3A SRV football preview: State champ, four-time league champ battle for supremacy

The 3A Snake River Valley presents a dilemma entering the season.

Does four-time defending league champ Homedale deserve the title of team to beat? Or should that fall to reigning state champ Weiser?

The league’s coaches couldn’t agree, naming them co-favorites in a preseason poll conducted by the Idaho Statesman.

That sets up what promises to be an exciting season in one of the state’s toughest leagues. The Statesman broke down each team’s chances, top players and storylines heading into the fall.

T-1. WEISER WOLVERINES

Last season: 12-1, 4-1 3A SRV

Playoffs: Beat Sugar-Salem 34-33 in 2OT for 3A state title

Coach: Tom Harrison, fifth season

Career record: 280-84

Base offense (coordinator): T-formation (Harrison)

Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Jason Bruce)

Key players: Mike Youngberg, sr., RB/OLB; Brock Spencer, jr., RB/WR/DB; Andy Enders, sr., QB/DB; Tristen McMahill, sr., OL

After celebrating their first state title since 1997, the Wolverines seek to reload after several key graduation losses. Those losses include do-everything quarterback Brett Spencer, the 3A All-Idaho Player of the Year, as well as Wille Shirts and Rylee Willet, a pair of first-team All-Idaho selections on both sides of the ball.

But the cupboards remain stocked with 11 returning starters (six offense, five defense). Brock Spencer, Brett’s younger brother, remains one of the state’s top playmakers after a breakout sophomore season saw him rack up 1,243 total yards and 15 total TDs all over the field to earn first-team All-Idaho honors.

The Wolverines also received reinforcements in Enders, an all-conference, dual-threat quarterback from Nyssa, Oregon. No one could fill Brett Spencer’s shoes, but Enders gives Weiser another dynamic playmaker under center to start the title defense.

T-1. HOMEDALE TROJANS

Last season: 10-1, 5-0 3A SRV

Playoffs: Lost to Sugar-Salem 16-7 in semifinals

Coach: Matt Holtry, 14th season

Career record: 92-38

Base offense (coordinator): Spread (Darren Uranga)

Base defense (coordinator): 4-2-5 (Tony Uranga)

Key players: Mason Strong, sr., WR/DB; Jaxon Dines, sr., QB; D’Orr Packer, sr., RB/LB; Brodie White, jr., OL

The Trojans start the year with one obvious hole after the graduation of running back Hayden Kincheloe, the 2020 3A All-Idaho Player of the Year and a first-team pick last season. But don’t feel too sorry for Homedale.

The winner of 20 straight league games returns seven starters on both sides of the ball, including one of the top quarterback-wide receiver duos in the 3A ranks. Dines, a two-way threat at quarterback, has earned first-team all-conference honors each of the past two years. And Strong has made the All-Idaho second team as a receiver the same two seasons.

Holtry said Homedale, which debuts a new artificial turf field this fall, will become more balanced with the departure of Kincheloe, keeping defenses on their toes. But finding the next running back and fresh, reliable faces on the offensive line remain key to another SRV title and deep postseason run.

3. MCCALL-DONNELLY VANDALS

Last season: 4-5, 2-3 3A SRV

Playoffs: Lost to Snake River 32-0 in first round

Coach: Lee Leslie, eighth season

Career record: 80-37

Base offense (coordinator): Spread/West coast (Leslie)

Base defense (coordinator): 4-2-5 (Leslie)

Key players: Griffin Good, sr., RB/OLB; Cole Burtenshaw, jr., RB/FS; Will Crossley, sr., QB; Adam Rushton, jr., FB/MLB

The Vandals possess a luxury every coach would kill for to start the season — experience on the offensive line.

McCall-Donnelly returns its entire front five for the second season in a row. The group of Kyler Kunde (6-3, 225), Andrew Alvarez (6-2, 240), Glenn Richardson (5-10, 240), Jake Carr (6-3, 260) and Sawyer Kovis (6-4, 230) gives the Vandals a leg up in a league full of teams looking for solutions in the trenches.

But the experience doesn’t stop there, with a league-high 17 returning starters (nine offense, eight defense). Rushton headlines the defense after leading the team in tackles a year ago. And the Vandals received a boost with Good, a Rigby transfer, who should pair with Burtenshaw to form a powerful backfield on both offense and defense.

4. FRUITLAND GRIZZLIES

Last season: 4-4, 2-3 3A SRV

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Dane Cook, first season

Career record: 11-24

Base offense (coordinator): Pro (Mark Vidlak)

Base defense (coordinator): 4-2-5 (Cook)

Key players: Luke Barinaga, sr., QB; Theo Jackson, sr., WR/S; Parker Barnes, sr., OL/DL; Lane Roberts, sr., RB/LB

Hazing and cheating scandals knocked the shine off the former state powerhouse. The Grizzlies even missed the playoffs last fall amid the hazing accusations, snapping Fruitland’s run of 17 consecutive playoff appearances, then the longest active streak in 3A.

But Fruitland turns the page with a new coach. Cook, a 30-year coaching veteran, returns to Idaho from California. The former Emmett defensive coordinator most recently led the defensive line at Madera High outside of Fresno, and he also has three years of head coaching experience at Madera South High, turning around a long-struggling program.

The turnover also includes a new offensive coordinator in Vidlak, the father of Boise State quarterback Sam Vidlak. He’ll install a pro-style offense as Fruitland moves away from its vaunted Wing-T. Cook cautioned that could lead to growing pains as the team implements new systems on both sides of the ball.

But the Grizzlies have plenty of talent returning to make it back to the playoffs, including 13 starters (six offense, seven defense). Barinaga returns for his third season as a starter at quarterback. And Fruitland brings back three starters on both its offensive and defensive lines, a key to easing any transition.

5. PAYETTE PIRATES

Last season: 4-5, 2-3 3A SRV

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Kip Crofts, sixth season

Career record: 37-63

Base offense (coordinator): Spread option (Tracey Bratcher)

Base defense (coordinator): 4-3 (Crofts)

Key players: Abe Rodriguez, sr., QB; Gabe Ramos, sr., RB/LB; Luke Neil, sr., WR/DB; Monte Roberts, sr., OL/DL

The Pirates’ rebuild took another step forward last year. They won four games, their most since 2012. They fell a tiebreaker short of making the playoffs for the first time since 2014. And they beat rival Fruitland for the first time since 2009.

Payette looks to continue that momentum with eight returning starters on offense and five on defense. Rodriguez leads the way as a three-year starting quarterback, one who has participated in every step of the rebuild. And Ramos serves as the emotional leader as a running back and linebacker.

But while Payette has plenty of experience at the skill positions, little of it comes on the offensive and defensive lines. Crofts points to Roberts as someone who will need to step up as the Pirates’ “rock” on both sides.

6. PARMA PANTHERS

Last season: 0-9, 0-5 3A SRV

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Cassidy Kotte, second season

Career record: 9-26

Base offense (coordinator): Wing-T (Tyler Blewett)

Base defense (coordinator): 4-2-5 (Justin Koogler)

Key players: Westin Osborn, jr., QB; Charlie Camacho, sr., RB; Trenton Pierce, jr., SS

Riding a 20-game losing streak, the Panthers attempt to wipe the slate clean with loads of new faces and two new coordinators.

Only four starters return on both sides of the ball, opening the door for a new generation. Camacho, a second-team all-conference running back, headlines the list of veterans and figures to carry the load offensively after rushing for 623 yards (5.3 yards per carry) a year ago. But Kotte said to watch out for Osborn at quarterback. The converted center moves up to varsity as an athlete who should thrive in a new offense.

Kotte said he likes his team speed at multiple positions, but the Panthers will have to overcome their lack of size and experience to challenge in the SRV again.