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ORDER GAME PHOTOS
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Players to Watch
Bruin Fleischmann (Century)
Titan Fleischmann (Century)
Emmett Holt (Century)
Ryan Payne (Pocatello)
Jaxon Williams (Pocatello)
Gabe Hammons (Preston)
Cole Harris (Preston)
Nothing has stopped Preston from reaching the last five Class 4A state title games – not conference realignment, not an inexperienced roster, and not tough competition.
The Indians face all three entering the new season and have a slimmer margin for error than they have in the past.
As Preston chases a sixth-straight trip to the state championship stage, Century and Pocatello hope to play spoiler late in the season. The three District 5 teams comprise the entire South East Idaho Conference, which is only allotted one state tournament team.
So this time around, one late-season slip-up is all it takes to create a gap in a dynasty.
“Having only three teams will make things interesting,” Century coach Ryan Frost said. “The team that is hot at the right time will be going to the state tournament.”
Preston graduated six seniors from last season's squad that went 26-1 and won the state title. Key among them are Ty Hyde – the reigning 4A All-Idaho Player of the Year – and Luke Smellie, a first-team all-state honoree. It'll be up to former role players like Gabe Hammons, Cole Harris and Brecker Knapp to lead Indians back to the Idaho Center in March.
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