Football team
debuts Friday in Hailey
Senior leadership
to guide
Wood River eleven
By JEFF
CORDES
Express Staff Writer
Expect to
see a little more running on offense and a hard-tackling defense designed
to stop the run when the Wood River High School varsity football team
opens its eight-game season Friday, Aug. 31 in Hailey.
Wood River
will open up against a speedy Wendell Trojan squad (7-3 in 2000) that lost
only to the Wolverines in overtime, at Valley by two points and to
eventual State A-3 champion Kamiah in the state playoffs. Opening kickoff
is 7 p.m. at Phil Homer field.
It’s the
first of three, tough non-conference games that will prepare Wood River
for the Sawtooth Central Idaho Conference 3A schedule.
"How
we fare in the first three games and if we stay healthy will indicate what
kind of season we’ll have," said coach John Blackman, who greeted
20 seniors and 16 juniors on the 36-player varsity. In all, 61 varsity and
JV kids are practicing.
Blackman
added, "We’ve got some good athletes, good core kids—no real
standouts but what seems like a real team. We’re pretty well-rounded and
won’t be as one dimensional as last year."
It’s
going to be tough to replace the 1-2 offensive punch of quarterback Cory
Goicoechea (2,639 yards passing and 24 aerial TDs over three seasons) and
wideout Max Paisley (106 points in 2000 and 2,168 yards receiving over
three campaigns).
They led
the Wolverines to back-to-back 5-4 seasons, 8-2 conference records and two
state playoff berths in 1999 and 2000—the first time a Wood River
varsity football team has put together consecutive winning seasons since
way back in 1968.
Wood River’s
offense (24.7 ppg over 18 games) was the most productive in Hailey in 32
years. But it was an offense that relied on passing. Last fall Wood River
outpassed opponents 1,952 to 730, but the Wolverines were outrushed 2,224
to 1,112.
This year,
Wood River’s defense "will have to stop the running game," to
be successful, Blackman said. Reigning SCIC king Declo and Kimberly should
be the teams to beat, he added. Three league teams will qualify for the
State 3A playoffs in 2001.
Here’s a
look at Hailey’s personnel, featuring with "a great group of
seniors," Blackman said, and juniors who won’t take a back seat to
anyone.
Offensive and
defensive looks
On the top
of Blackman’s agenda was finding someone to replace Goicoechea. He’s
got two signal callers this fall, much the same as when Paul Neville and
Goicoechea shared the quarterback job three years ago.
Senior Joe
Molyneux (6-0, 160) logged time as Goicoechea’s replacement the last two
seasons. Blackman said, "Joe can throw the ball well, is very
composed and has a good head on his shoulders. He can scramble in the
pocket, too."
He’ll
share the job with junior Ryne Reynoso (6-2, 185), who has a strong arm
and is a little more mobile, said Blackman. As far as physical tools,
Reynoso is comparable to Goicoechea, the coach said. "He can make
something out of nothing."
On defense,
Reynoso will play free safety. "He’s got great instincts on defense—savvy
for knowing where the ball is," Blackman said.
He said
Wood River will "pound the ball a little more," behind a
muscular and quick offensive line," and using a deep group of running
backs. The quarterbacks will also have a number of receivers to choose
from.
"We’ll
still have a power running game but we’ll have a lot more traps going
on, particularly with Jeff Bolton trapping out of the guard position. We’ll
feature the spread look, double slot and double wideouts, and we’ll run
some twins as well," he said.
Senior Evan
Peebles (5-9, 180) is a two-way anchor—at the critical center position
on offense and roverback on defense. "Evan is tougher than nails. He’s
a great leader and we’ll need him on the field as much as we can. He
gives you 110%."
When
Peebles needs a break on offense, Blackman will go with junior Graham
Knight (5-10, 190) at center.
Flanking
Peebles are left guard Jeff Bolton (6-4, 280) and right guard Zach Mayhew
(5-7, 170), both seniors. "When Bolton pulls, he’s scary,"
said Blackman about the massive but deceptively quick and agile Bolton.
At right
tackle is senior James Fowler (5-11, 225) and the left tackle is senior
Gavin Reynolds (6-2, 200).
Running the
ball are junior fullback Kellen Chatterton (5-10, 190) and senior fullback
Christian Ayala (5-10, 230). "Kellen is a horse," said Blackman.
Ayala (3 TDs in 2000) is the top returning point-getter and was the
leading rusher (293 yards).
Slotbacks
are important cogs in the Hailey rushing game and none will be more
important than beefed-up senior Nic Nottingham (6-1, 210).
"Nic
is my workhorse. He’s a factor. He’ll be our tight end in trips and
our slotback otherwise, where Josh Alstrom played," Blackman said.
Other
slotbacks include seniors Wes Powell (5-10, 165) and Matt Beck (6-2, 195)
as well as juniors James Angell (5-10, 165) and Dylan Welcome (6-0, 180).
Besides the
slotbacks, Molyneux and Reynoso will be throwing to the following wideouts:
Seniors Cole Everman (6-0, 170) and Brian Squires (5-11, 165) and junior
Matt Conover.
Everman
provides a lot of leadership, Blackman said, and Squires is a tough kid
who runs a good route. Conover is the kind of competitor who will help out
wherever he plays. Other wideouts are senior Collin Kinder, juniors Tyler
Klune and Zac Bloomfield. Klune and Ayala will handle the placekicking,
and Reynoso will probably do the punting.
"We’ve
got good up-front guys and running backs—we can throw, do some power and
have some speed. Well rounded," Blackman said.
Defensively,
Wood River’s 4-3 alignment last fall was designed to take away the pass.
"But we had a problem stopping the run up the middle in the
playoffs," Blackman said.
To stop the
running game, Wood River will go more with a 4-4 and possibly a 5-2 under
new defensive coordinator Dale Martin. The linebackers look promising.
Wood River will mostly play a three-deep zone.
Junior
Christian Blackman (6-2, 200) will start at defensive end. A good tackler,
senior Vaughn Neville (5-11, 165) has really picked it up this year and
will play at defensive end or roverback. Nottingham and Beck will also
play defensive end.
Lending
depth at defensive end are seniors Sky Barker (6-0, 190) and Perry Elvy
(6-1, 185).
Noseguard
is Angell, "a quick, tough kid," Blackman said. Defensive
tackles are Bolton and Fowler. Other big tackles are senior Brian Greer
(6-4, 250) and Kenny Kelb (6-4, 290).
The
bone-crunching crew backing up the line include Peebles, Chatterton and
Gavin Reynolds. In the defensive backfield are sure tacklers like Reynoso,
Squires, Everman, Kinder, Conover and Bloomfield.
Other
senior contributors include Peter Stevenson, Jeff Cuskey and Chase
Reynolds.
The staff
Eleventh-year
head coach Blackman (17-42 from 1985-91, 13-14 from 1998-2000) is the
offensive coordinator and will coach and offensive and defensive lines.
Taking over
as defensive coordinator is Dale Martin (linebackers and special teams).
Jeff Larson, who spent the last three years as defensive coordinator, will
handle the defensive backs, quarterbacks and receivers.
Rounding
out the varsity staff is volunteer Jeff Martin (linebackers).
Chris Cey
is back as junior varsity head coach and offensive coordinator. He is
helped by Charley Miller (defensive coordinator), Bruce Tuxhorn (wide
receivers, defensive backs) and volunteer Donnie Wise (linebackers).
This year’s
varsity captains are seniors Evan Peebles, Nic Nottingham, Jeff Bolton and
Cole Everman.