Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Horseshoe Bend
2. Council
3. Garden Valley
4. Tri-Valley
5. Salmon River
Written by: Will Hoenike
To say the 2020 season was unfamiliar water for Salmon River would be an understatement. After winning six state championships in the 1A Division 2 classification in the span of 13 seasons between 2007 and 2019, the usually powerful squad won just one game, outscored by a cumulative count of 409-174.
Head coach Ty Medley, entering his third season as the top man in Riggins, is ready to put last season behind him and begin the climb back to the top of the Long Pin Conference.
“We have to be fundamentally sound this season,” he said. “Being prepared and focused each week throughout the season will also be a big factor in our success.”
With a population of about 400 people in the town of Riggins, Medley knows overall numbers will likely always be a struggle. The team features just one senior this fall – RB/LB Garret Shepherd – and will need some younger players to step forward to fill prominent roles in 2021.
“We are young when it comes to experience this year,” Medley said. “It will be great to see these athletes make the jump as they take on more responsibility. I also look forward to some new leaders stepping up and bringing this team together.”
Salmon River will lean on Shepherd this fall after he earned All-Conference honors on both offense and defense last fall. He’ll be a primary ball-carrier on offense and in the middle of the team’s defense as the middle linebacker. Junior Tyrus Swift will likely see an increased role at receiver and linebacker while sophomores Gabe Zavala (QB/LB) and Cordell Bovey (WR/LB) move into starting positions as well. Junior Mortaki Ceglia-Kluadt will anchor the team’s offensive and defensive fronts.
After a rough start last fall, Salmon River showed signs as the season progressed. The group totaled just 32 points in its first four losses, but averaged nearly 30 points per game over its final three games. Medley thinks that progress should carry over defensively as well.
“We need to improve in our coverage against the pass,” he said. “With our young group having another year under their belt, we are going to be more fundamentally sound on defense as well.”
Salmon River is part of the Long Pin Conference and, once again, it is shaping up to be a tough slate of games. Horseshoe Bend is pegged by most to be a strong contender, while Garden Valley returns a solid squad as well. Council is on the verge of breaking through and Tri-Valley, much like Salmon River, has a young team that is hungry for wins after a tough 2020 season.
“We had some tough injuries last year,” Medley said. “Overall team health will be imperative as we come into the year light on numbers.”
Salmon River has the historic pedigree to compete at any time. Realistically, the team may be one year away from jumping all the way back up to the stop of the standings but the rest of the Long Pin knows that Salmon River can’t be taken lightly.