Written by: Will Hoenike
The Kootenai Warriors advanced to the 1A Division 2 state playoffs in 2013. Won a home playoff game to advance to the semifinals in 2011. Played for a state championship in 2008.
It wasn’t that long ago that it was one of the premier 8-man programs in all of northern Idaho.
Recent years have been more difficult for the school in Harrison, Idaho, located way down at the southern edge of Lake Coeur d’Alene, just a few miles north of St. Maries. Outside of one break-even season, a four-win/four-loss campaign in 2018, Kootenai has been below .500 ever since, including playing just two games between the 2019 and 2020 seasons due to low turnout.
But listen to second-year head coach Jake Pfeiffer. You’ll hear optimism in his voice.
“I'm excited to see what this team can do,” Pfeiffer said. “They are a young squad so it will be great to see what they bring to the field each and every game as the season goes on.”
Indeed, the 2022 Kootenai squad features zero seniors and five freshmen. Most of Kootenai’s struggles in recent years have been tied directly to a lack of players, so having five players in the freshman class is a big step forward for the Warriors. And Pfeiffer says there are good classes on the way, too, providing even more optimism for Kootenai faithful.
The team still lacks depth. It’s exceedingly young and doesn’t have a ton of game experience yet. But they’ll get it this fall with a full, eight-game, varsity schedule as a member of the North Star League.
Pfeiffer is excited for the team’s running game, as sophomore Ben Armus will run behind center Seth Cook and guard Gavin Tiller. Sophomore Noah Cook will contribute to the ground attack as well from his fullback position, both as a runner and a lead blocker.
Pfeiffer is excited to watch the development of freshman quarterback Riley Ausman and speedy freshman wide receiver Michael Nyman. That duo has four years to excite the hometown fans with big plays up and down the field.
Avoiding injuries will be critical to the team’s fortunes in 2022. Numbers are still low and, though optimism is high and the future is bright, the margin for error is still slim in the short term. Pfeiffer says coaches around the North Star have been great about doing what they can to protect kids to keep them from getting hurt. One of Kootenai’s games in 2021 ended as a 7-on-7 game due to injuries. The opposing coach, Clark Fork’s Brian Arthun, pulled a player off the field when Kootenai was no longer able to field a full eight in order to continue the game.
The successes and failures of the 2022 Kootenai Warriors shouldn’t be measured in wins and losses. The experience gained, the progress made, the development continued will all pay dividends in the future as the program’s participation grows. These are some of the first steps of a journey for the Kootenai football program, one that could end in a return to postseason play within the next few years.