Team Preview:
Written By: Will Hoenike

Coming off of a 4-5 season that included back-to-back wins to end the regular season, there should be optimism in Clark Fork where Brian Arthun’s Wampus Cats will look to punch through into the top tier of the 1A Division 2 White Star League in 2018.

It won’t be easy, though. Arthun must replace do-everything quarterback and linebacker Wyatt Stevens, an all-conference performer who shrugged off injuries to do everything his coach asked of him as a senior.

Sophomore Cameron Garcia could be asked to fill those big shoes. After all, as a freshman, he was asked to fill that role last season briefly while Stevens was out with an injury. But it seems unlikely that Garcia would be asked to do quite as much as Stevens was last season.

That’s due in large part to a couple of playmakers that Garcia will have around him on offense. Junior Josh Constantin accounted for 13 touchdowns last season out of the backfield. Meanwhile, senior Theo Icardo totaled six scores in the final two games of the season – a pair of Clark Fork wins – to send the team into the offseason on a high note.

The Clark Fork defense should have a strong pass rush, led by Constantin and senior Ty Ballard. That duo provided plenty of pressure on opposing quarterbacks last fall and figures to be just as disruptive, if not more so, in 2018. The Wampus Cat defense allowed about 32 points per game last fall which, for 8-man football in Idaho, isn’t that bad.

The Wampus Cats come right out of the chutes on August 24 with a pivotal road game in Nezperce against Lewis County. The White Star League gets two playoff berths. Over the past handful of seasons, Deary and Kendrick have occupied those spots on an annual basis and many expect Lewis County to compete with Kendrick and Deary for a possible league title. A win for Clark Fork in week one puts the ‘Cats in position to be the team that challenges for a playoff berth.

Of course, there is a lot of season left after the opening game. Clark Fork will still have to navigate a tricky home date against an improving Mullan team before traveling to Kendrick. And, then, the Wampus Cats wrap up the regular season at home on October 19 against Deary.

With Constantin and Icardo leading the way on both sides of the ball, Clark Fork has the potential to be a darkhorse in the White Star League in 2018.