Written by: Will Hoenike
After serving as the assistant coach at Horseshoe Bend High School, Richard Beyers has earned the main headset as the new head coach. He and his staff will attempt to vault the program back to the top of the Long Pin Conference after winning just one conference game in 2023.
The team started well, posting a 4-2 overall record through September, but sputtered down the stretch, losing its final three games. The team must replace five seniors, including first team All-Conference performers Kaelun Jones and Nic Cooper, as well as versatile athlete Carson Drake, who was a two-year starter at quarterback.
The Mustangs do return senior running back Trey Bauer, who showed big-play potential as a junior. Fellow seniors Mason Beliveau and Colby Swann will also have opportunities to carry the ball out of the backfield, as will sophomore Lakota Innes.
“We are very happy with our past and present running backs and feel our run game is a key asset to continue a strong offense,” said Beyers. “We are most excited about the growth that our returning players have to showcase as well as the raw talent of our upcoming stars.”
Replacing Drake as the team’s signal-caller will also be a key factor for Horseshoe Bend. Junior Lukken March will slide over from tight end to the quarterback position to lead an offense that averaged more than 41 points per game last fall. However, the Mustangs allowed nearly 60 points per game in a season-ending three-game losing streak in 2023.
“We have a great inside run defense and hope to continue that success,” Beyers said. “We would like to improve our pass and outside run coverage.”
Sophomore Cole Gorski will anchor the team’s defensive front alongside Swann at defensive end in front of Bauer and Beliveau at linebacker. Freshman Kale Fisher could earn playing time at linebacker as well in front of a secondary that could include March, Innes, and freshman Damian Olson.
The Mustangs open the season with three consecutive non-conference games against 2A (formerly 1A Division 1) teams – playing at Wilder and Idaho City before hosting Rimrock on September 13. The ability to run the ball, especially early, will be critical for Horseshoe Bend as the new players acclimate to new, larger roles.
Once Long Pin Conference play begins, the Mustangs again jump right into the deep end of the pool, traveling to defending conference champion Council before hosting rival Garden Valley on October 4. If the team can survive the early gauntlet of games, it sets up as a sprint to the finish with games against improving Salmon River and Cascade before closing the regular season on the road at Tri-Valley.
It’s a challenging schedule for Beyers but he likes his group. If the team can stay healthy and continue to improve, it has the opportunity to be in position to challenge for a playoff berth in the 1A (formerly 1A Division 2) classification this season.