Team Preview:
Written by: Will Hoenike
When the Kellogg Wildcats take the field for the first time Saturday afternoon, in Moscow’s Kibbie Dome against St. Maries, it’ll be new head coach Tim Kimberling’s first chance to see his team in a battle-test scenario.
The Wildcats are coming off of a 2-7 season and open against a solid 2A opponent in the Lumberjacks and the early keys for Kimberling’s squad will likely linger throughout the 2015 season – limit turnovers on offense and limit big plays on defense.
The offense, which averaged just over 20 points per game, is led by returning All-Intermountain League quarterback Dominic Easly. The senior is elusive in the backfield and isn’t afraid to throw the ball down the field, evidenced by his 418-yard passing effort in a game last season against Timberlake. He will be aided by the return of both his starting guards along the offensive line, Houston Bartlett and Kaleb Johnson, along with tackle Andy Bratton, giving the Wildcats a solid foundation to grow from offensively. Austin Myles should fill a role along the offensive line as well.
The team also returns All-Intermountain League performer Brandon Stott. Like Easly, Stott is elusive with the ball in his hands either out of the backfield or in the passing game and also dangerous on kickoff returns, giving Kimberling and his staff a special-teams weapon as well as on offense.
Jordun Seatun will also see time in the offensive backfield. When the Wildcats go to the air, Jordan Benout, the team’s tight end, could be a valuable target for Easly’s passes.
Kimberling will turn to a host of other players to help fill roles on either side of the ball, including Ryan Morgan, Chase Jerome, Jacob Hammerberg, Caleb McDonald and Quintin Kimberling. Those players could get a look either in the secondary or as linebackers in what should be a fast defense for Kellogg.
The Wildcats started slowly in 2014, losing their first five games. The team showed improvement after that, splitting its last four games, ending the season with a loss in the 3A play-in round. The experience of not only playing, but hosting a post-season game should serve the team going forward in 2015.
The season, as is to be expected in the four-team IML, will come down to the final three weeks when Kellogg plays its conference games. The bad news is two of the three are on the road. The good news, however, is that the one home IML game that Kellogg has is the regular season finale – October 23 against Priest River – where the team hopes to find itself in playoff position.
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