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Twin Falls High School
School Info
Conference: Great Basin (West) Conference
Classification: 4A
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Head Coach: Allyn Reynolds
Years as Head Coach: 8th Season
Previous Experience: 22 years assistant at Twin Falls prior to being named Head Coach
Record Last Year: 1-8
State Titles: 2004 5A State Champions
Assistant Coaches:
Ben Kohring, Mark Schaal, Kevin Jones, Josh Creasey, Tim Stadelmier, Adam Reynolds, Todd Jones, Gary Showers, Bob Roberts
Returning Players:
Kole Bailey (Sr, OL)
Ben Belloli (Sr, TE)
Dallin Hatch (Sr, OL/ILB)
Garett Karl (Jr, RB)
Efrain Contreras (Jr, RB)
Ryan Nolan (Jr, FS)
Nic Salinas (Jr, DT)
Landon Hatch (Sr, ILB/DE)
Returning Players with Honors:
Bailey and Hatch, All-Great Basin OL
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Photo By: Kelly Magee - #75 Kole Bailey
Incoming “impact” players:
QB Zach Malina (Jr)
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Team Preview:
Written by: Will Hoenike (@willhoenike)
Allyn Reynolds has been around Bruins football for three decades. He’s going into his eighth season as the head coach after more than 20 years as an assistant at Twin Falls High School.
He’s won a state championship (5A title in 2004 over Coeur d’Alene), he’s endured the down seasons. He’s been 5A, he’s been 4A. He was there when the town, in terms of high school football, was essentially a one-horse town. And he’s there now when the city hosts three high school football teams – Twin Falls, Canyon Ridge and 1A Lighthouse Christian. So, when he drops a superlative, we need to take note.
“Zach Malina is one of the best leaders I have been around in a long time,” Reynolds says of his new junior quarterback.
Malina takes over under center full-time for the Bruins this season after spending most of last fall with the program’s junior varsity program, leading the team to five wins in eight games. He becomes field general of a program that won just one varsity game last season but is loaded with good, young players.
Reynolds says the team will continue to try to establish the run first. With all-conference linemen Kole Bailey (committed to play football at Boise State) and Dallin Hatch back, the Bruins are off to a good start. The team will feature a pair of junior running backs, Garett Karl and Efrain Contreras, in its bid to move the ball on the ground.
When Malina needs to throw the ball, look for senior tight end Ben Belloli to be one of the key targets.
Defensively, Reynolds and his staff returns Dallin and Landon Hatch at inside linebacker as well as junior nose tackle Nic Salinas. Those three could be a big key to Twin Falls’ hopes on defense this season.
“We will play several wing-type offenses and we must stop the run first,” Reynolds said. “We need to teach our team to play downhill and attack the offense.”
Junior free safety Ryan Nolan will also be a key contributor for Twin Falls on defense. It’s a young group that must improve upon its points-per-game allowed from last season (36.5) if it hopes to contend in the 4A Great Basin Conference.
A youthful energy and a little “attitude” about last fall’s 1-8 season should lead to a bit of a chip on the collective shoulder of the Bruins’ team. So should the fact that the school’s two primary rivals – Canyon Ridge and Jerome – both defeated Twin Falls last season.
If the Bruins can pick up a couple early wins, the positive momentum could pick up some serious steam. But if it doesn’t come together this season, there is definitely light on the horizon for Coach Reynolds and the Twin Falls faithful.
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