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Rocky Mountain High School
School Info
Conference: 5A Southern Idaho Conference - West Division Pod B
Classification: 5A
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Head Coach: Scott Criner
Years as Head Coach: 4th Season
Previous Experience: Coached more than 20 years in college, one year professional (XFL), six years as a head coach, six years as an assistant high school coach.
Record Last Year: 11-1
State Titles: 2015
Assistant Coaches:
Troy Gleave, OC / QB'S
Art Roper, Asst HC/O-line (C/G's)
John Knight, O-line (Tackles)
Lamont Oliver, RB
Scott Connors, WR (Z)
Jeff Davis, SPC/WR (X/Y's)
Chris Culig, DC/COR
Tim Stanley, DB/SAF
Ron Manu, OLB
John Zamberlin, ILB
John Gough, D-line
Returning Players:
Zach Redd, Center: Senior
Connor Woods, Tackle: Senior
Jake Wilkerson, Tackle: Senior
Connor Jacobs, Guard: Senior
Keeghan Freeborn, Guard: Junior
Kyle Frazier, Inside Linebacker: Senior
Payton Pettigrew, Outside Linebacker: Senior
Gavin Nawahine, Outside Linebacker: Senior
Jonah Dalmas, Punter/Kicker: Senior
Returning Players with Honors:
Zach Redd, Center: Senior – First Team All-State
Kyle Frazier, Inside Linebacker: Senior – First Team All-State
Jonah Dalmas, Punter/Kicker: Senior – First Team All- State
Key Players lost from last year:
Jake Roper, Running back – First Team All-State: Graduated, now D1
Calin Criner, Strong Safety – First Team All-State: Graduated, now D1
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Photo By: Steve Conner - #52 Zach Redd
Incoming impact players:
Spencer Mitchell, Running back: Senior
Nolan Walker, Fullback: Senior
Bo Stevens, Wide Receiver: Senior
Carter Kuehl, Strong Safety: Junior
Anthony Tuccianardi, Defensive End: Junior
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Team Preview:
Written by: Lucas Gebhart
After a 44-20 thumping at the hands of Mountain View during the regular season in 2015, the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies buckled down, winning their final 10 games of the season. The final win being a 41-22 victory in the state championship over the same Mountain View team that had handed the Grizzlies their only loss of the season.
The win was the first state championship in school history. The new task for head coach Scott Criner and the Grizzlies is to repeat as champions.
And they have the tools to do it.
Rocky will return five big bodies on the offensive line, including Zach Redd, who received First Team All-State honors last season at center. The Grizzlies also will return senior tackles Connor Woods and Jack Wilkerson and guards Keeghan Freeborn and Connor Jacobs, also seniors.
Rocky will miss Jake Roper in the backfield, as he ran his way to First Team All-State honors. Senior Spencer Mitchell will be tasked with replacing the talented Roper. He will be the beneficiary of one of the most experienced lines in the state of Idaho to run behind.
The Grizzlies will also miss the defensive presence of safety Calin Criner, who was First Team All-State. The strength of this Grizzlies defense will not be the secondary, but rather the front seven, led by seniors Kyle Frazier, Payton Pettigrew, Gavin Nawahine. Each returns to the linebacker core and is a tackling machine. Anthony Tuccianardi and Carter Kuehl are players to watch, Tuccianardi at defensive end and Kuehl replacing Criner at safety.
Coach Criner says that the team will look to improve their passing game while still maintaining the ground and pound mentality that won the Grizzlies a state title.
According to Criner, the team needs to get faster on both sides of the ball, but barring injury, will contend for another championship this fall.
There is no doubt that the 2016 Grizzlies will have a target on their back, especially when they host Mountain View on September 16.
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