8-man football: Meet the top teams in Southwest Idaho’s smallest classifications
Eight-man football teams in this area’s two leagues haven’t hoisted a state championship trophy since Salmon River wrapped up back-to-back titles in 2016.
But they’re hoping to end that drought in 2025.
Notus finished atop the 2A Western Idaho Conference coaches’ poll for the sixth straight year, while Tri-Valley is favored in 1A Long Pin competition.
Check out every 8-man team and the top players in the region below.
2A WESTERN IDAHO CONFERENCE
1. NOTUS
Last season: 3-5, 3-1 2A WIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Charlie Shepherd Jr., first season
Career record: 0-0
Base offense (coordinator): Pro-style (Shepherd)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Brad Huter)
Key players: Derrick Huter, sr., QB/S; Anthony Guevera, sr., WR/DB; Chris Cook, jr., C/DT; Dehaven Wilson, jr., WR/DE
Outlook: The Pirates finished second in the 2A WIC last season after a high-scoring loss to eventual champion Rimrock in Week 5. They’ll contend for a regular-season title again with the return of nine starters (five offense, four defense).
Derrick Huter transitions to starting quarterback after earning all-conference first-team recognition at running back last season. Guevara and Wilson will be his top targets, but Shepherd says the Pirates’ pass game hinges on chemistry. Cook will open the holes for Notus on the ground.
With a defensive line characterized by “speed and size,” the Pirates will make it hard on opposing quarterbacks. Key to any defensive success, however, will be consistent tackling, Shepherd said.
2. RIMROCK
Last season: 6-2, 3-0 2A WIC
Playoffs: Lost to Butte County 72-21 in quarterfinals
Coach: Samuel Ward, fifth season
Career record: 14-16
Base offense (coordinator): Pistol (Ward)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Nick Ellis and Adam Eldridge)
Key players: Carlos Escobedo, sr., OL/DL; Adrian Farfan, jr., WR/DB; Kolten Jewett, sr., RB/LB; Colten Coates, jr., OL/DL
Outlook: Rimrock dominated the competition during the regular season, averaging 51.8 points per game on the way to a state quarterfinal appearance. Nine starters (five offense, four defense) are back looking to carry that momentum into the 2025 season.
Perhaps the biggest challenge for the Raiders will be replacing four-year starter Ronaldo Gomez, who was voted the 2A WIC’s offensive and defensive player of the year last season. Gomez accounted for 2,219 total yards and 28 touchdowns. Junior Carlos Herrera is projected to take over at QB, and he’ll benefit from the return of Rimrock’s entire starting offensive line.
Although the Raiders had the 2A WIC’s best defense (38.2 ppg) last season, Ward says this year’s group will require many new faces to step up. He hopes transfer Colten Coates can be one of those players, bringing “size and athleticism” to the line.
3. WILDER
Last season: 3-4, 2-2 2A WIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Josh Duty, second season
Career record: 3-4
Base offense (coordinator): Pistol (Duty)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Nick Hanks)
Key players: Conner Smallwood, sr., MLB; Ezra Johnson, sr., DB; Gelacio Martinez, jr., QB; Lance Bryce, so., DB
Outlook: The Wildcats are poised to make strides in Duty’s second season at the helm. He’ll have 10 starters (five offense, five defense) to build from.
Martinez begins his second season as Wilder’s starting quarterback, earning all-conference honorable mention recognition last season. Duty says Martinez “has a strong and accurate arm. His decision-making is excellent. He is also great on his feet.” And an experienced offensive line will give Martinez room to make plays.
Defensive lineman Jonas Puga and Smallwood will form the backbone of Wilder’s defense as the only returning all-conference first-team selections. Duty cites leadership as the Wildcats’ strength on defense, but they’ll need to shore up their tackling to bring down last year’s 43.1 points-against average.
4. IDAHO CITY
Last season: 1-6, 1-3 2A WIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Jason Roeber, 13th season
Career record: 55-65
Base offense (coordinator): Power I (Jason Roeber)
Base defense (coordinator): 3-3 (Ben Roeber)
Key players: Rocco Olvera, sr., C/DE; Michael Kaczmarek, sr., DE/TE; Ryan Price, jr., OL/DL
Outlook: The Wildcats avoided a winless 2024 season with a 63-42 victory over Centennial Baptist in Week 8. They’ll have an opportunity to climb the 2A WIC standings this season with the return of 13 starters (eight offense, five defense).
With its entire offense back from last season, Idaho City has a chance to improve on its 21.6 points per game, which ranked second-lowest in the 2A WIC. Olvera will lead the offense as one of two senior starters, while Jackson Roeber begins his second season at quarterback. Steel Cheshire, Mitchell Davis and Cooper Smith will share running duties.
Price is the only returning Wildcat to earn a first-team nod on defense in the 2A WIC last season. He’s joined by fellow returners Smith, Cheshire, Olvera, Kaczmarek and Isaac Manor. “Our defense this year will have to learn quick in order to make up for lack of experience,” Jason Roeber said.
5. CENTENNIAL BAPTIST
Last season: 0-4, 0-3 2A WIC
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Jeff Roberts, second season
Career record: 0-4
Outlook: The Mustangs did not respond to the Idaho Statesman’s preseason survey.
1A LONG PIN CONFERENCE
1. TRI-VALLEY
Last season: 10-2, 4-1 1A Long Pin
Playoffs: Lost to Dietrich 71-40 in semifinals
Coach: Tyler Waggoner, third season
Career record: 17-4
Base offense (coordinator): I-formation (Waggoner)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-2 (Zach Baity)
Key players: Jace Waggoner, sr., QB; Elias DeVries, sr., TE/DE; Wyatt Moura, sr., C/LB; Blake Barton, jr., G/DL
Outlook: A four-point loss to Council in Week 6 cost the Titans a regular-season title last year. But they’ll be hard to beat in 2025 with their entire starting lineup back on both sides of the ball.
Reigning Long Pin Offensive MVP Jace Waggoner will be a nightmare for opposing defenses after posting 3,022 yards of offense and 51 total TDs last season. Tri-Valley led the league with 47.5 points per game, advancing all the way to the state semifinals. Moura, a second-team All-Idaho pick on both sides of the ball, will anchor an experienced line, and Eli Noah gets the nod as starting running back.
Lauded for his offensive prowess, Waggoner is just as good on the defensive side, earning All-Idaho first-team recognition with 102 tackles, eight tackles for loss and six interceptions. DeVries added 81 tackles and 19 sacks for second-team All-Idaho honors, and Moura contributed 96 tackles. With all that production back, depth could be the Titans’ only question mark.
2. COUNCIL
Last season: 7-2, 5-0 1A Long Pin
Playoffs: Lost to Garden Valley 22-20 in quarterfinals
Coach: JC Tucker, second season
Career record: 7-2
Base offense (coordinator): Pistol (Tucker)
Base defense (coordinator): 3-2 (Randy Nichols)
Key players: Owen Hatfield, sr., QB/LB; Garrison Zielinski, sr., WR/DB; Remington Crowell, jr., OL/DL; Bryson Evans, sr., WR/DB
Outlook: The Lumberjacks won the league’s regular-season title in 2024 as Tucker was named the 1A Long Pin Coach of the Year, leading them to a state quarterfinal appearance.
With a year of experience under their belts in Tucker’s system, Council aims for another playoff push, and they’ll do so behind reigning league Player of the Year Owen Hatfield. Tucker says Hatfield has improved his passing game in the offseason after collecting 2,631 total yards, 31 total touchdowns and 6.1 tackles per game. He’ll have one of his favorite targets back in Zielinski — a 1A Long Pin first-teamer — and Evans is expected to make an impact after being limited to one game last season because of injury. Fellow first-teamer Cromwell (53 pancake blocks) will anchor the line on both sides of the ball.
The Long Pin’s third-stingiest defense (24.0 ppg) returns an experienced line, with all players starting 75 percent or more of last year’s games. The Lumberjacks lost both their starting linebackers to graduation but should be strong against the pass with the return of both corners and their starting safety.
3. GARDEN VALLEY
Last season: 7-3, 3-2 1A Long Pin
Playoffs: Lost to Carey 70-0 in semifinals
Coach: Jason Yearsley, 15th season
Career record: 71-62
Base offense (coordinator): West Coast (Yearsley)
Base defense (coordinator): 2-5 (Yearsley)
Key players: Maxon Yearsley, sr., QB/DB; Tyler Rowland, sr., WR/LB; Cody Perrin, jr., RB/DB; Marshall Coley, jr., RB/LB
Outlook: After a third-place finish in conference play, the Wolverines ousted Shoshone in the play-in round and then league champ Council in the quarterfinals to advance to the state semifinals. They’re poised for another playoff run with 10 starters back (six offense, four defense).
While they’ll need to replace the impact of league defensive player of the year and two-way All-Idaho first-teamer Trevor Corn, the Wolverines have plenty of weapons ready to step up on offense. Maxon Yearsley, a first-team All-Idaho honoree at receiver and defensive back, moves to quarterback, where he will be a dual-threat. Rowland will serve as an all-around threat, switching between slot, tight end and running back. Perrin, who was injured much of last season, is projected to start at running back.
Linebackers Rhett Fackrell and Kegan Welsh and defensive backs Maxon Yearsley and Teigan Goff return on the defensive side of the ball. Yearsley is Garden Valley’s top returning tackler, contributing 89 tackles, five interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 2024. Coach Yearsley cites pass coverage as a key area of focus.
4. SALMON RIVER
Last season: 3-5, 1-4 1A Long Pin
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Ty Medley, seventh season
Career record: 11-38
Base offense (coordinator): Spread (Derek Wilson)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Medley)
Key players: Riley Davis, sr., RB/WR/LB; Blake Shepherd, jr., QB/C; Gage Crump, so., WR/QB/LB
Outlook: After winning five state championships between 2009 and 2016, Salmon River has since suffered seven straight losing seasons. The Savages will battle for a return to prominence with the help of 14 returning starters (seven offense, seven defense).
Leading the revival will be a pair of all-conference second-teamers in Shepherd and Davis. Shepherd threw for more than 1,000 yards last season, and he’ll have a trio of experienced receivers in Crump, Hayes Pratt and Noah Cereghino. Davis, who led the Savages in receiving despite missing part of the season with a broken jaw, moves to starting running back.
The Savages will try to counter an inexperienced defensive line with size and speed at linebacker and defensive back. Shepherd picked up second-team all-conference honors in 2024, amassing 60 tackles, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Crump is Salmon River’s top returning tackler, with a knack for wrapping up opponents in the open field.
5. CASCADE
Last season: 5-4, 2-3 1A Long Pin
Playoffs: Lost to Deary 28-22 in play-in round
Coach: Mike Lacroix, first season
Career record: 0-0
Base offense (coordinator): Power (Hunter Lambirth)
Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Lacroix)
Key players: Owen Howlett, jr., RB/LB; Damian Nuno, sr., RB/LB; Noah Bailey, so., OL/DL; Finley Wilkins, sr., QB/FS
Outlook: Fresh off their first playoff berth since 2009, the Ramblers are eager to build on that success with the return of six starters (three offense, three defense), but they’ll do so with a new coach at the helm.
Wilkins takes the offensive reins after starting every game last season at tight end and defensive end, earning all-conference honorable mention recognition. Howlett and Nuno will share running back duties, and the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Bailey will anchor the line.
Lacroix anticipates all but two defensive spots will be filled by new faces this season, but he cites the line and linebacker positions as areas of strength.
6. HORSESHOE BEND
Last season: 1-6, 0-5 1A Long Pin
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Richard Beyers, second season
Career record: 1-6
Outlook: The Mustangs’ 2025 season is still uncertain. “We are still trying to figure out numbers and if we will have enough kids for a team,” Beyers said.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 4:00 PM.
