Written by: Will Hoenike
Ten years ago, the Kamiah Kubs buzzed through the 1A Division 1 classification en route to a perfect 12-0 season and the school’s fourth state championship in football.
Despite several winning seasons in the ensuing decade, including a seven-win campaign in 2020, the Kubs have not found their way back to the state title game. Under seventh-year head coach Nels Kludt, Kamiah appears in position to compete for a playoff push in 2022.
“I feel we have great chemistry and attitudes this year,” Kludt said. “We have a lot of leaders and a lot to prove after last year’s disappointing season.”
Kamiah finished just 2-5 last season, dropping its final four games after a 2-1 start, including a dramatic, 16-12 loss to rival Clearwater Valley to end the regular season. The team lost quarterback Kendrick Wheeler (committed to play football at Montana Western), two-way standout Kolby Hix (committed to play football for the LC Loggers), and productive running back Willis Williamson. Even with those losses, Kamiah returns several key starters which provides reason for optimism among Kub fans this fall.
Kludt is hoping his team can be a more consistent power-running team this fall. With that in mind, the team returns three players with starting experience along the offensive front, including All-Whitepine honoree Porter Whipple. The junior will be joined up front by seniors Wyatt Wanaka and Everett Skinner as the group responsible for opening up holes for running backs Colton Sams, Connor Weddle, Colton Ocain, and Everett Oatman.
Sophomore quarterback David Kludt can throw it a bit, too, and has all-conference senior tight end Brady Cox returning as a primary pass-catching target.
A steadier ground attack should improve the consistency of the team’s offense in 2022. The Kubs showed flashes – 50 points in a win over Logos, 34 points in a loss to Genesee – but, in general, were inconsistent offensively in 2021. With a veteran offensive line and a stable of capable running backs, expect Kamiah to finish drives more consistently this fall.
The same three manning spots along the offensive line will also be counted on to fill spots along the team’s defensive line in front of linebackers Sams and Weddle. Cox, Kludt, Ocain, and Oatman will see time in the defensive secondary.
“We have a lot of returning starters (on defense) with better overall team speed,” Kludt said. “We want to be more solid against the run and do a better job of tackling.”
Kamiah opens up the season on August 26 at Lapwai. The Wildcats figure to be one of the teams, along with Kamiah (and others) competing for playoff positioning out of the perennially-deep Whitepine League in District 2. The district is guaranteed one berth into the 1A Division 1 postseason – the Whitepine champ – but other teams can earn one of seven at-large berths. Lapwai was one of four teams from the Whitepine (along with league champion Prairie) to earn at-large berths into the postseason so, for Kamiah, the road to November starts early.
Of the nine teams on Kamiah’s schedule, seven qualified for the state playoffs at the 1A Division 1 or Division 2 level in 2021. Included in that group are Kamiah’s first two opponents, Lapwai and Raft River, who played each other in a 1A Division 1 semifinal matchup last fall.