Written by: Will Hoenike
People around the Long Pin Conference know that Garden Valley junior Tacoma Kelly is among the top players in the conference. He was part of an offense that scored 58, 58, and 58 points in the Wolverines’ three victories in 2021.
Now imagine Kelly with additional offensive weapons around him, because that’s what he has this fall. Kelly split time at the quarterback position last fall but figures to assume full-time signal-caller duties this season after rushing for over 700 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Kaden Zimmer, a junior receiver and defensive back who caught 14 passes last fall, is healthy after a pair of shoulder surgeries, giving Kelly another weapon on the outside to go along with senior running back Aaron Nokes and senior Trayson Corn, who will likely be shifted around the field to take advantage of his abilities.
Head coach Jason Yearsley, who has been the head coach at Garden Valley for over a decade, is optimistic going into the 2022 season.
“I’m excited to have a good group of leaders who like to work hard,” said Yearsley. “I’m hopeful that players who are not quite there yet will get in line and build this team up to our potential.”
The Wolverines have experience along the front line as well with seniors Jaiden Hunt and Gavin Kelly returning to the team’s offensive line. Hunt was selected as a first team all-conference linemen last fall.
“We go north and south well,” Yearsley said of his offense. “Our offensive line has really come together with some key additions.”
That pair will also be pivotal members of the team’s defense, Hunt along the defensive line and Kelly at linebacker. Sophomore Trevor Corn will fill a key role at defensive end for Garden Valley and Nokes will also play linebacker. Those four players combined to average about 35 tackles per game last season, Hunt leading the way at 12 stops per contest, as the team looks to reduce the number of points allowed.
Last fall, the team lived on both ends of the spectrum, holding four teams to 24 points or less while also allowing three teams to surpass 50 points. Limiting big plays and causing more turnovers will keep those numbers down which, obviously, will increase the likelihood of victory for the purple and yellow.
The Wolverines play in the 1A Division 2 Long Pin Conference, which features two of the top teams in the classification this season. Defending Long Pin champ Horseshoe Bend returns several key players as does runner-up Council. It’s going to make it challenging for the rest of the conference, including Garden Valley who reached the state playoffs last season. Garden Valley will travel to both Horseshoe Bend and Council this season and will do so in back-to-back weeks (at Horseshoe Bend on October 7, at Council on October 14), which presents the team with two big challenges, but also two big opportunities to place itself right in the middle of the playoff conversation.
Yearsley knows what his team will need to thrust itself squarely into the picture.
“Continuity,” he said. “We have all the parts, we just need to put them together and run as a fine-oiled machine.”