The high school football season in Idaho begins on Aug. 23. So to get you ready, we’re counting down with at least one local team preview every day until kickoff.
Up next: Snake River Panthers
2023 IN REVIEW:
6-5 (first place in 3A South East Idaho Conference)Lost 28-0 to Homedale in Class 3A state quarterfinals
COACH’S RESUME:
Head Coach: Jeff Dalley, third season (second stint)Overall record: 70-34Assistant coaches: Jeff Toulouse, Rich Dunn, Treyton Palmer, Quinn Dayley, Cutler Howell, Chris Hons
RETURNING STARTERS:
7 on offense7 on defense
Snake River was once the standard.
But the 10-time state champions have spent a decade now looking up to the same teams who once aspired to be them.
They took an important step in getting back to that last season, though. The Panthers posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2015 − a year removed from their last state title.
“We’re turning the corner, but we still have a ways to go,” said head coach Jeff Dalley who’s won two state championships with Snake River, including the last one in 2014. “Going over to Homedale and not scoring points, that was tough. But we were happy to get to that round in the playoffs and know that we were going in the right direction.”
Snake River actually returns to Homedale on Aug. 23 for its season opener. So the Panthers will quickly find out just how close they really are. The Trojans have played for a state championship in four of the last six years.
Snake River figures to be a little more competitive with a lot of talent back, especially at the skill positions.
The top three receivers from last season are all back in seniors Justin Wray, Johnny Walker and Marcus Coombs. Wray is the speedster, Walker the go-to guy on third downs and Coombs the possession receiver. Coombs, who is 6-foot-6-inches and 195 pounds, is also a two-time all-state basketball player with already 1,000 career points.
“It’s just a matter of getting the matchup we need with each one of them,” Dalley said. “The big thing is getting the ball to all three of them this year.”
That responsibility falls on the shoulders of Bryden Mortensen. The junior replaces two-year starter Payton Williams. He’s not as big as Williams, who was 6-1, 195. But Dalley said Mortensen possesses that same dual-threat ability.
“I feel he can step in and he can take control and run the offense how we want it to be run,” Dalley said. “He can do a good job of facilitating the game and getting the ball to who we need it to and every once in a while, be called upon to carry it himself. So we’re excited for him and what he can do for us.”
He’ll be helped out by having three returners along the offensive line. Those are seniors Caleb Mickelson and Ian Fillmore and junior Kole Preston. They will also be blocking for senior running Johnny Jones, who is expected to once again be the focal point of the offense.
“We’re expecting him to carry the load for us,” Dalley said. “He’s got explosive speed there, but he’s also got power. So between him and those linemen, that’ll be a good break for our quarterback and let him settle in the first couple of games before we get going.”
Rylan Ibarra is back at safety. While the senior is only 5-7, Dalley said he’ll be the one running the defense this season. Senior outside linebacker Landon Williams is a leader on that side of the ball, as well. The two will anchor a defense that ranked just outside the top-5 in the 3A classification last season at a little more than 20 points per game.
The Panthers are one of the most storied programs in Idaho history. They have the second most titles regardless of classification behind only Highland’s 12. Snake River also at one point racked up a 54-game winning streak (1998-2002), which was the longest in the nation by a public school and is still to this day the best in state history.
So does it inch closer to being that type of program again this season?
“That’s where you always want to be,” Dalley said. “You always want to be that team that everybody’s looking to knock off. When it’s our time, we hope that we’re that team that everybody is looking at. So I don’t know if it’s this year. Hopefully, we can make a run this year and see what happens. But we’re excited to get things going and get things where we want it to be at Snake River again.”
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