Written by: Will Hoenike
Second-year head coach Bill Hicks is in an enviable position this fall in Hagerman. His 1A Division 2 squad had 25 players on the roster in 2022 and only five were seniors. Which means there’s a lot of returning talent along the Snake River, northwest of Twin Falls.
Hicks and his staff do have some talented players to replace, including veteran quarterback Cameron Zeltner, lineman Roman Carlos, and WR/LB Cole Rowley. But there are players already wearing the black and orange who are ready for their opportunity.
Hagerman has two talented playmakers in senior Wyatt Hoskovek and junior Ky Kendall. Kendall posted over 1,000 yards of total offense as a sophomore (616 rushing, 509 receiving) and 18 total touchdowns, including a monster eight-touchdown performance in a win over Shoshone. Hoskovek added five touchdowns in just over 50 total touches on offense last fall.
Sophomore Wyatt Mavencamp saw action in eight games as a freshman, passing for nearly 500 yards and three scores in part-time duty. The experience will be valuable this fall when he’s the primary trigger-man for an offense that averaged 30 points per game last season.
Alex Asher, Colmin Pierce, and Alex Johnson will provide the protection along the offensive line for Hagerman, a group that will need to perform well and stay healthy because Hicks says the team’s backups upfront are very inexperienced.
The same trio is expected to fill roles along the defensive front, though Pierce will see time at linebacker alongside Hoskovek and Mavencamp. Kendall will play in the secondary on defense for the Pirates.
The Pirates did well during the non-conference portion of its schedule in 2022, winning three of four games. That included wins over 1A Division 1 foes Idaho City and Greenleaf Friends Academy. Sledding got much tougher once the team advanced into Sawtooth Conference play, which is hardly a surprise. Three of the state’s toughest teams – Dietrich, Castleford, and Camas County – all reside in the Sawtooth Conference. Multiple coaches around the conference have pointed to Hicks’ Pirates squad as a team that has the ability to make a move forward in 2023.
The coaching staff believes that continued improvements in tackling, as well as good health, could mean just that. If it happens, Hagerman could return to the postseason for the first time since 2014. It will be a challenge, though, as the Pirates have to contend with the three tough foes mentioned above along with improving teams at Shoshone and Hansen. It’s going to be a fight to reach the 1A Division 2 state playoffs in the Sawtooth Conference, but it’s a fight the Hagerman Pirates appear prepared for.