1A football preview: Two favorites are clear. But nothing is guaranteed in 8-man.
Some of the most exciting football in Idaho comes from the 8-man ranks. And this year will be no exception.
Preseason coaches’ polls named two unanimous favorites in the Boise region: Notus in the 1A Division I Western Idaho Conference and Horseshoe Bend in the 1A Division II Long Pin Conference.
But preseason titles mean nothing. And the 1A ranks are often filled with upsets.
So we broke down both of the greater Treasure Valley’s 1A leagues, examining each team’s chances and top players to watch.
1A DIVISION I WIC
1. NOTUS PIRATES
Last season: 7-1, 4-0 1A D-I WIC
Playoffs: Lost to Lighthouse Christian 41-6 in quarterfinals
Coach: Joe Woodland, fourth season
Career record: 13-13
Base offense: Wildcat
Base defense: 3-3-2
Key players: Carter Woodland, jr., RB/CB; Julian Gallegos, sr., DE; Kaeden Clemens, sr., QB; Kellen Parks, sr., OL
The Pirates took the WIC by storm last year, outscoring conference opponents 210-26 to cruise to the league title. And it did it primarily with underclassmen.
Notus brings back seven starters on both sides of the ball for a repeat bid. And that includes most of the league’s top talent, including Clemens, the WIC’s offensive player of the year, and Gallegos, the defensive player of the year after racking up 17 sacks.
Add in an explosive running back like Woodland, and the Pirates enter as the clear favorite and a threat for a deep playoff run.
2. WILDER WILDCATS
Last season: 4-4, 2-2 1A D-I WIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Kyle DalSoglio, 12th season
Career record: 68-38
Base offense: Split back
Base defense: 3-3-2
Key players: Adrian Miramontes, sr., ATH; Moises Perez, sr., RB/WR/S; Jacob Sandoval, sr., WR/S; Hunter Onofrei, sr., RB/S
Injuries wreaked havoc on the Wildcats last season, and graduation cost them players who racked up nine first-team all-conference spots. But Wilder brings back plenty of intriguing prospects.
DalSoglio said he’ll use Miramontes, a first-team all-conference offensive lineman in 2019, all over the field — from the trenches to quarterback back, from running back to tight end. Finding a way to maximize his athleticism will be a key to success.
Perez, another first-team pick from 2019 limited by injuries last year, gives Wilder a second explosive athlete to move around the field and keep opponents guessing.
T-3. IDAHO CITY WILDCATS
Last season: 4-3, 2-2 1A D-I WIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Jason Roeber, 11th season
Career record: 47-41
Base offense: Spread
Base defense: 5-1
Key players: Connor Rapacon, sr., QB/CB; Jerimiah Nelson, sr., OL/DL; Gavin Wood, sr., OL/DL; Brody Bacus, jr., RB/DE
The Wildcats were the only WIC team to stay within three touchdowns of Notus last season. But it will need to rebuild with only five starters (three offense, two defense) returning.
Most of that experience comes on the offensive and defensive lines, which will need to help a young group of skill positions players get up to varsity speed.
Rapacon takes over at quarterback after playing several positions last year as a jack of all trades. But the big question looms at running back, where Idaho City must replace Trayton Nelson, a two-time, first-team all-conference pick.
T-3 RIMROCK PIRATES
Last season: 3-4, 3-2 1A D-I WIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Samuel Ward, first season
Career record: 0-0
Base offense: Pistol
Base defense: 3-5
Key players: Gus Black, sr., RB/DE; Aiden Aquiso, jr., TE/MLB; Pedro Varela, sr., WR/S; Alex Martinez, sr., WR/TE/LB
The Pirates started fall camp a bit behind. Ward wasn’t hired until early August, meaning he couldn’t meet his team until the first day of practice. But the first-year coach has plenty of returning talent to rely on.
Rimrock brings back 11 starters (five offense, six defense) after finishing second in the WIC. Black leads the way after earning first-team all-conference honors on both sides of the ball. Varela and Aquiso were also first-team selections on defense.
Installing a new playbook will take time. But Ward said he has a bounty of talent at the skill positions, giving him plenty of options.
5. GREENLEAF GRIZZLIES
Last season: 0-5, 0-5 1A D-I WIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Tyler Hoaglun, second season
Career record: 0-5
Base offense: Spread
Base defense: 4-3
Key players: Tucker TenHulzen, sr., QB; Clayton Holloway, sr., WR; Pedro Biggs, jr., RB; Colby Watanabe, sr., RB
The Grizzlies fielded a varsity team for the first time after a four-year absence last fall. That inexperienced showed as Greenleaf took some lumps and finished 0-5. But all those hard-earned lessons should start paying off this fall with six starters — all seniors — back on both sides of the ball.
TenHulzen leads the way as an experienced quarterback who poses a threat with his legs. Biggs, Watanabe and Holloway give him plenty of weapons. And the Kincheloe brothers, Evan and Aedan, anchor both the offensive and defensive lines.
1A DIVISION II LONG PIN
1. HORSESHOE BEND MUSTANGS
Last season: 6-4, 3-1 1A D-II Long Pin
Playoffs: Lost to Mullan 28-12 in quarterfinals
Coach: Craig Elliott, sixth season
Career record: 25-19
Base offense: Spread
Base defense: 4-2
Key players: Colten Meyer, sr., QB/DB; Keegan Smith, sr., OL/DL; Decker Larson, sr., TE/DE; Blayne Meyer, jr., RB/LB
The Mustangs enter the season as the unanimous favorite to win their second Long Pin title in the past three years.
That’s in large part due to some of the league’s top talent. Meyer, a three-year starting quarterback, returns as the league’s reigning offensive player of the year after racking up 2,377 total yards and 28 TDs. And Smith dominated the trenches last fall, earning All-Idaho honors on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Add in a matchup problem like Larson, and a running and passing threat like junior Blayne Meyer in the backfield, and it’s clear why Horseshoe Bend starts as the unquestioned favorite.
2. COUNCIL LUMBERJACKS
Last season: 3-5, 2-2 1A D-II Long Pin
Playoffs: Lost to North Gem 55-0 in first round
Coach: Andy Glenn, first season
Career record: 0-0
Base offense: I-formation
Base defense: 4-2
Key players: Trinity Hoxie, sr., RB; Wyatt Vining, jr., DE; Thatcher McClinn, sr., DB; Dahlton Bingham, so., DB
The loss of junior quarterback Josh Gipe, who was entering his third year as a starter, to a knee injury puts a damper on preseason expectations. But the Lumberjacks return loaded everywhere else, with seven starters returning on both sides of the ball.
Add in some new incoming talent, and Glenn said he has a bounty of size and speed to work with. That will translate into a potent running game led by Hoxie, a first-team all-conference pick last year. But expect more weapons to get involved and keep defenses honest.
The defense also has plenty of potential, the kind that has Council setting its sights on playing into November.
3. GARDEN VALLEY WOLVERINES
Last season: 5-4, 4-0 1A D-II Long Pin
Playoffs: Lost to Carey 46-28 in quarterfinals
Coach: Jason Yearsley, 11th season
Career record: 45-47
Base offense: I-formation
Base defense: 4-3
Key players: Nathan Gillette, jr., RB/WR/LB; Hudson Fields, sr., QB/WR/LB; Jaiden Hunt, jr., FB/DL; Kaden Zimmer, so., WR/DB
Graduation cost the Wolverines a once-in-a-generation senior class. But the cupboard is not totally bare, with eight returning starters (three offense, five defense).
Yearsley said Garden Valley will field a more balanced offense instead of relying on a few stars. A strong offensive line leads that effort, clearing lanes for athletes like Gillette and Hunt, while Fields moves under center after serving as a backup last year.
Hunt will anchor the defense, too, as one of the league’s most fearsome forces; he racked up 96 tackles and nine sacks last year. But a host of young players will have to prove themselves in a hurry for Garden Valley to repeat as league champs.
4. TRI-VALLEY TITANS
Last season: 1-5, 1-3 1A D-II Long Pin
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Justin Mink, second season
Career record: 1-5
Base offense: Pro set
Base defense: 4-4
Key players: Gage Warren, so., RB/DB; Charlie Gay, sr., RB/DB; Luke McHenry, so., OL/LB
Four years after playing in the state finals, the Titans have yet to post a record above .500. But a talented sophomore class has Tri-Valley excited about the future, one that could start as early as this fall.
Six starters return on both offense and defense, including a trio of sophomores in Warren, McHenry and Clayton Harper. All three earned all-conference honors last season as freshmen. Another year of experience gives Mink the ability to make more adjustments during games and throughout the season, he said.
The Titans may remain undersized. But Mink said they have speed, and Warren and Gay form a one-two punch in the backfield.
5. SALMON RIVER SAVAGES
Last season: 1-7, 0-4 1A D-II Long Pin
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Ty Medley, third season
Career record: 4-12
Base offense: Spread
Base defense: 3-4
Key players: Garret Shepherd, sr., WR/LB; Tyrus Swift, jr., WR/DB; Mortaki Ceglia-Klaudt, jr., OL/DL
After three straight losing seasons, Salmon River returns five starters on both sides of the ball, including all of its skill position players, as it seeks to climb back to the top of the Long Pin.
Shepherd tops the list after earning first-team all-conference honors on offense and defense a year ago. He’ll continue his jack-of-all-trades role, moving around the field to exploit weaknesses. An experienced quarterback (sophomore Gabe Zavala) and two other explosive receivers (Swift, Cordell Bovey) will help keep defenses honest.
The offensive and defensive lines remain a work in progress, though, with Ceglia-Klaudt the only familiar face.
6. MEADOWS VALLEY MOUNTAINEERS
Last season: 0-0
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Jared McIlvain, first season
Career record: 0-0
Base offense: I-formation
Base defense: 3-3-2
Key players: Corbin Rivas, sr., RB; Anthony Larrea, fr., QB; Cody Padgett, fr., WR; Koby Rivas, jr., MLB
The Mountaineers field a team for the first time since 2010. But the traditional Long Pin member will compete as an independent this fall while it re-establishes the program.
No player has any varsity experience after the school went a decade without a team, so McIlvain said he expects to keep it simple to start. But he added the team impressed him with how quickly it took to tackling in the spring.
Corbin Rivas stands poised for a breakout season as an explosive athlete the Mountaineers plan to feature. But McIlvain said to keep an eye on Larrea, who has emerged as a leader even as a freshman.
