Wilder High School
School Info
Conference: 1AD1 Western Idaho Conference
Classification: 1A D1
Head Coach: Kyle DalSoglio
Years as Head Coach: 10th Season
Previous Experience: Eastern Oregon University Grad Assistant (TE/OL, 2008-09)
Record Last Year: 6-3
State Titles: 1988
Assistant Coaches:
Eric Lopez
Returning Players:
Benji Escutia, RB/S, 12
Cristian Aguilar, S/WR/QB, 12
Alex Jimenez, RB/CB, 12
Everardo Aguilar, LB, 12
Pedro Portugal, DB, 12
Ismael Cortez, TE/DE, 12
Braydon Claudio, OL/DL, 12
Estevan Cortez, OL/DL, 12
Dakota White, C/NG, 12
Norman Gonzalez, WR/CB, 11
Pablo Martinez, QB, 11
Brandon Aguilera, RB/S, 11
Xavier Barbosa, DL/OL, 11
Diego Rodriguez, S/QB, 10
Jonathan Mendoza, WR/CB, 10
Fabian Leon, LB/DE, 10
Cody Walker, LB/DE, 10
Saulo Luna, OL/DL, 10
Diego Solano, C/DL, 10
Jose Leon, LB/DL/TE, 10
Joesyah Saenz, OL/DL, 10
Returning Players with Honors:
Ismael Cortez, 1st Team All-WIC DE/G
Benji Escutia, 1st Team All-WIC RB/S
Norman Gonzalez, 1st Team All-WIC TE/CB
Dakota White, 1st Team All-WIC OL
Braydon Claudio, 1st Team All-WIC DL
Pablo Martinez, Honorable Mention All-WIC QB
Key Players lost from last year:
Ezequiel Vargas, RB/WR/CB, WIC Offensive Player of the Year, 2nd Team All-State RB and 1st Team All-WIC DB.
"Outstanding player that cannot be replaced, but we will be much better everywhere else, so I think we will be better overall," Coach DalSoglio.
Oscar Puga, LB, WIC Defensive Player of the Year.
"Will be hard to replace as well, but I think we are much better at all other positions," Coach DalSoglio.
 Photo By: Submitted Photo - #7 Benji Escutia, #3 Pablo Martinez, #1 Norman Gonzalez
Team Preview:
Written By: Sven Alskog
It’s not very often that a football team has the benefit of returning all but two starters from a playoff team the year prior. That is the case for the Wilder Wildcats this season, although those two starters were good ones in reigning WIC Offensive Player of the Year Ezequiel Vargas and WIC Defensive Player of the Year Oscar Puga.
Normally expectations might be tampered a bit after losing such quality talent, but the fact that the entire rest of the team returns makes that far from the case for Wilder.
“Experience and depth at all positions. With all the returning All-Conference players from last year, the expectations [are] very high and we feel like we will be hard to beat,” said head coach Kyle DalSoglio.
First Team All-Conference running back Benji Escutia highlights the offensive returners, with the ability to be a game-changing player out of the backfield. Honorable Mention All-Conference quarterback Pablo Martinez is also back to form a nice one-two punch for the Wildcats.
“We will be a very experienced team. We only lost two players last year, only one of which was a major contributor on offense. We should be better in every facet,” added DalSoglio.
He did identify an important area for improvement however.
“Consistency throughout an entire game.”
Defensively the experience is a big advantage as well.
“Only lost two starters from last year and will be more experienced. Had quite a few young players getting a lot of reps last year, and this year they should be much improved,” said DalSoglio.
He hopes to see his defense do a better job of stopping the big plays in order to hold opposing offenses in check.
Four returning Wilder players earned First Team All-Conference honors last season including defensive end Ismael Cortez, cornerback Norman Gonzalez, defensive lineman Braydon Claudio and Escutia at safety.
As things look now, a big factor in who wins the WIC will be the line play for teams throughout the conference.
First Team All-Conference selections Dakota White and Cortez spearhead the front for the Wildcats offensively. If the line play can be strong for this group it will be tough to beat Wilder with the skill players that are seemingly all over the field.
A tough schedule to start the season sees DalSoglio’s bunch head to Garden Valley to take on the Wolverines before back-to-back home games with Tri-Valley and Council.
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