Written by: Will Hoenike
At this time last year, head coach Jared McIlvain was surrounded by unknowns. New players, new culture, new opponents. And, most importantly, new opportunity.
Coming in to the 2022 season, the unknowns are fewer but not gone as the Meadows Valley Mountaineers move into year number two of the program’s re-launched football program.
“This team is just starting to find its identity, and the leaders will decide what that identity is,” said McIlvain, the former Lewis County assistant coach who moved to New Meadows to lead the re-start of Mountaineer football. “Physically, we are right on track. But the overall success of this team will be determined by the same qualities that bring young men success in life beyond the game of football.”
An example would be perseverance. Last fall was the school’s first foray into football since the 2010 season and, from a record standpoint, it did not go well. The team was winless in five level games, scoring a total of 42 points along the way. But the players stuck with it, continued to compete and grow, and are now ready for year number two.
“There is a lot of leadership building from within and it is clear that the culture is starting to shift for the better,” McIlvain said. “It is hard to name any one player that I am more excited about than another because they have all been working their tails off since our last game (last October) at Timberline.”
Another example would be the willingness to improve. McIlvain noted sophomore quarterback Anthony Larrea has worked to improve his arm strength and accuracy. The core of the team’s offensive line, senior Jacob Gwinn along with sophomores Ethan Osborn and Atreyu Solis, have vastly improved their overall strength, which benefits every facet of the team’s offense. Senior Koby Rivas, junior Carson Priddy, and sophomore Cody Padgett have continued to work to improve their speed and hands to help the team at the skill positions. All of the growth will help the Mountaineers compete on the field this fall, but McIlvain acknowledges there is still work to be done.
“We need to start minimizing turnovers and finishing drives,” he said. “There were a bunch of times last year where we found ourselves so close to something great, but we just did not have the experience to finish it out.”
Learning to finish it out is another life lesson. If the offense can cash in on those opportunities and the team’s defense can create even more chances, the Mountaineers will see increased success. Solis, Priddy, and Bradley Steiner will compete for playing time along the team’s defensive front in front of Osborn and Larrea at linebacker. Rivas is expected to man a cornerback position with Padgett at safety.
“We put ourselves in a lot of great positions last year but then gave up the big play,” McIlvain said. “As we grow and mature as a defense, we hope to limit big plays and create more turnovers.”
Reinforcements are on the way, too, in the form of sophomore lineman Dylan Gwinn and a freshman class that includes Jake Hendrix, Hoyt Rhodes, Troy Capps, and Tony Potter.
Meadows Valley played as an independent last season but will compete as a member of the 1A Division 2 Long Pin Conference this fall. That means tough conference matchups against Horseshoe Bend and Council along with battles against skilled teams like Garden Valley and Tri-Valley. And, of course, the budding gridiron rivalry against nearby Salmon River. The towns of Riggins and New Meadows are located about a half-hour apart along Interstate 95 and the schools played twice last season, with Salmon River winning comfortably both times – something the Mountaineers undoubtedly remember.
The team will also host a home game early in the season against the Cascade Ramblers, a game that may feel a little bit like looking in a mirror for Mountaineer coaches and players. The Ramblers at one point had a thriving program under former Canadian Football League coach Pal Sartori but have struggled to field a team in recent years, playing one game in 2019 and not winning a game since September 28, 2018. The two teams, each working to re-establish themselves, will play in New Meadows on September 9.