Written by: Keller Sherman
The Declo Hornets went 6-4 in 2021 after starting off the season 4-0 highlighted by two wins over 3A opponents in Kimberly and Buhl. The Hornets could not keep it going, however, as they went 2-4 down the stretch and lost in the quarterfinals to eventual state runner-up Firth 20-16. The team, led by 4th year head coach Josh Stewart, will need to stay motivated and focused down the stretch if they hope to finish stronger and make a deeper playoff run.
Will Garrard, Aidan Dorantes, and Deagon Edgar will be key returning players in 2022. Dorantes was a second-team all-state selection and all-conference selection on the offensive line. Along with incoming impact players Treg Zaharais, Karson Ramsey, and Jack Taylor, they will have big shoes to fill from the departed seniors.
Four key players are gone from last year’s team. Derek Matthews is described as “a four-year starter and the captain of the defense. He brought a toughness and intensity that the other players fed from.” Keegan Ramsey “was the homerun threat last season and was a major force on the defensive side of the ball as well.” Jovani Gomez is labeled as “a dominant force on the offensive and defensive lines.” Last, but not least, Tregan Zollinger is described by Stewart as “the hustle player on both sides of the ball. His motor was unmatched and will be missed.”
On offense, Declo looks to be more balanced between running and passing the ball. The run game has always been the strength and focus for Declo under Stewart, but with a quarterback in Garrard that Stewart believes can throw the ball well in addition to talent at the skill positions, Declo may show more versatility in 2022. While many of the players in the skill positions are young, Stewart also believes there is a greater level of depth than has been present in previous seasons as the offense looks to force its opponents to plan against the run and the pass.
The Hornets will look to improve in finishing drives. While Declo is no stranger to putting up yards, there were still several drives that didn’t end the way Stewart wanted them to. Discipline will also be a point of emphasis as holding penalties set the offense too far back to be able to make up for the lost yardage.
Declo will continue to grow in its current defensive system. Forcing turnovers and having a bend but don’t break mentality as well as stopping the big plays and forcing opponents to resort to long drives has been the focus for the Hornets’ defense. Stewart believes this focus will continue as new defensive coordinator Jon Loper seeks to emphasize executing alignment assignment football.
Overagressiveness was a weakness for the defense in 2021. Stewart felt that this gave opposing offenses opportunities to make big plays and so his team will look to calm down on this. While keeping the quarterback and offense under pressure is crucial in any game, the Hornets will look to be more disciplined.
This will be a young team relying on mostly juniors along with a few sophomores and seniors. While one or two players have run the show for Declo in past seasons, Stewart believes everyone needs to be ready to contribute this season and is confident in his players’ ability to do so. “This group is probably the most cohesive group we’ve had and there are no egos,” Stewart said. “They all like each other and are ready to play for each other.”
It may take a few games to get comfortable, but that’s to be expected for a younger roster. How quickly these players step up will be important to the team’s success this season as both defending 2A state champion West Side and runner-up Firth are on the schedule. The good news for the Hornets is that they will play both games at home.
As the Canyon Conference returns to a two-team league in 2022, the Hornets will play non conference games up until the regular season finale against Wendell. They begin with two straight road games at Nampa Christian and Aberdeen, then return home for two straight home games against Buhl and Firth. A road trip to Gooding is the last of the season and leads into an open week.
Coming off the bye, they will face West Side and Filer before playing Wendell for the conference crown. Stewart believes that the Trojans should not be slept on and expects a more competitive game than has been the case in recent years. Stewart praises the job done by Wendell coach Jon Helmandolar as he states, “Coach Helmandollar is doing a great job of instilling confidence, discipline, and toughness that they haven’t had for a while.”
The last time a program not named West Side won the 2A state title? That was when Declo won in 2018. While the classification will still go through the Pirates until proven otherwise, it is more wide open than it has been in previous years due to what is seen by many as a rebuilding year for West Side. The Hornets are ready and capable of taking advantage of this and if everything can come together for them, they’ll be adding yet another state title banner to their collection.