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McCall - Donnelly High School
School Info
Conference: 2A Western Idaho Conference
Classification: 2A
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Head Coach: Lee Leslie
Years as Head Coach: 3rd Season
Previous Experience: 33 Years
Record Last Year: 7-2
State Titles: None
Assistant Coaches:
Tim Thomas
Sean Moss
Mark Wright
Returning Players:
Kaden Deluna, 6’5” 220 lb, TE/DE, 12
Ben Knudson, 6’4” 200 lb, QB, 12
Kyle Sellers, 6’0” 185 lb, RB/DB, 12
Caleb Jones, 5’10” 160 lb, WR/DB, 12
Key Players lost from last year:
Doug Wilkinson, FB/LB
Miguel Rodriguez, WR/DB
Logan Spade, WR/DB
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Photo By: Patty Theurer - #12 Ben Knudson
Incoming impact players:
Noah Ormsby, 6’1” 175 lb, RB/LB, 10
Tuff Bentz, 6’1” 180 lb, FB/LB, 10
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Team Preview:
Written by: Sven Alskog
After his first season as the head man at McCall-Donnelly, Lee Leslie raved about the work that his team had put in all offseason in the weight room. That hard work seemed to pay off in a big way last season, as the Vikings went 7-2, skyrocketing to a tie at the top of the Western Idaho Conference with New Plymouth.
That heavy emphasis on the weight room has once again been a focus this summer, with plenty of talent coming back to make McCall-Donnelly one of the teams to watch in 2A this season.
“We’ve had a huge summer weight training turnout,” said Leslie. “Kids are excited about a winning season and want more of them!”
The one-two punch of quarterback Ben Knudson and tight end Kaden Deluna is back for one last go-around. Both seniors will be relied upon to be team leaders on and off the field, with Deluna having a large role on defense as well on the line.
While the seniors are going to be critical to the success for the Vikings, the underclassmen may just be the difference as the team goes for another successful campaign.
“The sophomore class needs to step up quick! Tuff Bentz has to replace Doug Wilkinson at fullback and linebacker,” added Leslie.
That youth is most noticeable on defense, where every position unit will need key contributions from sophomores to succeed.
Nowhere is that more noticeable than in the linebacking unit where sophomores Bentz and Noah Ormsby will shoulder plenty of the load for McCall-Donnelly.
One of the senior returners for Leslie is Kyle Sellers, a solid running back and defensive back for the Vikings.
Looking ahead on the schedule, multiple games can be circled for McCall-Donnelly. A September 22 homecoming matchup with Cole Valley is one of those highlights, while a rematch of a classic from one year ago takes place on October 6 with the ‘Grims from New Plymouth coming to town.
It’s safe to say that it should be another strong year for the Vikings, as enough talent has returned to keep the boat heading in the right direction. Now the task is to develop the underclassmen and junior class through critical game experience to continue building up a program on the rise.
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