Written by: Keller Sherman
In year one under coach Jordan Gross, Fruitland showed signs that it is on its way back to being a perennial contender in the 3A classification. The Grizzlies made it back to the playoffs and cruised past Snake River in the first round, but fell to eventual state champion Sugar-Salem in the quarterfinals.
Don’t be fooled by the losing record (5-6) that Fruitland finished with. The Grizzlies followed an 0-3 start in which all but one loss was by one possession with four straight wins to take a 4-3 record into crucial games against Homedale and Weiser. However, after losing to the Trojans and Wolverines by a combined 52 points, there is still plenty of ground for Fruitland to make up on these two teams. If Fruitland is to prove that they are back to being the perennial power that they have been in the 3A ranks, an upset over Homedale or Weiser would go a long way as the conference title drought is coming up on six years, the same amount of time since the Grizzlies’ last state title.
Fruitland will have some holes to fill on the roster in 2023. Most notably, there will be a new face under center. First team all conference and three year starting quarterback Luke Barinaga is gone. The Grizzlies will start a true freshman at quarterback to replace him in Titus Vidlak.
The wide receiver position will lose a key piece as first team all conference and big play receiver Theo Jackson is gone. While Jackson will be difficult to replace, Gross believes there are three players that are more than capable of stepping up and excelling at that position. Jack Dressen and Coye Coffman return, but Gross is especially excited for the arrival of Spencer Tracy, who he intends to start immediately. Tracy transfers into Fruitland from nearby Nyssa, Oregon and Gross sees his arrival as a “big upside.”
The running back position expects to remain strong with the return of Josh Proctor, an all-conference honorable mention in 2022. Quinn Hood returns at tight end after receiving second team all conference honors for his talent at that position last season. The offensive line loses a big piece as Marcus Jones, a 2nd team all state entry graduated. Joel Zamora will need to step up in a big way.
Gross utilizes a run focused offense that seeks to confuse opposing defenses. “(We run a) multiple formation offense with an emphasis on the run game and play action. We want to spread the ball to multiple players and stretch the field both vertically and horizontally,” Gross said.
“We want to put the defense in conflict and vary our tempo out of the huddle, as well as no-huddle,” Gross added. He hopes to see improvement in the passing game emphasizing pass completion percentage and explosive play creation as the two main areas that the team needs to improve in.
Josh Proctor and Joel Zamora will be key players on a defensive line that will be absent Marcus Jones. In addition, multiple positions return production including Quinn Hood at linebacker, Jack Dressen at safety, Coye Coffman at defensive back, and Johnathon Stines at linebacker. Incoming Nyssa transfer Spencer Tracy will play defensive back. “4 down front with 3 LBs. Rover works at LB depth or plays as a safety. Combination of zone and man coverages,” Gross said of what to expect from the Fruitland defense. Forcing turnovers along with red zone and goal line defense are the main areas that the defense will look to improve upon this season.
Gross is excited for how the progress his team has made in the first full offseason under his leadership will pay off and offers high praise for both his coaching staff and what it means for the incoming freshmen. He states, “(This is the) second year in our offense so the guys are much further along than this time last year. We have a great coaching staff with individual coaches at every position and great turn out from our upcoming freshmen.” With a true freshman starting at arguably the game’s most important position, how Vidlak performs at quarterback will be the x-factor to the Grizzlies’ success.
The schedule opens with a home date against Columbia for the second leg of a home and home series that began last season in Nampa. The Grizzlies dropped a 17-12 heartbreaker and will look to return the favor and knock off a 4A foe on their home field to start the season on a high note. Fruitland will then take part in the Battle in Boise at Albertsons Stadium when they take on Emmett on the famous blue turf. The non conference slate concludes with back to back road games at Kimberly and Nampa Christian.
Conference play opens with a new look McCall-Donnelly squad that features a new head coach in BJ Sorenson following Lee Leslie’s retirement. Gross is excited to see how the Vandals look under a new coaching staff. After a road date at Parma, the Grizzlies will face Payette at home before the two biggest games of the season. Homedale comes to town for Senior Night as the Grizzlies will look to snap a six game losing streak to the Trojans. The regular season concludes on the road at Weiser.
The foundation of the culture Gross is creating for the program was set in 2022. Now after a full offseason under his leadership for the players to adjust and learn, Fruitland is ready to go out and show that they are back to being the perennial power that they have established themselves as historically.