Written by: Will Hoenike
The Notus Pirates haven’t lost a 2A (formerly 1A Division 1) Western Idaho Conference game since 2019 – a span of 13 straight conference wins and four straight conference titles – a run the team hopes to continue in 2024.
The Pirates won their three WIC games last fall by a combined score of 162-40 but must replace the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year (Grayson Benitez) and Defensive Player of the Year (Easton St. Germain), so sixth-year head coach Joe Woodland knows there are some holes to plug in rural Canyon County.
“We have to stay healthy,” Woodland said. “We have some good football players but we are not deep.”
The depth gets an immediate boost with the return to health of seniors Benny Guevara and Gunner Campbell. Guevara missed much of last season after being injured while Campbell missed the entire season. Both are back and will be counted on to be big contributors on both sides of the ball.
Guevara is a veteran quarterback who can throw with touch down the field and also handles the option ground game with ease. He’ll be joined in the backfield by Campbell and fellow senior Ian Hill with senior all-conference offensive lineman Kyle Morriss leading the way upfront.
“We will need to improve our passing game,” Woodland said. “Last year we had an ok season throwing the ball but we have struggled at the receiver position in years past.”
Senior tight ends Tony Sullivan and AJ Blank could be key pass-catching targets when the Pirates go to the air, as could fellow senior Nico Martinez.
Defensively, it’s the same core group of players with Morriss teaming with Sullivan and Blank along the defensive line. Replacing St. Germain’s size and strength will be important for the Pirates, but the team returns plenty of experience. Hill will slot in at a linebacker spot along with Campbell in front of a secondary that includes all-conference performers Martinez and junior Derrick Huter. Guevara will also be a key contributor in the team’s defensive backfield.
“Our defensive line has been tough up front the past two seasons. We are solid and have good size up front,” Woodland said. “We need to continue to improve at the linebacker position. We will move some guys around and disguise some of our blitz formations.”
The team opens with three tough non-conference games, including facing a pair of 1A (formerly 1A Division 2) playoff teams from a year ago in Tri-Valley and Council. In between those two games, Notus will host Raft River from District 4’s Snake River Conference on September 6. Then comes the WIC conference run of Wilder, Rimrock, and Idaho City in successive weeks bridging the end of September and the beginning of October. Staying healthy during those early non-conference matchups will be pivotal if the Pirates want to extend their streak of WIC titles.
“We are returning several First Team WIC players, and should start mostly juniors and seniors,” Woodland concluded. “We are excited to have Gunner Campbell and Benny Guevara both back and healthy.”
With the return of Campbell and Guevara to a veteran, experienced lineup, the outlook for Notus is good in the Western Idaho Conference.