Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Notus
2. Idaho City
3. Wilder
4. Rimrock
5. Greenleaf Friends
Written by: Will Hoenike
There’s bad news on the horizon for the rest of the 1A Division 1 Western Idaho Conference – the Notus Pirates returns almost its entire roster after winning the conference title last season and allowing just 26 points to its four conference rivals.
“Our juniors and seniors have a lot of experience and are helping to shape some of the younger kids,” said fourth-year head coach Joe Woodland. “If we stay healthy, work hard, and play team defense, we should be competitive in most games. We have pretty good speed at several positions and our offensive line is big, especially for 8-man football.”
The Pirates return the conference’s offensive player of the year (QB Kaeden Clemens) and defensive player of the year (DE Julian Gallegos). That’s a heckuva start. The team also returns junior Carter Woodland, who earned All-Conference honors on both offense and defense. Kellen Parks was an All-Conference offensive lineman and Aaron Jiminez was an All-Conference defensive lineman. Elijah Martin was also recognized by opposing coaches for his play on offense and defense when the All-Conference teams were announced.
“We have a very balanced attack and can rush it behind our big offensive line or throw it around with our experienced quarterback (Clemens),” Woodland said. “Carter (Woodland) has good speed, he led the conference in rushing touchdowns as a sophomore last year and finished 5th in State in the 100-meter (track), and Elijah (Martin) is a threat running and receiving out of the backfield.”
Those players will be protected by Parks, Jiminez, and sophomore Easton St. Germain along the offensive line. The Pirates’ offense totaled 336 points in its seven wins leading up to its first-round playoff matchup with Lighthouse Christian. Falling in that game gives the program a road map of ways it can improve this season.
“We have a pretty speedy defense and a lot of experience at the d-end and corner positions,” Woodland continued. “If we play team defense, we are able to hold teams to fewer points. We return a lot of players on defense and did not give up many points in the regular season last year.”
Gallegos, the W.I.C. Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, earned second-team All-State accolades at defensive end as well. He’ll be up front with Jiminez in front of Martin and Eli Hill at the linebacker spots. Woodland will anchor the secondary, which could include junior Tristan Aspiazu and sophomore Grayson Pylican.
Notus opens with three consecutive home games against teams from the 1A Division 2 Long Pin Conference: Tri-Valley, Council, and Horseshoe Bend. Woodland and his staff know better than to look past these opponents – it was Horseshoe Bend that gave Notus its sternest test in the regular season last fall, holding the explosive Pirates offense to just 26 points, which was its lowest total of the regular season by a wide margin. Rather, these three games will provide the coaching staff with good tests before entering Western Idaho Conference play in Idaho City against a tough Wildcat team on October 1.
“We have to stay healthy,” Woodland concluded. “If we can avoid the injury bug, we have a lot of experience, speed, and size and I think we match up well against the other teams in our conference.”