PLAYERS TO WATCH
Zeke Von Hofwegen, Fruitland
Brody Watson, Fruitland
Danny Lomeli, Homedale
Luke Henry, Homedale
Michael Foster, McCall-Donnelly
Sam Penny, McCall-Donnelly
Luke Scott, McCall-Donnelly
Braxton Heffelfinger, Parma
Peyton Johnson, Parma
Levi Bennett, Payette
Carter Jensen, Weiser
Jack Shirts, Weiser
Written by: Will Hoenike
The last time Tanner Kramer walked off the basketball floor as a member of the Parma Panthers basketball program, it was after winning the 3A state championship in 2016 before being named the classification’s player of the year.
He’s back in Parma, now as the head coach, and looks to lead his team back to the state tournament after four consecutive seasons under .500. The Panthers qualified for State for five consecutive years between 2014 and 2018, including the school’s 2016 title team, but has won 10, 4, 6, and 9 games in the four seasons since.
The Panthers return a solid backcourt, led by 1st Team All-Conference selection Peyton Johnson. The senior will be joined by classmate Braxton Heffelfinger and sophomore Nathan Compas to form a versatile trio that should be difficult to shut down due to their varying styles. Johnson and Heffelfinger can finish off the dribble while Compas brings solid perimeter shooting ability.
Both teams that represented the Snake River Valley Conference in last spring’s state tournament suffered significant losses – Fruitland graduated eleven players from its varsity roster and Homedale’s losses include the conference’s player of the year, Jaxon Dines, and 1st Team All-Conference performer Mason Strong.
That’s not to say that the two teams are dead in the proverbial water. Homedale head coach Cam Long returns senior point guard Danny Lomeli along with a pair of junior wing players, Brekan Frank and Luke Henry, to lead a mostly new cast of players. Long likes his team’s overall depth.
“It’s almost a completely new cast for the varsity, they are a fun group to coach,” Long said of the Trojans. “If we can defensively rebound this season, I think we will be really good.”
There is a similar tale being told in Fruitland, except the Grizzlies have a new head coach - Darren Van Hofwegen. He takes over a team that graduated almost its entire varsity roster after winning 16 games en route to last spring’s 3A tournament. Only senior guard Brody Watson returns, but sophomore guard Zeke Van Hofwegen leads a cast of new varsity players that includes seniors AJ Hyatt and Ethan Starr along with sophomore Konner Clarich. The group gives the new head coach, who coached at Canyon Ridge in Twin Falls before coming to Fruitland, a nice mix of players to work with.
“It is a whole new blank slate with only one returning player, Van Hofwegen said. “So we are just looking to establish our brand in how we play.”
McCall-Donnelly went 15-6 last season before falling to Teton in the 3A state play-in game leading into the state tournament. The Vandals return three players who earned all-conference accolades from the SRV coaches – senior forward Luke Scott (2nd team), junior forward Michael Foster (2nd team), and junior guard Sam Penny (honorable mention). That trio, similar to Parma, forms a formidable base for a team that won nine of its final 11 games last season.
Steven Bennett is taking over as the new head coach for Payette, where the Pirates are coming off an 11-win season but are looking to replace eight seniors that accounted for virtually all of the team’s minutes last season. Senior forward Levi Bennett has varsity experience, as this year’s Payette squad will feature six seniors.
Like Payette, there’s a new head coach in Weiser, where Ron Shirts will now sit in the first chair for the Wolverines. He’s excited about his team’s intensity and hard work as the team looks to bounce back from a five-win season, but they must see more improvement in rebounding at both ends of the floor in order to compete in the SRV. Senior forward Jack Shirts and senior guard Carter Jensen each bring solid varsity experience while junior guards Kolin Cook and Josh Mizar will look to earn big roles in the Wolverine rotation.
The conference has two automatic qualifiers into the 3A state tournament and a third team will compete in a play-in game for an opportunity to join the other two teams. Can McCall-Donnelly return to State, where it reached the 3A title game in both 2021 and 2022? Can Parma fight its way back in after a four-year absence? Will last season’s participants, Homedale and Fruitland, hold on to berths? Does Weiser have the strength to return to form after a rough season last winter? Can Payette play its way to the top of the standings? The 2023-24 SRV has the look of a competitive battle from start to finish.