Written by: Brandon Baney
Until someone else proves otherwise, the path to the Central Idaho League championship runs through Grangeville. The Bulldogs enter 2025 on a seven-game CIL winning streak, and has claimed back-to-back league titles in that span.
But a Grangeville team that went 6-4 and fell in the 3A quarterfinals lost a ton of talent to graduation, which has opened the door for a new contender to emerge. Priest River finished 6-3 a season ago and also qualified for the playoffs, Kellogg boasts the best quarterback-receiver duo in the league, and Orofino and St. Maries have called on former alums to lead their programs for the first time.
GRANGEVILLE
The Bulldogs finished 6-4 a season ago, and came up one point shy of a first round playoff win. Alas, Firth earned the 15-14 win to advance to the quarterfinals, while Grangeville’s season ended earlier than anticipated.
Starting quarterback David Goicoa has departed. Running back Cooper Poxleitner, wide receiver Thayn Williams and tight end Tayden Wassmuth are also gone. So are offensive linemen Talum Brown, Beau Bruzas, and Troy Benefield Jr.
So on offense, at least, the question is: who is back in 2025? It’s a list that starts with offensive linemen Gage Smith and Carson Astle, extends to tight end Will Told, and ends with TBD. No matter who lines up on offense, though, head coach Jeff Adams says they will have “speed and football IQ.”
A defense that allowed 22 points per game in 2024 is flush with returnees, which will lessen the learning curve on offense. Gage Smith will anchor the defensive line, Kolten Hiestman, Brody Mignerey and Kobe Beach will play linebacker, and the secondary could be the biggest strength, with Troy Long, Tate Schumacher, Cody Weckman and Parker Pooley all returning. “We’ll have good speed on defense, but we have to improve our tackling,” says Adams.
Adams knows that the gap has narrowed between his team and the rest of the CIL pack. “But we’re a tight group of great teammates,” Adams concludes.
PRIEST RIVER
Priest River took the league by storm last season, finishing 6-3 and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2012, doing so with a fairly young roster that is full of potential.
The biggest problem Priest River faces is replacing graduated running back Sawyer Staudt. Staudt set a new school record with 1,146 rushing yards, and scored 24 total touchdowns last year, best among all 3A athletes.
Head coach Alex Zepeda believes he has the answer to replacing Staudt. He will turn to a trio of running backs: juniors Nate Fegert and Colton Kuprienko, and sophomore Layton Goins, to shoulder the load in 2025. They’ll combine with returning quarterback Lucas Mathews. “Lucas is returning as a fourth-year starter,” says Zepeda. “He and our three running backs shold have major impact this year.” All five starters on the offensive line also return, led by junior right tackle Brady Hetten.
Zepeda is hoping another year of experience will lead to a more balanced approach on offense. “Last year we were 75% run, 25% pass,” says Zepeda. “This year we are looking for 65% run, 35% pass.”
Zepeda says the Priest River defense is filled with “ball-hawkers.” Middle linebacker Goins (3), safeties Kane Berns and Jacob Best (2 each) and corner Ian Lammana (1) combined for 8 interceptions a year ago. However, Zepeda says, “We need to create more sacks!”
With so many impact players returning, it’s no wonder that Priest River was chosen first in our preseason poll of CIL coaches. “We lost four seniors from last year,” says Zepeda. “We expect to have 11 this year, which is by far the most I’ve had.”
KELLOGG
The Wildcats finished 3-6 overall last year, but 2-2 in CIL play. Priority number one for head coach Dan Davidian is improving a defense that allowed 42 points per game in 2024. If the defense can improve even moderately, there’s enough firepower on offense to make Kellogg a legitimate league contender.
Junior quarterback Porter Lewis returns after throwing for 1,936 yards, 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions a season ago. His brother, junior Andrew Lewis, led the team in rushing with 431 yards and three scores on just 83 attempts, good for a 5.2 yard per carry average.
However, standout wide receiver Radley McDonald injured his knee during 7-on-7 competition this summer, and may not be available. The senior hauled in 36 passes for 670 yards and 8 touchdowns a year ago, so his production will be hard to replace. Lower-than-expected turnout has also impacted the Wildcats, so their margin for error is thin.
ST. MARIES
After two seasons of Greg Rouse leading the way, a new era in St. Maries football is set to begin. Former Lumberjack standout Hayden Humphrey will coach his alma mater for the first time. He played under former standout St. Maries coach Craig Tefft, and is excited for the opportunity.
“I am excited to be coaching in the community I love and I hope to lead these student athletes to a successful season,” says Humphrey. “This is a great group of kids, and they have been working very hard over the offseason to learn and improve.”
“As a coaching staff, this is a culture building year and a true building block to what we hope to continue for many years to come,’ he continues. “We couldn’t be happier with the group of athletes that we have been given to start this new era at St. Maries High School.”
Senior Jack Barta returns to quarterback the Lumberjacks’ spread offense. Senior receiver Brock Barta and senior tight end Colin DeGravio will lead a promising group of pass-catchers. “Our running backs should benefit from the receivers hopefully taking the pressure off of them,” says Humphrey. “Kaiden Morris, Aiden Yearout and Zackary Sotin form a great three-headed monster in the backfield that should wear defenses down and open up the passing game more. We are fortunate to also have a big and smart offensive line that will protect and plow the way.” The O-line will be anchored by seniors Kyle Smith, Riley Porter and Rustle Brusseau.
Humphrey is also excited about the potential of the St. Maries defense in 2025. “We have a very aggressive and attacking defense,” he says. “They have adjusted to the new scheme very well and are eager to learn more. They fly to the ball and are always looking to make big plays.”
Sotin will solidify the interior of the defensive line, while Kodi Mitchell and Smith will set the edge as rushers. DeGravio will headline the linebackers, while Nathyn George is a returning starter in the secondary.
“I think the X-factor for our team will be how well they learn and understand the new schemes on the fly,” says Humphrey. “We will take our punches with so much changing, but how they respond to controversy will determine a lot. This is a talented group and I’m excited to see how they do this year.”
OROFINO
The Maniacs haven’t been to the postseason since 2018, and have seen participation numbers dwindle over the past few seasons.
Orofino officials are hopeful that one of their own can be the coach to engineer a turnaround.
Seth Melton takes over as head coach for the first time. Melton is a 2011 graduate of Orofino High, and was a team captain and quarterback when he played for the Maniacs.
During last year’s 1-7 campaign, running back and linebacker Eddy Harrison continually impressed his own coaches and others within the CIL for his toughness, grit, and determination.
Harrison has graduated, so coach Melton is looking for Orofino’s next leader to emerge. The top candidates are: senior quarterback/safety Landon Connolly, senior running back/linebacker Johnny Stars, and junior offensive and defensive lineman Ray Starrs.
Ray Starrs will be asked to lead a young offensive line featuring promising newcomers like sophomore Blaine Johnson and junior Luke Dafoe. Johnson and Dafoe will both play linebacker on defense, while junior Liam Miller is another potential impact player at tight end and defensive end.
“Rebuilding a program takes time,” says Melton. “It doesn’t happen overnight but with the hard work and determination the boys have brought so far this season, I am excited to watch us grow! Team chemistry is one of the most important parts of any sport and this team has prioritized establishing a positive team culture focused on the attributes of toughness and discipline.”