Preseason Coaches Poll:
1. Preston
2. Snake River
3. American Falls
4. Bear Lake
Written by: Zac Dean
Snake River continues its hold on the South East Idaho Conference, with the Panthers up to four straight conference titles across the 4A and 3A classifications. It didn’t come easy in 2025, though. The Panthers started the season 0-3 before rallying six wins in their next seven games, including a narrow 17-14 victory over American Falls. Despite the Beavers having a better regular season record, the Panthers’ 2-0 conference record was enough to claim a fourth straight conference championship.
The Panthers have the weapons to compete for title five, but the rest of the conference could easily throw a monkey wrench on their plans. American Falls, Bear Lake, and conference newcomer Preston return plenty of all-conference players. The Indians, especially, are considered a wild card after moving from the 5A classification.
All signs point to an entertaining 2026 season.
SNAKE RIVER
Few Idaho high school football coaches have had conference play dominance like Jeff Dalley. He’s guided the Panthers to a conference championship in all four seasons he’s been at the helm. He enters year five with a hunger for a fifth straight conference crown and more.
Leading the way is senior Owen Jones, a 2025 first-team all-conference selection at both tight end and defensive line. Seniors Crew Fields, Brigham VanOrden, and Gabe Young add to the quality defensive line. 2025 first-team all conference linebacker and senior Jonas Bishop is back to command the middle.
Bishop will also headline the running back duties, with juniors Colt Thompson and Danny Driscoll in the mix. But Dalley is leaning on the offensive line to generate an effective offense. Young is the Panthers’ top lineman, and he’ll mentor a foursome of juniors that Dalley calls his incoming “impact” players.
AMERICAN FALLS
The Beavers fell just short of dethroning Snake River’s conference reign last season. Despite the conference runner-up finish, American Falls secured the No. 5 seed in the 4A state tournament, reached the quarterfinals, and finished with an impressive 8-3 record.
This fall, the Beavers retool and are set for another strong season. Four 2025 all-conference selections return on defense, led by first-team all-conference utility man and junior Tripp Wagstaff. Wagstaff and senior Hunter Grigg are the star defensive backs, with Zach Resendiz and Thorne Rose the perfect 1-2 punch at linebacker.
But all eyes are on new starting quarterback Austin Teichert. The junior went undefeated in two years as the junior varsity team’s starter, and head coach Tim Hoppe has been impressed with his offseason development. He gets Wagstaff, Grigg, junior Jagger Leslie, and senior newcomer Onyx Kunsaitis as strong receiving options.
BEAR LAKE
The Bears were the conference’s odd man out last season, failing to win a conference game against two 4A state tournament qualifiers. This season, head coach Houston Reynolds returns a handful of 2025 all-conference players. Rowdy Johnson and Kutler Keech were second-team all-conference linemen a year ago, with tight end Brox Birch also on the second-team list. Quarterback Dax Perkins received all-conference honorable mention nods.
Defensively, the Bears look to tidy up their defense after surrendering 33 points per game last season. Reynolds will turn to linebacker Preston Wright and defensive back Tate Ewing as the defensive leaders.
PRESTON
Preston moves from the 5A to 4A classification this fall, and the amount of returning stars makes them an immediate conference threat.
Senior offensive linemen Gonzalo Loya, Khai Phillips, and Ethan Dahle were all-conference selections a year ago. Behind them is quarterback Carter Perry throwing to two all-conference receivers in Kylton Atkinson and Braxton Lewis.
The defense is just as loaded, featuring 2025 all-conference selections in defensive lineman Jeddie Talbot and linebackers Miles Henrie and Cash Hyde.
Head coach Brandt Reese’s team went 3-6 last season. This season, he believes he has the pieces to turn things around and in a big way.