Written by: Christian Weaner
After failing to win the 3A Intermountain League (IML) for the first time since 2017, the Timberlake Tigers are back for vengeance in 2023, and Head Coach Kelly Amos has lined up one of the toughest regular season schedules in recent history to test his team.
"We’ve worked very hard to make the most challenging schedule as possible," Amos noted. "If we think we are a playoff type team, we’ll get a chance to prove it every Friday night."
Last fall, Timberlake had an up-and-down year, coming up short in the de-facto IML Championship Game against Bonners Ferry and the falling 34-27 at Weiser in the opening round of the 3A playoffs.
But, despite the loss of several key players like running back/linebacker Hunter Higgins, second-team all-state offensive lineman Joel Possinger and dynamic playmaker Rajnee Oliviera, the Tigers will reload this year and be ready to run it back as 3A playoff contenders.
Timberlake will have quarterback Cole Miedinger back to lead the offense and fellow seniors Vaughn Higgins, Cooper Lenz and Jacob Yetter should all contribute significantly as the Tigers leading rushers and receivers. The Tigers also have four starters back on the offensive line this season in junior Jeremy Hurlbert and seniors Isaiah Schultz, Daniel Doreman and Luke Schell.
"We have a lot of the pieces of the puzzle," Amos said. "If this group can play to their potential, we will have a very effective offense."
Senior Ciaus Tebbe, 3A’s top returning hurdler on the track, will be an exciting wildcard for Coach Amos and Timberlake, as he joins the football squad and will play running back and defensive back.
"[He's got] great speed that can make a big play anytime he touches the ball," Amos said of Tebbe.
On defense, the Tigers hope to improve upon last season, when they allowed more than 27 points per game, and they will lean on a deep and talented defensive line to do that.
"We must reduce the points we give up," Amos acknowledged. "It’s tough to win games when we are giving up 30 points a game."
Coming off a fantastic sophomore season in which he tallied 40 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks, Jeremy Hurlbert should headline the defensive line with his speed and athleticism.
"This defensive line has speed guys like Luke Schell, Carson Smith and Braden MacDougall," Amos explained. "It also has gap pluggers in Isaiah Schultz, Daniel Doreman and Walind Armijo-Vickers. It’s a group that has a great mix of speed, power and size."
Higgins and Lenz will be defensive anchors at either outside linebacker spot, as they rotate with Tyler Wendt, and the inside backer position will be shared by Jonathan Hansen and Talon Braun.
In the secondary, Jacob Yetter will return as the Tigers leading safety, but there will be some new faces at defensive back as Tebbe, Allen Simmons, Cayden Knight and Trevor Davis vie for playing time.
With Bonners Ferry in complete rebuilding mode, Timberlake is the clear favorite in the two-team IML, and the Tigers should know where they stand statewide by the end of the season thanks to their gauntlet of a schedule.
Timberlake opens with a pair of road contests against Grangeville and South Fremont before hosting Shadle Park (WA) and McCall-Donnelly in back-to-back weeks. A pair of 4A opponents are on the schedule, as the Tigers will travel to take on both Moscow and Lakeland.
Finally, and most notably, Timberlake will host defending 3A champions Sugar-Salem on Sept. 29 in Spirit Lake.