|
Oakley High School
School Info
Conference: 1AD1 Snake River Conference
Classification: 1A D1
|
|
|
Head Coach: Kade Craner
Years as Head Coach: 2nd Season
Previous Experience: 10 years with Oakley as Defensive Coordinator/Line Coach
Record Last Year: 6-4
State Titles: 1985, 2007, 2009
Assistant Coaches: Mitch Bedke Zane Mitton Josh Greenwell
Returning Players: Bryton Cooper, 12 Austin Bedke, 10 Jake Nyman, 11 (pictured) Hewstyn Beck, 12
Returning Players with Honors: Hewstyn Beck, All-Conference, WR/DB Bryston Cooper, All-State, DL Austin Bedke, All-Conference, LB
Key Players lost from last year: Matt Pickett, QB Cub Nyman, OL/DL Rem Sagers, OL/DL Jordan Cranney, RB/DB
|
Photo By: Patty Theurer - #75 Jake Nyman
Incoming impact players: Bridger Cranney, RB/DB, 12, (Out last season lost due to injury) Tate Cranney, QB, 10 Josh Nyman, RB/LB, 9 Slice Mitton, RB/LB, 11 Dax Gillette, ATH, 11
|
Team Preview: Written by: Sven Alskog
The injury bug stung the Oakley Hornets in a big way right out of the gates last season, but with 2016 comes the hope that the luck will begin to turn in the favor of second year Head Coach Kade Craner's group.
Two-way player Bridger Cranney will return from a season-ending injury suffered in a week one loss to Kamiah last season. He is expected to bring a big play threat into the backfield to compliment All-Conference receiver Hewstyn Beck at the receiver position.
How Oakley performs early in the season will depend heavily on how the Hornets are able to replace quarterback Matt Pickett and offensive line graduates Cub Nyman and Rem Sagers.
With those pieces in place the offensive unit was able to put up over 58 points on five separate occasions last season.
Tate Cranney is expected to take over as the signal-caller, and the sophomore has a fairly back-heavy schedule, which should allow the Hornets to find their identity on offense.
The back-end of that schedule features matchups with defending state champion Valley and 2015 conference runner-up and rival Raft River.
Craner circled that matchup with the Trojans as the must-see game of the year for fans.
"Last game, Raft River. It’s the game every year, both teams give it everything."
The head man is excited about the team he has in place this season.
"I'm most excited about [having] no superstars, overall depth and attitude," said Craner.
That depth is highlighted on the defensive end with All-State defensive lineman Bryston Cooper, All-Conference linebacker Austin Bedke and All-Conference defensive back Beck all returning.
After a 6-4 mark last season, it is well within the realm of possibility to see the Hornets pull off a 7 or 8 win regular season and place themselves into a good playoff spot in the new campaign.
Oakley begins the year with a road contest at Grace on September 2 before three home games in a row against Rockland, Hagerman and Glenns Ferry.
|
Share preview with friends!
|