Written by: Brandon Baney
By any stretch, a 10-2 season and a trip to the state semifinals would be chocked up as a major success at most schools.
But Weiser isn’t most schools.
Since Tom Harrison, Idaho’s all-time winningest head coach, arrived in 2018, the mantra has been: conference championship, state championship, or bust.
Unfortunately, Weiser has looked up at Snake River Valley Conference rival Homedale all seven years in the league standings.
And the 4A classification (previously 3A) has been dominated by the Sugar-Salem Diggers, champions in five of the past six seasons.
The one season Sugar-Salem didn’t hoist the blue trophy for a first place finish, though, came at the hands of Weiser. The Wolverines defeated the Diggers 34-33 in double overtime in the 2021 title game.
But otherwise, Weiser has been great, while Homedale and Sugar-Salem have been just a notch greater.
Take last year’s 10-2 record, for example. Weiser’s only losses came to Homedale in the regular season (for the SRV crown) and to Sugar-Salem in the state semis.
Senior Kolin Cook returns to quarterback the offense, but he’ll be breaking in a new group of teammates at the skill positions. Gone are top rusher Kaleb Grove and top receiver Brock Spencer. Senior Kash Cobb is expected to take over at running back, while senior Xander Gray will see an increase in targets at wideout.
Regardless of who Cook is distributing the ball to, he’ll do so behind a strong, experienced offensive line, led by seniors Isai Herrera and Karsten Walker, and junior Dylan Ashley.
A lot of the same names will be featured on defense as well. Herrera and Walker will play up front on the defensive line. Cobb will be joined by 1st Team All-Conference selection Luke Sarich at linebacker. And Cook and Gray will anchor the secondary.
Simply put, Harrison says the goal for Weiser in 2024 is, “to get over the hump.”