Photo By Kelly Magee - #23 Hayden Kincheloe
Written by Chris Deremer
Entering the 2020 season, the Homedale Trojans look to get back to the state championship game to claim a title that was within a fingertip’s reach the season before.
With much experienced talent, the Trojans aim to shake off a 48-14 championship loss to Sugar-Salem from a year ago. Homedale brings back most of last year’s championship roster, with five seniors preparing to make their final runs as Trojans.
Entering his 12th season as the Homedale head coach, Matthew Holtry is excited and confident in his new squad going into the upcoming season.
“We graduated a strong senior class and some of these current juniors and seniors are ready to step into those starting roles,” Holtry said.
If there are any questions for this squad, it will have to start at the quarterback position.
Homedale will have to move on from its former phenom quarterback, Danile Uranga. Uranga was a three-year starter for the Trojans and a former Offensive Player of the Year in the Snake River Valley Conference.
Looking to fill these big shoes will be quarterback Jaxon Dines.
“(Dines) has a lot of natural talent that we are excited to work with,” Holtry said.
If Dines can try to become the new leader of this offense, then the Trojans have a great shot at a run for a chance to make another 3A Idaho State Championship appearance.
A veteran offensive line returns for Homedale, which should help take some pressure off the new quarterback. According to Holtry, the Trojan offensive line is the most important key to a successful offense in 2020.
“Everything starts with offensive line play,” Holtry said. “If we can get our offensive line going and get them working on the same page, then our entire offense will go. They will set the foundation for our success.”
The Trojans return three starters from a year ago, plus senior tight end Thomas Symms. While Symms looks to be a key part to the offense having success, he also looks to continue being a game wrecker on the defensive side of the ball.
An all-conference and all-state defensive lineman from a year ago, Symms looks to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks once again throughout the upcoming season.
Some question marks surround the Trojan defense too, with a new linebacker core needed for Homedale.
The Trojans lost all-state linebacker Spencer Fisher from a year ago, but according to Holtry, the new group of linebackers showed remarkable growth throughout the offseason.