Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Tribe coming to debut WRHS football season

New coach unveils Wolverine team Friday


By JEFF CORDES
Express Staff Writer

Working on fundamentals has been the focus of first-year head coach Kevin Stilling and his coaching staff as the Wood River High School varsity football team prepares for the first game of its eight-game season, Friday, Sept. 4 against Buhl.

Opening kickoff is 7 p.m. at Hailey's Phil Homer Field.

Stilling said, "More than wins and losses, we've talked about being successful in the things like execution, fundamentals and technique. From our first camp in June the kids have bought into the idea that if they do those things well, we'll be more competitive."

Added Stilling, 34, "The kids have been extremely responsive. The most impressive thing is how hard they've worked".

Stilling, 34, in his 12th year of coaching, is excited about his first head coaching assignment. Last year he assisted Mike Glenn. When Glenn (10-25) stepped aside after four seasons and back-to-back 1-7 records, Stilling took over.

Fully aware of the challenges, Stilling has assembled a veteran coaching staff that has done "a phenomenal job," he said. The turnout has been 40 boys, 26 on varsity including eight seniors and 14 juniors. There will be a junior varsity team but no freshman program.

Stilling is the team's offensive coordinator and Jeff Loomis returns, this time as defensive coordinator. A highly motivated addition is Jason Fry (special teams). Pete Naumes (offensive and defensive line) and J.C. Nemecek (defensive backs, running backs) bring years of experience.

Wood River head baseball coach Matt Nelson, a Wolverine grid star in the early 1990s, is the new junior varsity coach. First-year Wolverine varsity wrestling coach Shawn Huntington is a JV assistant. Other JV assistants are former WRHS linebacker Baba Street, Ken Bennett, Kainoa Lopez and another former WRHS player Christian Ayala.

As far as Stilling's offensive philosophy goes, simplicity is key. He said, "The idea is to run the football."

He has installed a brand-new Wing-T offense with misdirections and blocking schemes designed to "give the kids a chance to be successful," he said. The defense is 3-5-3 that gives much responsibility to linebackers. "We're seeing some good tackling," he said.

The experience of the Wolverine offensive line is a strength. The coach said, "We have four returning starters on the offensive line."

They are two seniors—6-4, 285-pound Eric Santana and 6-1, 240-pound Colton Seely—along with two juniors, 5-11, 230-pound Alex Thomas and 6-1, 190-pound Kasey Barker.

Senior Juan Martinez (6 TD passes last year) will call the signals and hand the ball to senior tailback Tyler Peters and junior fullbacks Nathan Farrow and Willie Dugger.

Receivers include Alex Padilla and Braxton Parish. Tight end is senior Chauncey McGraw, back out playing this year after not playing in 2008.

Just the act of scoring will be new to the 2009 Wolverine varsity players. Last year's team scored 11 touchdowns and 96 points (yielding 273). No players on this year's roster scored any points at all last fall.

Defensive linebackers include, on the inside, Nathan Farrow, Willie Dugger and Kasey Barker, while Tyler Peters and John Bartoletta are lined up on the outside. Nose guard is senior Jose Patlan and free safety is Nick Chase.

Cornerbacks are Padilla, Parish and Jorge Mortensen. Punter is Max Todd. Placekicker is Haylee Thompson.

On the schedule, Wood River has subtracted State 4A champ Hillcrest of Idaho Falls (11-1) and perennial State 3A playoff contender Kimberly (7-3 in 2008, 17-4 two years) and replaced them with Great Basin Conference foes Twin Falls and Canyon Ridge of Twin Falls.

It means that the entire schedule will be played up and down S.H. 75 and U.S. 93 in the Magic Valley, with visits to eastern Idaho a thing of the past. Four of the six Great Basin Conference 4A schools qualify for the 12-school State 4A playoffs in November.

Wood River's three home league games are Burley Oct. 2, Jerome Oct. 9 and Twin Falls for Homecoming Oct. 16. After Friday's Buhl game, the Wolverines hit the road for three straight weeks against Wendell, Gooding and Minico of Rupert. Season finale is Oct. 23 at Canyon Ridge.

Buhl should be a real test.

State 3A runner-up in 2006, Buhl (8-3 last season, 6-0 road) is coming off another solid season. The Tribe won road playoff games over Payette and Orofino last fall before losing at home in the state semi-finals to Fruitland. The Salmon Savages then won their first-ever State 3A football title by a 37-26 score over Fruitland.

Over the last four seasons Buhl has a 32-10 mark including 16-6 away from home. The Tribe (30-9 in the 39-game rivalry) boasts seven straight football wins over Wood River including last September's 37-0 shutout at Buhl and a 28-25 Tribe win in its last visit to Hailey, in 2007.

Here is the Wolverine roster:

Seniors—Tyler Peters (RB/LB), Juan Martinez (QB), Chauncey McGraw (TE/DE), Eric Santana (OL/DL), Colton Seely (OL/DL), Nick Chase (WR/S), Jorge Mortensen (WR/DB), Jose Patlan (OL/DL) and Max Todd.

Juniors—Kasey Barker (OL/LB), Nathan Farrow (RB/LB), Alex Thomas (OL/DL), Willie Dugger (RB/LB), John Bartoletta (RB/LB), Jimmy Williams (OL/DL), Isaiah Garza (OL/DL), Alex Padilla (DB/RB), Ben Hofferber (OL/DL), Mason Kluge (OL/DL), Kevin Jensen (QB/DE), Stewart Byerly (RB/LB), Lashon Smith (WR/DB) and Jake Miczulski (WR/DB).

Sophomores—Braxton Parish and Haylee Thompson (PK).

Tailgate time is coming to Hailey!

It's tailgate time!

And if you're a youth football player, get your uniform ready for Friday's Punt, Pass and Kick!

The smell of barbecue and football is back in the air at Hailey's Phil Homer Field and football stadium.

The parents of the Wood River High School football team are hosting the year's first tailgate party to kick off the Wolverines' 2009 grid season on Friday, Sept. 4 from 5 p.m. until halftime of the varsity game against the always-tough Buhl Tribe.

Show your community spirit by attending the first home game of the season for the Wolverines.

The celebration will include a barbecue dinner, games for kids and families, a silent auction and music to welcome the coming football season. Tickets are $12 per person or $40 per family, and advance purchase is strongly encouraged.

All proceeds will support the Wolverine football program. Tickets are available for purchase at Radio Shack, Idaho Lumber, Wise Guy Pizza and Growing Concern Hair Salon in Hailey, plus Guffy's and Jesse's Country Grill in Bellevue.

For more information on how to get involved or support the football program, contact Wolverine head coach Kevin Stilling at 720-2842.

Coach Stilling added that all Optimist and middle school football players wearing their uniforms will be admitted free to Friday's game. He said the separate teams will be introduced as part of the festivities.

The Wood River Youth Football Punt, Pass and Kick contest will be staged before Friday's game, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., on the practice field across from the stadium. Stilling said, "We've had great support from the parents, administrators and coaching staff."




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