Written by: Will Hoenike
Elvis Rickert, Kalab Rickerd, Dale Fletcher. All good football players, all gone from the Deary Mustang program after graduating last spring. Those were expected.
The possible loss of junior quarterback Wyatt Vincent for the upcoming season was not. He gained a lot of experience, both physically and mentally, as the team’s quarterback last season and that will be as hard to replace as the three graduating seniors mentioned by third-year head coach Tim Olson.
“He played well for us and had good command of the offense,” Olson said. “Replacing his mind and athleticism will be tough.”
That’s the bad news. The good news is that Olson and his staff have someone waiting in the wings, sophomore Nolan Hubbard, who is ready to use his athleticism when his number is called.
More good news for the Mustangs is that several younger players gained valuable experience last season in the 1A Division 2 Whitepine League and the team added some valuable size and strength to the roster this fall. It isn’t likely to be enough to unseat the thousand-pound juggernaut of the Whitepine, two-time defending state champion Kendrick, but it might be enough to keep Deary in the mix for a playoff spot as the season plays out.
“We had some key players buy-in to the weight room this summer and there is a general excitement from everyone about this year which is a lot of fun,” Olson said. “Several newcomers are poised for a chance to break out and take over a new role, which they should be excited to experience.”
Hubbard will be joined in the offensive backfield by senior Blaine Clark and juniors TJ Beyer and Dawson Bovard. Olson said his team lacks ideal size to be a true power-running team but will look to get the ball in the hands of its playmakers, like those backs along with Tucker Ashmead. Newcomers Dallen Stapleton and Blake Clark (the latter just a freshman) will look to fill roles at tight end along the offensive front for the Mustangs, which will include senior Carl Stanton and junior Damien Allery.
The team’s record in 2022 can paint a deceptive picture of the team’s performance. Deary won just one game last season but was able to play right with Whitepine rivals Lewis County (18-14 loss) and Timberline (40-32 loss). Despite the 1-7 overall record, the Mustangs were just a couple of bounces away from reaching the 1A Division 2 playoffs.
Olson likes the way his defense swarms to the ball, saying it has led to improved tackling across the board for his program. The goal is to avoid big plays on the outside, funneling things back to the middle where teammates await to make stops. Players stepping forward into key roles on the defense include Stapleton and Blake Clark at defensive end, Beyer at linebacker, and Allery along the interior of the defensive line.
Deary will face three members of the 1A Division 1 Whitepine during the non-conference portion of its schedule (Troy, Potlatch, Genesee) but will host both Lakeside and Kootenai from the Division 2 North Star League in non-conference play as well. If the Mustangs can limit turnovers, stay healthy, and continue to progress as Olson and his staff anticipate, they could go into the season’s final two weeks with a very real chance to earn a playoff berth for the first time since 2018.