Written by: Will Hoenike
After playing a junior-varsity schedule in 2021, the Hagerman Pirates petitioned the Idaho High School Activities Association to let the football team compete at the 1A Division 2 level in 2022. The move was approved and the Pirates will open the season on August 26 at Greenleaf Friends Academy.
The Pirates have a new head coach as Bill Hicks takes over for Dana Strong. Hicks is a long-time football coach with a career dating back over 30 years but the Twin Falls Times News reports this is Hicks’ first foray into coaching the 8-man game.
Participating in the 1A Division 2 classification puts the Pirates into District IV’s Sawtooth Conference. The good news is Hagerman will not have to face perennial powerhouse Carey, who is now a member of the 1A Division 1 Snake River Conference. But Hagerman will welcome league foes Camas County (October 7) and Shoshone (October 14) to town for games late in the regular season.