Written by: Christian Weaner
It has been a tough few years for Orofino football, and the Maniacs had some excitement heading into 2023, as they brought back several impact players and gained some new talent.
Those feelings quickly subsided in early August when starting quarterback Drew Hanna tragically passed away due to an automobile accident. The community has been rocked, and the Maniacs canceled their home opener, scheduled for September 1st, to allow more time for healing.
Meanwhile, Hanna’s teammates will trudge on, kicking off their season on the road at Marsing on August 25th.
After a disappointing 0-7 season in his first year as head coach, Jake Maetche was able to lead his team through a full offseason of training and is looking forward to what the Maniacs will bring to the table this year.
"This is my second year as the coach and I feel like the kids have had a great offseason," Maetche said. "They are much stronger and faster than they were last year."
On offense, running back Nolan Williams and wide receiver Aiden Olive are back as key contributors. Sophomore receivers Landon Connolly and Jake Scott should also play big roles in the Orofino attack, and the Maniacs have a pair of "road grader type lineman" in James Paulson and Levi Karling up front.
"We have a number of weapons in running and receiving," Maetche explained. "Nolan Williams is a dynamic runner, Eddie Harrison runs with a freight train type mentality and we also have one of the fastest guys in the state in Aiden Olive."
Defensively, Orofino has a lot of room from improvement after allowing opponents to score nearly 50 points per game last season.
Luckily for the Maniacs, they will have a strong linebacker group and defensive front returning, highlighted by Harrison, a 2022 first-team all-league selection at linebacker. Williams was also an all-league honoree at cornerback last season and will be a leader in the Orofino secondary.
"We will need to improve in all areas this season [on defense]," Maetche acknowledged. "Our kids have worked hard in the offseason, and I am excited to see how that translates to the field."
With a lot of roster turnover across the Central Idaho League (CIL), Maetche and the Maniacs are hopeful that they can be more competitive in the league than they have been in several years.
After the season opener at Marsing on Aug. 25, the Maniacs will play the Lewiston freshman team in Week 3 before starting their league slate Sept. 23 at Kellogg.