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Post Falls High School
School Info
Conference: 5A Inland Empire League
Classification: 5A
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Head Coach: Jeff Hinz
Years as Head Coach: 10th Season
Previous Experience: 11 years as assistant coach
Record Last Year: 5-5
State Titles: None
Assistant Coaches:
Sean Dorris
Adam Shamion
Blaine Bennett
Mike Blowers
Mike McKeown
Returning Players:
Zach Hillman (WR/DB)
Dylan Haag (OL/DL)
Gunnar Sciortino (LB)
Preston Bougard (WR/DB)
Hunter Harmon (WR/LB)
Kamden Johnson (DB)
Brad Noesen (DL)
DJ Luby (OL)
Returning Players with Honors:
Hillman, Haag and Sciortino were All-Inland Empire League
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“Key Players” lost from last year:
QB Dalton Thompson
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Team Preview:
Written by: Will Hoenike
When the haze and smoke clears from the terrible fire season across Idaho, the football season will go on.
It hasn’t been easy but, hopefully soon, the focus can return to the football field for communities all over the state.
Players, coaches and fans in Post Falls hope that the end of the proverbial rainbow is a second straight trip to the 5A state playoffs. In the Inland Empire League, Coeur d’Alene has dominated the past several seasons and the Trojans – along with Lake City and Lewiston – would love to be the team to end that reign.
“Who improved and who stays healthy will win the conference,” tenth-year head coach Jeff Hinz said of the IEL.
Hinz and his staff will be looking to replace experienced quarterback Dalton Thompson, who was also a starter on last winter’s state championship basketball team. Whoever replaces Thompson under center for the Trojans will inherit a good group of skill players.
Headlining the returning skill players is senior Zach Hillman. The wide receiver had a big hand in Post Falls’ win over Coeur d’Alene in the final week of the regular season last fall, clinching a state playoff berth, with seven catches for 122 yards including a fourth-quarter touchdown in the wild, 37-36 win.
Preston Bourgard also returns at wideout for the Trojans. All-Conference offensive lineman Dylan Haag leads the offensive front along with center DJ Luby.
The team also welcomes back senior receiver and linebacker Hunter Harmon, who missed last season due to an injury.
The Post Falls offense generated, on average, nearly 28 points per game. Defensively, Hinz and his staff would likely prefer to see a bit-stingier defense after the Trojans gave up an average of 29 points per game.
Fortunately, Post Falls has some nice pieces coming back on defense, led by senior middle linebacker Gunnar Sciortino, another All-Inland Empire honoree. Sciortino will be joined at linebacker by Harmon playing behind Haag and junior Brad Noesen on the team’s defensive line. Senior Kamden Johnson, Hillman and Bourgard will all see time in the secondary.
With the four-team IEL, there’s a big premium on conference games. Post Falls sees its three conference foes in its final three games. It gives Hinz time to fill holes and hopefully avoid the injury bug. The Trojans will have to get it done on the road, too, as the team’s final two games are both in conference and both on the road – October 16 at Lewiston and October 23 at Coeur d’Alene.
The Trojans will be in position for a second straight state berth, something that Hinz is excited about.
“The community of Post Falls is a great place to live and they support our schools,” Hinz told IdahoSports.com. “It’s a great opportunity to coach high school football.”
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