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Deary High School
School Info
Conference: 1AD2 District 1-2 White Star League
Classification: 1A D2
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Head Coach: Doug Henderson
Years as Head Coach: 7th Season
Previous Experience: 6 years as assistant at Deary
Record Last Year: 11-1
State Titles: 1993, 1995, 1997
Assistant Coaches:
Ryan Kirk
Returning Players:
Seth Winter, RB/TE/LB, Sr.
Jalen Kirk, RB/DB, Jr.
Tanner Anderson, OL/DL, Jr.
Olav Stanton, OL/DL, So.
Returning Players with Honors:
Seth Winter (2nd team all-state; 2nd team all-league)
Jalen Kirk (2nd team all-league)
Key Players lost from last year:
Kael Stelck TE/LB; defensive leader, three-year captain
Tyler Anderson RB/DE; 1st team all-state running back, three-year captain
Morgan Beyer QB; Offensive leader, team captain
Hunter Vallem OL/DL; leader of offensive line, team captain
Kaden Jones RB/DB; three-year starter at DB
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Photo By: Jason Duchow - #3 Jalen Kirk
Incoming impact players:
There is a large junior class which has been able to play a lot of football behind the group that graduated.
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Team Preview:
Written by: Brandon McIntosh
Stampeding their way to the 1A D2 State championship last season, the Whitestar league champion Deary Mustangs came a 2-point conversion short in the State Championship game and fell 22-20 to Salmon River. Entering his 7th season as the Mustang head coach, Doug Henderson is ready to get back on the football field and take care of business to get back to the post season.
Coach Henderson has his squad working toward the motto of “Better than it’s ever been”. That attitude and approach has the Mustangs among the favorites of the Whitestar League again this season. He encourages everyone to be out in full force the first night and to not miss any of their action as this group of close knit football players, many of who will be making their first starts will be full of energy.
The pieces removed from a runner up season one year ago consist of a three year captain and defensive leader in Kael Stelck, a 1st Team All-State running back and three year captain in Tyler Anderson, the offensive leader and team captain in Morgan Beyer, and the leader of the line and team captain Hunter Vallem.
No coach likes to see that much talent graduate, but Coach Henderson believes this junior class is ready to go after spending the past two seasons with the group that graduated. With two solid offensive lineman and running backs Seth Winter and Jalen Kirk, both 2nd team All-league players from a year ago and Winter was a 2nd Team All-State selection, the Mustangs look to pound away at their opponents. Like a Mustang, Winter and Kirk will be looking to run wild behind the blocking of the offensive line. With so many players familiar with the system, the Mustangs hope to pick up where they left off. Coach Henderson is looking for his offensive team to build on more consistency, the little things, from play to play.
Speed. What coach doesn’t like speed? Coach Henderson sure does. He is excited about the team defensive speed as many of his players had a successful track campaign led by Winter and Kirk, who Coach Henderson can’t say enough about. They have been starters for multiple years and in many important games. This speedy defense may be fast, but they will need to be more aggressive at the point of attack and become more disciplined on their assignments. That is where the leadership of Winter and Kirk comes into play. They and the junior class know what it takes to compete for a league championship.
Coach Henderson is “pleased with how the players handled a great offseason” and is ready to see many step into larger roles. If his team can stay health and grow throughout the season, look for the Mustangs to be battling for another Whitestar title.
Deary kicks of the season at home against a league foe from the North in Mullan at home. Week three, they travel to 1AD1 Whitepine opponent, the Genesee Bulldogs, and will wrap up their season at home against in what looks to be for the Whitestar title against the Kendrick Tigers. If everything goes as Coach Henderson has planned, his mustangs will make it ‘better than it has ever been’ and be back battling in the postseason.
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