Photo By Loren Orr - #3 Derek Matthews
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Declo
2. Wendell
3. Valley
Written by: Keller Sherman
The Declo Hornets made it back to the state semifinals last season after making a quarterfinal exit in the playoffs in 2019. Now, the Hornets are looking to take the next step and win their first state title since 2018. 3rd year coach Josh Stewart has yet to win a title with the Hornets, but with three all-state and all-conference selections returning, the Hornets will be ready to pursue their fifth state title in program history and first under Stewart.
The Hornets finished the 2020 season with an 8-3 record. Their two regular season setbacks came in early back-to-back games against Aberdeen and Kimberly. After a 38-0 loss at Kimberly, the Hornets reeled off six straight wins, not including a forfeit by Wendell, by at least 20 points. While that streak came to an end in the state semifinals to eventual 2A state champion West Side, Declo gave the Pirates everything they could handle in a 7-0 defeat.
There will be some big holes to fill, however with the departure of two all-state and seven all-conference selections. Gabe Matthews and McKade Vail are two players that Stewart will miss greatly this season. “Gabe was an absolute beast on the ground last season racking up over 1,500 yards and 21 TDs. He was the emotional leader of last year’s team. McKade was a tremendous lead blocker for our ground attack and a disruptive and dominating force at defensive end,” Stewart said of the losses of Matthews and Vail.
Keegan Ramsey and Aiden Dorantes are expected to step up. Stewart stated “Keegan started for us as a sophomore, but missed last season to a knee injury. He’s back healthy and ready to assume the role of team leader with the vacancy left by Gabe’s departure. Aiden will have a big, physical presence on the lines and will fill key roles on both sides of the ball”.
“We made the switch last season to a shotgun snap, but still pride ourselves on having a running identity,” Stewart said of his team’s offensive scheme for the 2021 season. He added, “Jovani Gomez, Aiden Dorantes, Tregan Zollingar will anchor the o-line”. Derek Matthews will play a vital role in the team’s strong run game and Stewart hopes to see him along with quarterback Keegan Ramsey carry the ball for the team.
With the receiver unit expected to be the strongest position group for the Hornets, this will benefit Keegan Ramsey by giving him plenty of players to throw the ball to. This will also give Stewart’s talented offense the tools it needs to create a balanced offense that will leave opposing defenses unsure of what to expect next when defending them.
Declo’s defense will also be in great shape with third-year starter Derek Matthews returning to lead the defense at linebacker. Kayden Ramsey comes back for the secondary while Jovani Gomez returns for a formidable defensive line. “We run a simple 4 front defense with a focus on forcing turnovers. Our defensive scheme is very team oriented,” Stewart said of the team's defensive scheme. The Hornets defense forced over 30 turnovers last season and they will try to either match or even surpass that amount in 2021.
Stewart is excited about the work that his team has put in this offseason and knows that his players are capable of carrying that effort onto the football field. He stated, “We are excited to try and build upon our successes from last season. We have a great group of Seniors and Juniors who have worked hard all off-season in the weight room. We hope to continue the strong tradition that has been established at Declo High School”.
Stewart feels the biggest factor that will lead his team to a potential state title in 2021 is “improving week to week and being able to play our best football at the end of the season”. He also adds that “health is always a factor at the 2A level because there’s just not a lot of depth”. Many small schools like Declo have their seasons derailed due to injuries, further emphasizing the team’s need to stay healthy.
Declo has long competed in the Canyon Conference alone with Wendell, but last season, the Hazelton-based Valley High School joined after making the jump from 1A Division 1 to 2A. Declo had very little opposition in conference play last season, but Stewart feels both of his conference opponents are well coached and should be improved. He points specifically to Wendell as a team that could surprise some people this season stating “after struggling for several of the past few seasons, they hired coach Jon Helmandolar, who will bring toughness and experience to that program.”
The Hornets will open up the 2021 schedule with a trip to West Jefferson. They will then return home for a two game homestand where they will welcome Aberdeen and Kimberly to Declo, whom the Hornets will be seeking revenge on after being defeated by them last year. Their next two games will be against 3A Sawtooth Central Idaho Conference foes Buhl and Gooding.
Declo will open up the month of October by traveling to Valley for the first of two conference games this season. They will then face Nampa Christian at home followed by a trip to Filer before the regular season finale at home against Wendell. The Hornets are expected to be heavy favorites to win the Canyon Conference once again this season, but if this team is in a mindset where they think they will be able to just show up and win, Wendell or Valley could sneak up on them.
This year’s seniors were on Declo’s most recent state championship team as freshmen and they will be looking to win another title to close out their careers with a bang. There is plenty of talent on both sides of the ball for the Hornets and Stewart feels that this, combined with the amount of work put in this offseason, will make Declo a formidable opponent week in and week out.