Written by: Will Hoenike
It only seems fitting, in the year that 8-man juggernaut Kendrick moves from the 1A (formerly 1A Division 2) classification to 2A (formerly 1A Division 1), that one of the teams primed to take over the top spot in the 1A Whitepine League is led by a former Kendrick assistant.
Tim Olson, entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Deary Mustangs, spent six seasons as an assistant in Kendrick before moving 16 miles up the road to take over the Deary program. His team returns enough key pieces and experience to be in position to step forward in the Whitepine in 2024.
“Football season can get long, and locking in for a playoff push is difficult for teams who don’t have that experience,” Olson said. “If we can stay focused on the little things in practice and get one percent better every day, I like our chances to be in the middle of things come November.”
Deary’s last playoff appearance was in 2018, so the team is looking to break a drought and regain some of the overall power that saw the program win three state titles in the 1990s (1993, 1995, 1997).
The Mustangs have the players to excel in the run game as starting running backs Dawson Bovard and TJ Beyer both return for their senior seasons. Also returning is junior quarterback Nolan Hubbard.
“He played in a few games at QB last year but this will be his first full year in the starting position, so it will be fun to see this offense grow as the season progresses.” Olson said.
The key to a good running game, though, is the players opening the holes up front. Senior Damien Allery figures to be an important piece of that puzzle along with junior Jerrod Bartlett and sophomore tight end Blake Clark. Also competing for an opportunity will be incoming freshman Kohen Griffin, who earned recognition from the coaching staff for his size and athleticism for a player who is just entering high school.
The Deary offense averaged just under 30 points per game in 2023 and Olson sees areas of improvement that will allow the team to be more efficient in 2024.
“Protecting the ball is always a priority, and we were not always the best in the red zone,” Olson noted. “Cleaning up both of those areas is going to be a main focus.”
On defense, Allery, Clark, and Griffin should anchor the defensive front in front of Bovard and Bartlett at linebacker. Beyer, junior Jacob Mechling, and senior Aiden Capps should all see time in the defensive secondary, along with Hubbard.
“We have the ability to be pretty solid across the board on defense. Up front we have the best size & physicality that we’ve had since I started four years ago,” Olson explained. “Explosive plays were an issue at times last year. We would do a great job stopping teams on some drives, and then have a mistake that sprung a big play. Cutting down on missed tackles, improper alignments, and locking in on personal responsibilities within the defense will be important to improve this year.”
With Kendrick out of the mix in the 1A Whitepine this fall, the Mustangs will be jockeying with Lewis County, Timberline of Weippe, and newcomer Genesee for top honors. Deary will get two of those three foes at home, with Lewis County and Genesee both coming to town. Perhaps more importantly, as Olson mentioned earlier, the two come to town in the final two weeks of the regular season – Lewis County on October 18 and Genesee on October 25. All three teams will have had time to learn, grow, and improve before meeting on the field. It is two games that, based on the fact it is a four-team league, will inevitably have a direct impact on the outcome of the Whitepine this fall.
“It might take some time, but I think the most exciting part is the potential for our offensive and defensive lines,” Olson concluded. “You have to have solid line play to succeed, and this is the best I’ve felt about that group since I’ve started coaching here.”