Written by: Brandon Baney
After a two-year sojourn to the Class 2A level, the Carey Panthers returned to Idaho’s smallest classification in 2024 and promptly reclaimed their perch atop the 1A hierarchy.
The Panthers went 11-1 and romped to their ninth state championship in school history. Carey averaged 56.3 points per game and only allowed 12 points per contest.
Part of their 11-1 record included a perfect 6-0 mark in Sawtooth Conference play. Carey even got to defeat rival Dietrich a second time in the state championship game. The Blue Devils jumped out to an early multi-score lead, but Carey eventually settled in and earned a hard-fought 44-30 win.
The Panthers and Blue Devils intend on competing for first place in the Sawtooth once again. But several other success stories can be found.
Shoshone qualified for the playoffs for the first time in over 20 years last year, and return one of the conference’s most electrifying athletes.
A young Castleford team went 3-5 overall, but 3-3 in conference play. With a new head coach in place, can the Wolves place even higher this year?
Hansen and Richfield were young teams a season ago. Which underclassmen have developed the most?
And at Camas County, can the Mushers program survive with low numbers and a shaky coaching situation?
CAREY
Last season, Carey’s defense laid the groundwork for championship number nine. That trait will be evident again in 2025 as the Panthers try to run it back.
“We are going to be full of kids that have a nose for the ball,” says head coach John Saili. “These boys aren’t afraid of contact and are always on top of their game. I think we just need to continue to do what we do and get kids in the right positions early in the season. Then we can make adjustments throughout the year.”
Three senior All-Conference defenders return for Carey: linebackers Gabe Saili and Will Parke, and defensive back Stockton Sears. Junior Madden Perkes and sophomore Jonah Saili are expected to start at defensive back and linebacker, respectively, after seeing time at those positions in a reserve role.
The defensive line remains the most unsettled position. Impact rushers like AJ Black, Matthew Parrot Young, and Brodie Quillin graduated. Senior Wrangler Marcroft leads a group of relatively unproven offensive and defensive linemen.
Speaking of the Carey offense, most fans will point to the loss of three-year starting quarterback Preston Wood as most significant. “His leadership of the team and command of the offense was something that helped our success tremendously,” says coach Saili.
However, a bigger impact might be felt with the departure of starting center Luke Aquistapace. “Luke was the quarterback of the offensive line,” says Saili. “He knew the offense so well that he could tell all the skill players their assignments and routes.”
Who will replace Aquistapace is still being sorted out, but sophomore Jonah Saili will step into the starting quarterback job. Stockton and Perkes will both play running back, while Parke and Gabe Saili will line up at tight end. “Offensively, I think we are going to be more run than pass,” says coach Saili. “With Stockton and Madden in the backfield taking carries, I think they are going to be a tremendous one-two punch.”
DIETRICH
In 8-man football, losing two or three standouts is considered an overhaul. Dietrich said goodbye to do-it-all quarterback Connor Perkins. Not only did he lead the Blue Devils in passing and rushing, but he played an outstanding defensive back and was an excellent kick and punt returner. Also gone is tight end and linebacker Brody Torgerson.
Second year head coach Garrett Astle will lean on four experienced two-way starters in 2025: running back and linebacker Wyett Sneddon, wide receiver and defensive back Chase Norman, and guards and defensive ends Jason Hollibaugh and Chris Romero.
“We also have four freshmen that have a lot of potential,” Astle says. “The younger players are going to have to step after losing such a strong senior class.”
Astle plans to run the spread offense again, hoping to utilize Dietrich’s speed on the edge and power running up the middle. Defensively, the Devils can morph between a 3-3-2 or a 4-2-2 defense depending upon the situation. Astle says speed will be an asset on defense, and if the tackling can follow, they’ll have success on that side of the ball. “You can never be a good enough tackler,” Astle says. “We have to stop the opponents’ power run game.”
SHOSHONE
The Indians were the true surprise in Idaho high school football a season ago. Shoshone had only qualified for the postseason five times in school history, with the most recent trip coming in 2000.
First-year head coach Mike Nunnelee engineered a complete turnaround, as Shoshone finished 5-4 overall, good for third place in the Sawtooth Conference and a first round playoff trip to Garden Valley, where the Indians fell 32-8.
Five seniors departed via graduation, including starting quarterback Bud Cortez. But junior running back and linebacker Hadley Hunt returns. Several coaches in the Sawtooth have singled out the explosive Hunt as the most dangerous athlete in the conference.
Shoshone won’t have the element of surprise on their side in 2025, which raises the degree of difficulty. The Indians will host Carey and travel to Dietrich in their final two games of the regular season, and Shoshone fans are hopeful that those final two games will decide the conference crown.
CASTLEFORD
After three consecutive postseason appearances from 2020 to 2022, including two semifinal appearances in ’21 and ’22, Castleford is aiming to snap a two-season playoff drought in 2025.
They’ll do so with a new head coach. Brock Campbell replaces Brian Lowry. Campbell is originally from Colorado, and parlayed a strong high school career into a spot on Colorado State Pueblo’s team. CSU Pueblo is a Division II program, and Campbell was a member of the Thunderwolves’ 2014 national championship team, so he knows what it takes to play quality, winning football.
“The goal is simple: ‘Go 1-0.’,” says Campbell. “We want to stack our wins by the finest of details. From our mentality, our habits, our beliefs, our fundamentals, our nutrition, and our execution – our Pack will thrive beyond the gridiron, into the classroom, into our community, and into their own lives.”
A young Castleford team said goodbye to only four seniors. Athletes like Eric Lemus, Riggin Keetch, and Connor Parish all started last year as sophomores, and their continued development will be critical to Castleford’s chances this year.
RICHFIELD
After more than a decade of leading Richfield’s program, Buck Hendren is stepping back to focus on his duties as Richfield High Athletic Director. Matt Kent, a 1994 graduate of Richfield, steps in as Tigers head coach for the first time.
After several years of playing a JV schedule, or a hybrid schedule of JV and varsity games, Richfield scheduled and completed a full varsity slate last year, finishing 1-6 overall. Their lone win came against Hansen, 44-38.
Of the 15 players on last year’s team, only three were seniors, and just four were juniors. Despite several freshmen and sophomores accruing playing time in 2024, Kent says the overall program needs seasoning.
“We are a young team without a lot of experience,” says Kent. “Our scheme is a work in progress. We are still figuring out what will work best with our current skill levels.”
Among the primary returnees with experience is junior Devin Scott. Scott played quarterback last year, but could see time at running back as well in 2025. If Scott stays at QB, sophomore Jace Oliver and junior Jose Alvarado are expected to split carries at running back. Senior tight end Eli Brauberger and senior offensive lineman Edward DeLeon should help pave the way for all of those backs.
The Richfield defense will be bolstered by senior defensive end Tayson Telford.
Although the Tigers will be young again in 2025, overall optimism and numbers are sky high.
“We have a lot more kids than we have had in the past,” says Kent. “We expect 30 kids to be on the team, and we’re excited to see them all develop. Several young players have the potential to make a difference.”
HANSEN
Toby Lapp returned to the Hansen sidelines in 2024, after an earlier six-year stint coaching the Huskies previously this century. A young Hansen team went 1-6 in 2024, but junior quarterback Dan Gibson and senior running back Benny Reichel return to the Huskies’ backfield.
If the offensive line can coalesce, and the defense can improve upon their 50 points allowed per game, there’s a chance for Hansen to climb up the Sawtooth standings in 2025.
CAMAS COUNTY
Like many sports at Camas County High School, low numbers and a murky coaching situation is threatening to halt the Mushers’ season before it even starts.
This has happened in girls basketball over the past few seasons, and is one of the many challenges that the tiny school in Fairfield must navigate.
Longtime coach Rusty Kramer retired after the Mushers advanced all the way to the 2023 state championship game. Kramer was replaced by Ben Walter for the 2024 season, but after a 1-7 season, Walter decided to take a job in Jerome as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.
This all happened late in the school year, and Camas County has had a difficult time finding a replacement for Walter. School officials thought they had it settled when Scott Dean, a veteran coach with over 30 years of experience in North Dakota, Arizona, and Oregon took the job in mid-July, but he pulled out just a few weeks later.
For the moment, assistant coaches Jake McGinnis and Andy Marolf are leading team practices. For Camas County this year, just finishing out a full varsity schedule could be viewed as a major accomplishment.