4A SIC football preview: Bishop Kelly starts as heavy favorite. These are its top threats
Change comes to the 4A Southern Idaho Conference this year as four first-year coaches replace men who had 68 combined years of experience leading their programs.
But don’t expect much change in the league standings.
Defending state runner-up Bishop Kelly finished as the unanimous favorite in the league’s preseason coaches poll. Paper titles mean little in this league, though. Bishop Kelly was the preseason favorite each of the previous five years, and it’s resulted in only two league championships.
So what are Bishop Kelly’s chances of hanging another banner? And who are the top challengers poised to knock them off?
We surveyed the league’s coaches and broke down each team’s chances below.
1. BISHOP KELLY
Last season: 12-1, 5-0 4A SIC
Playoffs: Lost to Skyline 50-35 in finals
Coach: Chris Culig, first season
Career record: 57-9
Base offense (coordinator): Spread (Kyle Kron)
Base defense (coordinator): 3-4 (Juss Jackson)
Key players: Peter Minnaert, sr., RB; Rakeem Johnson, sr., OL; Cooper Cammann, sr., WR/RB/QB; Trey Jorgensen, sr., OLB
Tim Brennan, one of the state’s most decorated coaches, stepped down in December. The Knights replaced him with Culig, who led Rocky Mountain to a pair of state titles and three 5A SIC crowns. So expectations remain high for the defending 4A SIC champs even with the installation of new offensive and defensive systems.
Expect Bishop Kelly to keep relying on the running game. Minnaert (1,477 yards, 27 TDs) returns as the bell cow after second-team All-Idaho honors last season. He’ll have four returning offensive linemen in front of him, including Johnson, a 6-3, 250-pound Oregon State commit. So he should find plenty of running lanes and could top last year’s production.
Minnaert and his blockers make up the bulk of the Knights’ six returning offensive starters. One key change will come at quarterback, where sophomore Ben Avella takes over the reins from a first-team all-conference signal caller. But Culig said he’ll succeed as long as he plays within himself and utilizes all the talent around him.
The defense, long Bishop Kelly’s calling card and 4A’s best last year, starts over from scratch with no returning starters and a new scheme. The Knights don’t have a ton of size up front, but they do have plenty of speed. And Culig noted that although the linebackers may not have much experience, they can fly around the field and fit the mold he’s looking for.
2. EMMETT
Last season: 7-3, 4-1 4A SIC
Playoffs: Lost to Shelley 37-13 in first round
Coach: Rich Hargitt, sixth season
Career record: 40-48
Base offense (coordinator): Pro (Brandon Young)
Base defense (coordinator): 3-4 (Zane Hines)
Key players: Isaac Brennan, sr., WR; Christian Sanchez, sr., DE; Bryan Walker, sr., MLB
The Huskies start fall camp with little experience: just six returning starters (two offense, four defense). But that doesn’t mean they can sneak up on anyone. Emmett has outperformed its preseason ranking four years in a row under Hargitt, who earned his third straight league coach of the year award last fall. So Emmett opens the year at No. 2.
The defense starts the year with a leg up thanks to a large group of seniors. Walker returns as Emmett’s leading tackler and was a first-team all-conference linebacker a year ago. He and Sanchez (6-5, 240) give Emmett two cornerstones to build around and two physical players who will strike fear into opposing offensive coordinators.
Offensively, the Huskies hit the reset button. Brennan stands poised for a big season as a multipurpose weapon after turning 52 touches into 610 yards and nine TDs a year ago. But new faces must step up at quarterback (junior Ryder Scheibe), running back (senior Quinton Smith) and along the offensive line.
Despite all the inexperience, Hargitt said this year’s team is physically stronger than the one that made the playoffs for the third straight time a year ago — another reason not to dismiss the Huskies.
3. SKYVIEW
Last season: 2-8, 2-3 4A SIC
Playoffs: Lost to Sandpoint 63-35 in first round
Coach: David Robinson, first season
Career record: 0-0
Base offense (coordinator): Spread (Matt Hayes)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Adam Jones)
Key players: Mason Krahn, jr., WR/LB; Ayden Martinez, sr., WR/DB; Henry Downey, jr., RB/LB; Cache Beus, sr., QB/DE
The Hawks disappointed last fall in their return to the 4A SIC, winning just two games and giving up 39.8 points a game after finishing second in the league’s preseason poll. But 10 returning starters (five offense, five defense) and a new transfer have Skyview looking to reassert itself as a contender.
Robinson, Skyview’s longtime offensive coordinator, steps into the head coaching role. And he’ll have a new quarterback to work with as Beus takes over from Boise State walk-on Max Cutforth.
The two-time, first-team 2A WIC selection threw for 1,860 yards and a school-record 23 touchdowns last fall at Melba. He’ll have plenty of returning weapons at wide receiver with Krahn (50 catches, 737 yards, 10 TDs) and Martinez, the state runner-up in the 100-yard dash (10.85 seconds).
Krahn also remains one of the state’s top linebackers. He racked up 10.2 stops per game for first-team all-conference honors, and he’ll lead an aggressive and versatile linebacking group. But the largest question remains on the offensive and defensive lines, which remain filled with youth. The Hawks may need to start two sophomores on the offensive line.
4. VALLIVUE
Last season: 5-5, 3-2 4A SIC
Playoffs: Lost to Minico 20-14 (OT) in first round
Coach: Brynie Robinson, first season
Career record: 28-26
Base offense (coordinator): Veer (Robinson)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-2-5 (Zak Ogden)
Key players: Austin Belnap, jr., WR/DB; Ryker Oswald, jr., RB/DB; Bryen Bosworth, sr., OL; Jordan Conlon, sr., OL
The Falcons begin a new era with Robinson replacing former coach Layne Coffin after 17 years. But don’t expect wholesale changes from Vallivue. A physical running game still remains its calling card.
Vallivue led the 4A classification with 346 rushing yards per game last fall thanks to two 1,000-yard rushers. Robinson expects to bring more balance as he replaces the double-wing offense. But the Falcons’ strength remains up front, with three of its four returning starters on the offensive line.
That group includes Bosworth, a first-team All-Idaho pick, and Conlon, a first-team all-conference selection. They’ll pave the way for returning quarterback Isaac Moore and two new weapons in the backfield, Oswald and senior Sam Delgado.
Belnap leads three returning defensive starters. He grabbed seven interceptions as a second-team All-Idaho defensive back. But a young linebacker corps will need to prove itself quickly if the Falcons want to maintain their hard-nosed reputation.
5. COLUMBIA
Last season: 3-6, 1-4 4A SIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Charlie Dotson, second season
Career record: 3-6
Base offense (coordinator): Spread (Hayden Paul)
Base defense (coordinator): 5-2 bear (Zechariah Taylor)
Key players: Jared Payne, sr., QB/S; Ryan Foster, sr., RB/LB; Alejandro Waters, sr., OL/DL
The graduation of a large senior class leaves the Wildcats with just six returning starters (two offense, four defense). But a few position changes and key additions have the Wildcats eyeing an underdog run to their third playoff berth in program history.
Foster takes over as the primary ball carrier after Ikaika Ho graduated as 4A’s second-leading rusher. A broken collarbone forced him to miss his junior season. But he returns as a hard-nosed runner looking to make up for lost time with a pair of returning offensive linemen in front of him.
Payne steps in as a first-year quarterback. Dotson said his intelligence, leadership and athleticism make him a big-play threat. Youth remains the name of the game, though, as he’ll work an entirely new receiving corps, and the Wildcats don’t bring back any starting linebackers.
6. RIDGEVUE
Last season: 1-7, 0-5 4A SIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Sean Impomeni, second season
Career record: 23-50
Base offense (coordinator): Wing-T (Impomeni)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Cody Heller)
Key players: Cash McKie, jr., RB/DB; Parker Latham, sr., OL/DL; Caleb D’Angelo, sr., OL; Phil D’Angelo, jr., OLB
Ridgevue has yet to post a winning record or make the playoffs since opening seven years ago. But a young and talented group seeks to change the Warhawks’ fortunes.
Three starters return on both sides of the ball. Chief among them are Latham and D’Angelo, a pair of three-year starters slated to be at left tackle and left guard. They’ll clear the way for McKie, who forced his way into the starting lineup as a sophomore and led the team in carries for non-quarterbacks. Impomeni said he’s added speed and muscle to go with his advanced IQ and experience.
The defense remains a rebuilding project after giving up 38.4 points per game last fall. Ridgevue will have speed all over the field, and it has the advantage of a second year in Heller’s defense. But how soon that speed can adjust to the varsity game will go a long way in determining whether the Warhawks can surprise the rest of the 4A SIC.
CALDWELL
Last season: 0-9
Playoffs: Ineligible
Coach: Kip Crofts, first season
Career record: 42-75
Base offense (coordinator): Spread (Zack Strong)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-2-5 (Crofts)
Key players: Zaylor Bruegeman, sr., QB; Brandon Settle, sr., FB/DL/LB; Cameron Leonard, sr., OL; Dominic Barone, sr., TE/ILB
The Cougars begin their second year as an independent program. Caldwell will not play a full league slate, instead trading its playoff eligibility to face a weaker schedule as it tries to snap a 34-game losing streak.
Crofts enters the program with a reputation as a rebuilder. He engineered a turnaround at Payette, which faced similar challenges as Caldwell. He broke a 22-game conference losing streak with the Pirates, and he won a 5A state title at Meridian in 2007.
But he cautioned not to expect immediate results. Caldwell lost 22 seniors, leaving plenty of holes that new faces will need to fill. That includes the bulk of the offensive and defensive lines. But it does not include quarterback, where Bruegeman returns as a four-year starter and three-sport athlete.
This story was originally published August 10, 2023 at 11:00 AM.
