Preseason Coaches' Poll
T-1. Homedale
T-1. Weiser
3. McCall-Donnelly
4. Fruitland
5. Payette
6. Parma
Written by: Keller Sherman
The Fruitland Grizzlies had a 6-2 season in 2020, a major step up from their 6-4 and 5-6 campaigns in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The Grizzlies won their first six games before falling in the regular season finale to Homedale 28-14 and were subsequently eliminated from the playoffs in the first round 42-0 at the hands of conference foe Weiser.
Coach Ryan Tracy returns for his 9th season with the Grizzlies and will look to lead Fruitland to a conference title and state semifinals appearance for the first time since the 2017 title run. Eleven players with all-conference honors are back giving the team plenty of returning talent to help build on the successes of the 2020 campaign.
Even with these returns, there are some notable losses from last year’s team. The player that will be missed most is Weston Jeffries, a player that Tracy describes as a “big physical kid that could run, block, and stop the run on defense”. Jeffries brought home several honors from last season’s campaign, none bigger than conference Defensive Player of the Year. Jeffries also earned first team all-state honors on both sides of the ball as well as being a first team all-conference offensive selection.
Greg Gieesl is another player that will be missed as his accomplishments on both the offensive and defensive line earned him conference and state honors. The departures of Jacob Walker and Dylan Stelling add to a graduating class that brought home a total of twelve honors at both the conference and state levels. How Fruitland responds to these absences will be a major factor in determining their successes in the 2021 campaign.
As a run-based offense, Fruitland’s run game will be a major strength. Quarterback Luke Barinaga will have plenty of weapons at his disposal with David Juarez, Aden Simmons, Hunter Forbes, and Lane Roberts all part of a loaded running back unit. Mark Church and Parker Barnes will return on the offensive line and contribute to the run game as well. Tanner Ward will play wide receiver as Tracy hopes for his team to become more balanced on offense.
On defense, there is plenty to be excited about as the Grizzlies held five of their eight opponents to 15 points or less including all four of their conference opponents in the regular season. While Tracy is satisfied with his team “stopping the run”, he hopes to see improvements in “defending the pass”.
The team is loaded at defensive back, defensive line, and linebacker with the return of seven players that received all-conference honors in those positions from the 2020 campaign. Ki Warner and Mark Church will lead the way on the line while Aden Simmons and Hunter Forbes will do their part at the linebacker position. David Juarez, Alex Gonzales, and Ashton Boyd return for a strong defensive back unit and when these forces combine, they will be a challenging defense to score on for anyone that plays them.
The offseason has been anything but quiet with many players hard at work in the weight room. Tracy is excited about the effort that his team has shown and can’t wait to see what they can accomplish on the gridiron this fall with the work his team has put in. He states “We have had great effort in the weight room since last January. I am excited to see all their efforts on the field”.
In addition to working hard in the weight room, the Grizzlies have also had some position changes during the offseason. “It will be important for those kids to be able to make the adjustments and be successful.” Tracy said.
Fruitland will open the 2021 schedule with reigning 2A Western Idaho Conference champion Melba. The Grizzlies narrowly escaped the Mustangs 36-34 last season. The remainder of the non-conference slate features a visit from Nampa Christian followed by a trip across the Snake River to face neighboring Ontario, Oregon.
The Grizzlies will benefit from a bye week before starting conference play with a challenging opponent on the docket. They will travel to Weiser and try to avenge the 42-0 shutout from the first round of the playoffs last season. Weiser quarterback Brett Spencer has given opposing defenses fits and the Wolverine offense put more points on the Grizzlies than any other team last season in the playoff contest. Tracy has taken note of that and will make sure his team is prepared. They will then return home to play McCall-Donnelly, a team Tracy feels could surprise some people this season. “They have great athletes and a great coach to show them the way”, Tracy said of the Vandals.
After a tough two game stretch, the schedule will lighten up with games against Parma and Payette. If Fruitland can win both games convincingly, they will build a lot of momentum heading into a big home game to close out the season on October 22nd. That momentum will be crucial to potentially knocking off reigning three-time conference champion Homedale.
With the amount of returning talent on both sides of the ball as well as the hard work the team has put in this offseason, Fruitland will be able to keep any opponent on their toes. Any team that looks too closely at the first round playoff loss last season and comes in expecting an easy win will be terribly mistaken. Backed by a formidable run offense and a suffocating defense, the Grizzlies will be a tough out every Friday night. When they are playing their best football, this team can accomplish anything that they put their minds to. They expect to be right back in the state playoffs with no intentions of a first-round exit. If everything comes together, Fruitland could have a magical season in store for 2021.