Written by: Lucas Gebhart
Timberline’s 2022 football team is going to look a lot different from its 2021 squad.
The Wolves lost a lot of key pieces from last year’s 5-win team, including quarterback Wade Zenner, a player head coach Ian Smart called the ‘heartbeat’ of the team. On top of that, running back Taylor Marcum and receiver Garrett Lavin are also lost to graduation, leaving some big shoes to fill.
“Taylor was an unbelievable athlete and has gifts that are rare,” Smart said. “Kids like him don’t come around often. Garrett did everything we asked and was someone you could always count on. His passion will be missed.”
Filling those shoes won’t be easy. Smart says the team will have to rely on some new and younger talent, but with change comes opportunity. Timberline won’t be the SIC’s most experienced team, but Smart is still hopeful some of his younger players can step into bigtime roles.
“We are hopeful that we have built a foundation that the incoming players can build on,” Smart said, adding that he is excited to see who steps up this season. “We have a few kids that are working incredibly hard.”
But not everybody on this team is an underclassman. The Wolves do return a handful on seniors, including linebackers Preston Sansoucie, Ben Schulte and Bobby Lee while Connor Kelly returns to the secondary. On offense, running back Kellan Brown will assume some of the carries left behind by Marcum while Bailey Dougherty and Mason Smith assume role on the receiving core and offensive line.
With such a new group, it’s difficult for the coaching staff to identify the team’s strengths and weaknesses. But one thing Smart is hoping will improve is the play of his offensive line, a group he says can be special.
Smart is also hoping the defense will do a better job of getting off the field on third down, while the team’s x-factor, he says, will be consistency.
“There will be a lot of kids getting their first meaningful minutes this season,” he said. “We are excited to see them embrace it.”
Timberline will open its new season with cross-town rival Boise High on August 20 before taking on a much tougher Borah squad in Week Two. The following week, the Wolves head up north for a date with Post Falls before spending the rest of the year in the Treasure Valley.