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Declo High School
School Info
Conference: 2A Canyon Conference
Classification: 2A
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Head Coach: Kelly Kidd
Years as Head Coach: 20th Season
Record Last Year: 9-2
State Titles: 2012, 2013
Assistant Coaches:
Rhett Matsen
Winn Osterhout
Jesse Miller
Travis Russell
Scott Street
Drew Matsen
Bart Hanson
Returning Players:
LB Tyler Matthews (Sr)
RB Keegan Duncan (So)
Returning Players with Honors:
Tyler Matthews (1st-Team All-State)
Key Players lost from last year:
RB Braxton Webb
QB Calvin Miles
WR Ezra Bailey
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Photo By: Steve Conner - #34 Tyler Matthews
Incoming impact players:
LB Brian Rios (Jr)
OL McKay Breshears (Soph)
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Team Preview:
Written by: Will Hoenike
Something to ponder: When Kelly Kidd took over as head coach in Declo, the Spice Girls were just bursting onto the scene. The first Men In Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, was a hugely popular movie.
The long-time, decorated boss of the 2A Hornets is embarking on his 20th season and his program shows virtually no signs of slowing down.
Declo is coming off a 9-2 season where the team reached the 2A State Semifinals. Gone are second-team All-State performers Braxton Webb (RB) and Ezra Bailey (WR). But Kidd has plenty of weapons coming back.
It starts with 1st-Team All-State linebacker Tyler Matthews. As a junior, Matthews had over 100 tackles and four interceptions, two of which he returned for a touchdown. If there was a big play to be made, it seemed no. 34 was nearby and ready to come through.
Throw out a wild, 58-56 win over 3A Kimberly last September and the Hornets defense surrendered less than 20 points per game, holding four opponents to single digits. Part of the team’s success on defense can be traced to a powerful ground attack and, even with the loss of Webb, this season should be no different.
The Hornets return the core of their offensive line in Sy Osterhout, Bryson Robinson and Louis Esquibel. That trio, along with sophomore newcomer McKay Breshears, will lead the way for a full stable of backs, led by Matthews and sophomore Keegan Duncan, who got key carries and experience as a freshman. Senior Hunter Olsen and junior Garrett Darrington will also be key contributors to the ground game.
“We have a good portion of the line back from last year,” Kidd told IdahoSports.com, before adding, “We have a great group of running backs.”
Success on the football field is no stranger to the Magic Valley community. Before last fall’s nine-win season, the team won nine games in 2014 and back-to-back state titles in 2012 and 2013. The Hornets were 8-2 in 2011, won seven games in 2010 and went 11-1 in 2009. That, in and of itself, is a remarkable run of success. But making it even more impressive is the fact that Declo plays in the District IV 2A Canyon Conference, which is comprised of two teams – Declo and Wendell.
So Kidd must find seven to eight non-conference games per season. And that means playing up. A lot. Declo’s 2016 schedule features five opponents from the 3A classification. The Hornets won three of their four games against 3A opponents last season, so they won’t be daunted. But it helps explain why Kidd, when asked about the must-see game on his team’s schedule, replied, “all of them.”
A big one, for obvious reasons (it is the only conference game on the slate) will be at Wendell on October 21. The week before, the Hornets will host perennial District V toughie West Side.
The established culture and history of success tells us, when the calendar flips to November, don’t bet against Coach Kidd and his players being in position to make a run at a state title in the 2A classification.
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