Written by: Brandon Baney
Football can be a cruel game sometimes. Just ask Coeur d’Alene High School fans.
After a stunning 7-6 upset of undefeated Eagle in last year’s semifinals, the Vikings were a handful of plays away from toppling Highland in the 5A championship game inside the ICCU Dome in Pocatello.
Alas, Highland senior quarterback Drew Hymas burst through the Coeur d’Alene defense for the game-winning 47-yard touchdown run with less than five minutes to play, snapping a 28-28 tie and sending the Vikings home with the second place trophy.
That narrow defeat has fueled the Vikings throughout the offseason, though.
“The offseason has been strong in both numbers and work ethic,” says Shawn Amos, entering his 28th season as Coeur d’Alene’s head coach. “I feel like we have built a ton of confidence among teammates and coaches, and now I’m excited to see how it translates to our product on the field.”
A year ago, Coeur d’Alene leaned on its defense early while a new group of offensive players found their footing. This year, the reverse will be true.
Junior Caden Symons is back to pilot the Vikings’ offense, after starting at quarterback as a sophomore in 2023.
All of his favorite receivers are back too. Kai Wheeler is a big target on the perimeter, while Jayson Cady and Kobe Coey are shifty slotbacks. All three are seniors.
Seniors Carter Hanson and Will Fairbanks will lead the way on the offensive line, while junior Colt Robertson and senior Jackson Sims are promising newcomers up front.
The only question is at running back after Owen Harris graduated. But overall, coach Amos likes what he sees from his offense.
“We will have great tempo offensively,” says Amos. “We want to play fast but our depth should allow us to keep guys fresh.”
“We’re hoping for more explosive plays this year,” he added. “The hope is experience will lead to better execution and finish.”
While the offense leans on its experienced returnees, the defense will be looking to several new faces to fill big roles. Among the losses for Coeur d’Alene on defense were:
Linebacker Shea Robertson, the Inland Empire League’s Defensive MVP and now at Eastern Washington
Defensive end Camden DeGraw, now at Washington State
Safety Nolan Christ, a three-year starter
And defensive lineman Aaron Ivankovich, who Amos described as, “Our most dominant lineman.”
Cady, Wheeler and Coey all saw time in the secondary a year ago, and senior Parker Neff is back to anchor the linebackers. But the defensive line is still relatively unsettled.
“We have good size at all levels of our defense,” says Amos. “Our personnel should allow us to be multiple and aggressive.”
For Coeur d’Alene to repeat as IEL champs in 2024, they only have to get past Post Falls and Lake City, as Lewiston dropped down a level. But with only a three-team league, one slip-up could make things interesting.
“As always, health will be important,” coach Amos concluded.