Beita and Darin Post are battling it out for the starting quarterback position early in camp. Beita led the Vikings in rushing last fall (617 yards, 6.4 yards per carry) and represents a dual threat, while Post is more of a traditional pocket passer.

Brock said Middleton will still be a physical team up front, led by 6-4, 270-pound senior Josh Mertz. After injuries sidelined him the past two seasons, he’s poised for a breakout year at center and defensive end.

EMMETT HUSKIES

Last season: 8-3, 5-2 4A SIC

Playoffs: Lost to Skyline 37-20 in quarterfinals

Coach: Mike Schroeder, sixth season

Career record: 136-68-1

Emmett won its first 4A playoff game in school history last fall, and the Huskies are set up for another playoff run with seven returning starters on both sides of the ball.

The offense remains built around DJ Crump, a first-team all-conference running back. Emmett will continue to move him all over the field to try and find mismatches and space for the elusive and explosive runner.

The 4A SIC’s top offense a year ago (39.8 ppg) will remain tough between the tackles with a backfield led by seniors Michael Walker and Jake Whittemore. Three returning offensive linemen will allow the Huskies to rely on the ground game as they break in a new quarterback.

But the heart-and-soul of Emmett comes on defense, where the tenacious inside linebacker duo of Walker and Spencer Keene are entering their third year as starters.

“Both are even from the standpoint of ability and leadership,” Schroeder said. “We’re fortunate to have both of them.”

VALLIVUE FALCONS

Last season: 6-3, 4-3 4A SIC

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Layne Coffin, 11th season

Career record: 86-70

Only a loss in the final week of the season and a head-to-head tiebreaker kept the Falcons from their first playoff appearance since 2010. But with a loaded roster of returning talent — Coffin said Vallivue started seven freshmen and sophomores at one point in 2016 — the Falcons return ready to break that streak.

The biggest question mark comes in the backfield, where Vallivue will have to replace first-team All-Idaho running back and conference offensive player of the year Jerred Monnier (1,559 yards and 18 TDs). Coffin said Vallivue can’t replace Monnier with a single player. Instead, the Falcons will split carries among five or six players to try to equal Monnier’s production.

Nick Fox, a second-team All-Idaho safety, will get many of those carries. But Vallivue will also split him out wide as it builds its most potent aerial attack in a generation behind sophomore quarterback Lan Larison. He started every game as a freshman, completing 50-of-108 passes for 959 yards, 14 TDs and eight interceptions.

“We’re excited to stretch the field a little bit more,” Coffin said.

RIDGEVUE WARHAWKS

Last season: 1-8, 1-6 4A SIC

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Tom DeWitz, second season

Career record: 1-8

Ridgevue took its lumps last season as a first-year program. DeWitz said the Warhawks still remain young and inexperienced, but he added the team will benefit from its first full offseason together.

“Our trust/chemistry are leaps and bounds better than last year, and I expect all of this be reflected on the field,” DeWitz said.

Junior running back Michael Sondermann will lead the Warhawks’ attack. Senior quarterback Colton Crawford returns after starting last year, but he’s battling Columbia transfer Gino Camario for the starting spot. All of them will have to combine to replace the graduation of receiver Kade Linder, who accounted for nearly one-third of Ridgevue’s offense in 2016.

The largest strides will need to come from a defense that allowed a 4A SIC-high 43.8 points per game. Ridgevue returns seven defensive starters, including three along the defensive line, to aid its efforts in keeping opponents off the scoreboard.

CALDWELL COUGARS

Last season: 2-7, 1-6 4A SIC

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Zac Farnam, first season

Career record: 19-28

Farnam inherits a program that hasn’t posted a winning season since 2005. But he also inherits one with loads of varsity experience as a youth movement last season allowed Caldwell to return nearly all of its starters on offense and defense.

None earned all-conference honors last season, but Farnam said that game experience is invaluable.

“The returning experience is our best strength,” Farnam said. “We’ve got a lot of leaders, a lot of kids who have played a lot of football games.”

Farnam is installing a new pistol offense to boost a unit that scored 10.1 points a game in 2016. He said that’ll make the Cougars more balanced offensively after struggling through the air for years. And it’ll take advantage of the skills of junior quarterback Chase Burfeind and the running back tandem of Noah Jaekels and Tevin Sio.

MOUNTAIN HOME TIGERS

Last season: 1-8, 1-6 4A SIC

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Jim Clark, third season

Career record: 24-50

Mountain Home snapped its 22-game losing streak last season, beating Caldwell for its first overall win since 2015 and its first conference win since 2013. But the graduation of 18 seniors and low turnout has the Tigers battling uphill again.

Clark said Mountain Home will only field eight seniors and that 32 players showed up for the varsity and JV teams combined, leading him to consider canceling the JV season.

The running back duo of senior Sergio Figueroa and junior Seth West will lead the Tigers’ offense as it moves to a spread formation but keeps its option base. The set should let Mountain Home utilize wide receivers Walker Harris (last season’s leading receiver) and the 6-foot-4 Nehemiah Parker.

This story was originally published August 19, 2017 at 6:17 PM with the headline "4A SIC football preview: A new favorite emerges to threaten BK’s stranglehold."