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Vallivue High School
School Info
Conference: 5A Southern Idaho Conference - West Division Pod B
Classification: 5A
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Head Coach: Layne Coffin
Years as Head Coach: 9th Season
Previous Experience: Head Coach at Century, Marsh Valley
Record Last Year: 4-5
State Titles: 1999 4A State Champs
Assistant Coaches: Mike McNabb Brandon Dahle Eric Cornforth Brian Hall Derek Self Thomas Thomas Bob Larison Austin Flores Dustin Aldous Kevin Schimmelphinig Kyle Ardahl Adam Morrison
Returning Players: Colton Yasinski (Jr) Esai Longoria (Sr) Kade Linder (Jr) OLB Taylor Barclay DB Lane Lehman
Returning Players with Honors: Esai Longoria, 1st-Team All-SIC, 1st-Team All-State
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Photo By: Steve Conner - #22 Colton Yasinski
“Key Players” lost from last year: OL Atiai Mataafa
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Team Preview: Written by: Will Hoenike (@willhoenike)
Head Coach Layne Coffin has his Vallivue Falcon program trending the right way. After winning just one game in 2012, the team won three in 2013. And then, last fall, the team had four wins and came within a field goal in the season finale against Meridian of posting a winning season.
The next step for the Canyon County school? Take that 4-5 record and continue to push forward.
That forward momentum can take many forms. There are winnable games on the Falcons’ schedule and there is talent in place. The next step could be learning to win in bunches – the team hasn’t won back-to-back football games since starting the 2010 season with five straight wins – or maybe it is a confidence-building win over one of the 5A Southern Idaho Conference’s top teams.
The Falcons swept its Canyon County rivals – Nampa, Columbia and Caldwell – last fall by a combined score of 146-22, but the team tallied just 109 points in its remaining six games.
One key Coach Coffin sees to balancing those numbers out a bit is an improved passing game. The Falcons return signal-caller Colton Yasinski under center. A season of experience and game reps at the varsity level should lead to natural improvement in the junior, as should the return of speedy junior wide receiver Kade Linder. Expect the two to hook up on some big plays for Vallivue this season.
Coffin and his staff have a returning star on defense in first-team All-SIC and first-team All-State defensive lineman Esai Longoria. As a junior, the 6-foot-2 end collected five sacks and two fumble recoveries to go along with another forced fumble. His size and resume will put a bullseye squarely on his broad shoulders going into the season, so the Falcons will need continued strong play from linebacker Taylor Barclay and Linder and Lane Lehman in the defensive backfield to free Longoria up to continue to be an impact player.
The Falcons open with two of three on its home field, opening the door for the aforementioned “forward momentum” for Coffin and his team. A couple bounces, a couple wins and some good fortune in the health department … who knows? Perhaps Vallivue can take that next step and push for a 5A playoff spot.
Coffin has won – and won big – before at Century and Marsh Valley. He has found some success with the Falcons over his previous eight seasons. This could be a “step forward” season for Vallivue with some good things on the horizon.
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