Written by: Will Hoenike
You’ll hear coaches talk about it all the time, especially in the smaller classifications of Idaho high school football.
Staying healthy is always an X-factor for success for virtually every team.
The Notus Pirates, three-time defending champion of the 1A Division 1 Western Idaho Conference, is already staring down the barrel of that X-factor. Junior running back Gunner Campbell is already out for the season after suffering an injury over the summer. And fellow junior linebacker Ian Hill will miss the start of the season recovering from an injury. Both players earned honorable mention recognition from the league coaches as sophomores and were being counted on to help fill some big shoes as the conference’s offensive player of the year (Carter Woodland) and defensive player of the year (Eli Hill) both graduated from Notus High School last spring.
“We’ve already lost 2 kids to injury and the season hasn't started,” said Pirates head coach Joe Woodland. “We have a couple of good athletes that will need to stay healthy.”
It starts with the team’s offensive backfield. Junior quarterback Benny Guevara performed well on the field as a sophomore and speedy senior Grayson Benitez will see the bulk of his time at running back this fall. They give the Pirates two good weapons as they look to extend their conference winning streak; the team has won its past 11 Western Idaho Conference regular-season games, dating back to the end of the 2019 campaign.
“We have a lot of young guys that showed up to camp and are eager to learn and develop,” Woodland said. “Our speed is our biggest asset.”
Senior Adrian Avila should see an increased role this fall for the Pirates, as should junior Kyler Morris. Morris will team with all-conference performer Eastern St. Germain to create lanes along the offensive line and collapse lanes along the defensive line. The return of Hill later this season will be a significant boost for the team on both sides of the ball, potentially in time for a key conference matchup at home against Rimrock on September 22.
The Pirates will face Clearwater Valley and Grace, each of whom qualified for the 1A Division 1 playoffs last season, early in the non-conference slate but have some time to fill holes before the conference schedule kicks in. Notus will also get longtime rival Wilder at home this fall but the team will have to travel to Idaho City in mid-October.
The X-factor, health, has already come home to roost in Notus. With that in mind, perhaps an adjusted X-factor would be the team’s ability to weather the storm as younger players acclimate to their new, expanded roles. With Guevara and Benitez in place to provide some big plays behind St. Germain, the Pirates should be able to put some points on the board.
A fourth straight WIC title is attainable for the Pirates if they can avoid further injuries. If they do and they play well down the stretch, there’s a good chance they’ll be playing postseason football once again.