Written by: Will Hoenike
The Clearwater Valley Rams are coming off an appearance in the 1A Division 1 state playoffs last season and return a number of key contributors in 2022, spurring optimism for another playoff drive and a deeper run into the month of November.
“I am excited to see all of our young players who got all that playing time last season step up this season,” said head coach Allen Hutchens. “To help us take that next step in our football program here at Clearwater Valley.”
The Rams will have to replace all-state performer Dylan Pickering, the talented, two-way athlete who committed to The College of Idaho. But there are a number of student-athletes in Kooskia who are ready to take on a larger role.
One of those players is sophomore Jake Fabbi. Fabbi started the team’s final eight games at middle linebacker last fall for the Rams as a freshman, earning honorable-mention all-conference recognition. He’ll be joined at the linebacker spot by junior Bass Myers and senior Louie Fabbi to anchor a defense that saw improved results as the season went on last fall. Over the team’s first five games, every opponent scored at least 44 points. Over its final five games, only one team did, with two opponents being held to 14 points or less.
“We will have a lot of team speed on defense,” Hutchens continued. “We have a very good linebacking corps and defensive back group.”
Continued improvement along the defensive line will benefit the defense as a whole, as linebackers and defensive backs will have more freedom to pursue ball carriers to make tackles. Seniors Isaac Goodwin and Anthony Carter will hold down the edges as defensive ends with interior help from sophomore Estuardo Puderbaugh, who has made impressive strides over the summer.
On offense, Hutchens envisions a balanced group that can either spread defenses out to exploit them with speed or the ability to line up and pound it behind the guards.
“I have speed, strength, and size with several players that can play several different positions,” Hutchens said. “We are going to spread people out and make them cover the whole field and hopefully our speed can work to our advantage.”
Quarterback Louie Fabbi will trigger the offense behind senior center Austin Curtis. Exactly where each player lines up from there depends on multiple variables, but the Ram coaches feel that they have options, no matter what they’re facing from the opponent. Carter and sophomore Tiago Pickering will get carries in the backfield, while Myers and Carson Schilling will likely be primary targets when the Rams look to throw the ball down the field. The team has been working to correct issues with pre-snap penalties last season, which will help keep the offense ahead of the sticks, so to speak, to avoid long-yardage situations.
The Rams make two trips south early during the regular season, opening on August 27 at Middleton High School against Glenns Ferry High School as part of the annual Idaho 8-Man Classic. Then, two weeks later, the team will travel back down to the Boise valley to tangle with a talented Notus squad on September 9. Those are the team’s only two non-conference games.
In Whitepine League play, the Rams will host Genesee, Prairie, and Lapwai, three teams they figure to be competing for playoff positioning against. Another key game – not only for potential playoff positioning, but also regional bragging rights – comes on September 23 when Clearwater Valley makes the short, 11-mile drive north on US-12 to Kamiah to square off with the rival Kubs, a team that many around the Whitepine expect to be a strong competitor in the Whitepine League.