Photo By Steve Conner - #21 Taylor Marcum
Preseason Coaches' Poll
Foothills Division
T-1. Meridian
T-1. Rocky Mountain
3. Eagle
4. Timberline
5. Skyview
6. Boise
River Division
1. Mountain View
2. Capital
3. Owyhee
T-4. Borah
T-4. Centennial
6. Kuna
Written by: Wayne Dzubak
Timberline began the 2020 season with a pair of wins and some high hopes but things turned on a dime and the Wolves lost four of their final five games, including a season ending 56-7 decision to Coeur d’ Alene.
Nonetheless, it was a season to build upon as head coach Ian Smart heads into his 5th year as head coach at Timberline.
“This senior group has been instrumental in the growth of this program,” says Smart. “We are thrilled to see what they’ll do this season.”
The senior group includes six players who earned All-SIC post season honors last year, including a trio of offensive skill players in running back Taylor Marcum and wide receivers Garrett Lavin and Wade Zenner.
“We have a great amount of weapons and experience we should be able to utilize on offense,” claims Smart.
Smart has challenged his coaching staff to create an offensive line culture of toughness. Coach Smart feels he has linemen like Jamison Kocian and Carson Messerschmidt who can make a name for themselves.
Defensively, Timberline lost some key players including a pair of linemen in DJ Burnham and Dylan Pike. “Replacing them will be tough,” says Smart.
The 2021 defense will rely on returning All-SIC players Liam Reeves at defensive back, Wade Zenner, also in the secondary, and Jamison Kocian up front.
Timberline will run a 4-2-5 defense, trying to attack the quarterback and hoping to create more turnovers than a year ago.
Last year Timberline began the season with a 26-6 win over Borah and in 2021, the Wolves will once again open against the Lions August 27th at Dona Larsen Park.
Three other games stand out as big challenges for Timberline. The Wolves play at Meridian September 10th, at Eagle on October 1st, and then the very next week, October 8th, the Wolves host defending 5A State Champion Rocky Mountain at Dona Larsen Park.
When asked what it will take to improve on last year’s 3-4 record, coach Smart was quick to respond, “We need to find a way to be more consistent with scoring opportunities”.
The 2021 Timberline squad will be led by a talented group of seniors motivated to make a run for the Wolves’ first ever state football crown.
Just like previous years, Timberline is picked to finish in the middle of the SIC pack but this time they have experience led by senior leadership. Head coach Ian Smart is hoping that chemistry and a few lucky bounces of the football will result in a playoff run, where anything can happen.