Written by: Keller Sherman
West Side’s quest to win four state championships in a row came up just short in 2022 as the Pirates finally met their match against conference foe Bear Lake. During the regular season, the Bears stunned West Side in Montpelier in a 28-27 overtime thriller, snapping an incredible 35 game winning streak in the process.
Bear Lake would then beat West Side again by the same score in double overtime in the state semifinals on the way to their first ever state championship. This year, West Side aims for revenge in a home tilt with the Bears. The contest could also serve as the last meeting between the two programs as conference foes for the foreseeable future, as Bear Lake will move up to the Class 3A ranks starting in 2024.
West Side, even coming off a down season by the program’s standards, returns plenty of talent to help the Pirates get back to the mountaintop. Eli Brown is back at quarterback and the running back room will have two great options in Parker Moser and Crew Sage.
Defensively, the linebacker position will also be a strength with Colten Gundersen and Lincoln Henderson back. Arron McDaniel, Brenden Ballif, and Trae Priestley are additional returning players that will look to step up in a big way in 2023. All of these players combined to receive honors at both the conference and state levels.
Easton Shurtliff and Colby Bowles are perhaps the most significant losses for the Pirates. Shurtliff excelled at linebacker and fullback, earning state and conference honors for his talent at playing both positions. Colby Bowles will also be missed and is described by head coach Tyson Moser as a “lockdown corner and a good threat at wide receiver.”
Moser is especially excited for three new players to step up and play a major role in 2023. “Crew Sage and Colten Gundersen both played varsity last year but look to have a much larger role this year,” Moser said. ”Also, Trayce Stone moved in last winter and should be a good addition to our team on both sides of the ball.”
The offense will continue to focus on the run. With three returning starters on the offensive line and a second year starter at quarterback, the offense will look to create more big openings and explosive plays.
On defense, West Side will change things up depending on the opponent. “Our defense will continue to be multiple. Different fronts and schemes for different offenses,” Moser said. “We will continue to focus on stopping the run but we need to create more turnovers.”
A large senior class with 17 athletes has Moser excited for the 2023 campaign. While depth has been a major factor in West Side’s success in recent years, Moser still emphasizes the importance of staying healthy if the Pirates want to reclaim their dominance on the 2A classification.
A home date against Firth opens things up. Defeating the state runner ups from 2022 in convincing fashion would go a long way in showing that West Side is back to being the big kid on the block in the 2A classification.
West Side then travels south into the Beehive State to take on Layton Christian, Utah and then faces Marsh Valley. After an open date, conference play begins with a much anticipated showdown against Bear Lake. After losing to the Bears twice in 2022, the Pirates will seek revenge in the conference opener.
The Pirates will stay at home for their next two games as Soda Springs and Declo visit. Road trips to Aberdeen and Malad close out the regular season as West Side looks to recapture the conference title.
Tyson Moser is a proven winner and for a program that had won three straight state titles, falling short of even making the state title game is seen as a major disappointment. The expectation for 2023 is clear. The Pirates will seek a return to the state championship game and a fourth title in five seasons.