Written by: Marlowe Hereford
Thunder Ridge begins season three under head coach Michael Berger with a move to Idaho's new 6A classification.
Year three also means more experience for athletes who have played for Berger thus far in their high school careers and have become familiar with his system.
"This group of seniors has been enjoyable to coach, and I am hoping they mentally believe that they can compete with anyone in the state," Berger said.
Berger returns two starting quarterbacks, Ezra Moss and Ryder Portmann, whom he said are both battling going into fall camp.
"They both have their own unique/strong qualities and it has been fun to watch them compete," Berger said. "We are a spread offense that wants to get the ball to our playmakers."
Those playmakers include Preston McDaniel, Radley Nebeker, Kyler Sparks, Tanner Scoresby and Kaleb Brock.
Berger said building the run game is a priority on offense for the Titans, who ended last season with three total rushing touchdowns. He added that he has been excited to watch the growth of Thunder Ridge's offensive line.
"Last year, we had a nonexistent run game which led to a difficult season," he said. "If we want to be competitive in east Idaho, we have to be able to have a run game to keep defenses honest."
On defense, Berger acknowledges the experience he returns at corner, linebacker and safety. Seniors Ben Wasnuski, Treyton Fuhriman, Jacob Joseph and Kade Bobbish are battling for defensive back spots and he said linebackers Craidyn Galbraith, Talen Ford and Porter Sessions are vying for playing time at multiple positions. He described his defensive line of Evan Jones, Drew Crystal and Christen Hansen as young but with potential to step into bigger roles.
"The goal for our defense is to have all 11 guys trusting each other and doing their jobs," Berger said.
Eliminating opponents' big plays will be a priority on defense this season.
"Too many times last year, it was too easy for opposing offenses to score," Berger said. "With any level of football, we need to have a strong front seven that can stop the run without blitzing."
Leaning on the Titans' depth and instilling confidence are two keys to success Berger identified for 2024.
"Believing in ourselves. It sounds simple, but our players need to trust that they are prepared to have success each time they step on the field," Berger said. "Our schedule doesn't have any easy opponents, so we will have to earn our success. If we can take care of ourselves, I am confident our program will take that next step forward."
Looking around District 5-6, Berger agreed with Highland head coach Nick Sorrell that Madison is a team to keep an eye on this fall.
"They have some great younger groups coming up which will allow them to match up with anyone in the state," Berger said. "If they get into a rhythm, they will be a tough team to beat all season."
Thunder Ridge begins the season Aug. 30 with a home game versus Idaho Falls. The Titans begin conference play Sept. 20 at Highland.