Written by: Will Hoenike
A lot of teams talk about their team speed. But only one can have the reigning 1A state champion in the 100-meter dash.
This year, that team is the Tri-Valley Titans. Claytin Harper posted both the fastest qualifying time (11.37 seconds) and fastest finals time (11.31 seconds) among all 1A athletes in Idaho last spring. Is it any surprise that new head coach Tyler Waggoner would like to get the ball in Harper’s hands in the open field with room to operate?
The Titans finished last season at 3-4, with back-to-back losses to Horseshoe Bend and Council at the end of the regular season extinguishing the team’s playoff hopes. This year, with a good group of players back, Tri-Valley looks to take that final step to return to the 1A Division 2 state playoffs for the first time since it reached the classification’s championship game in 2018.
The big-play threat exists with Harper, who hauled in 21 passes, averaging nearly 30 yards per catch, last season. But the grinder is senior Gage Warren. He led the Titans in rushing attempts (93), rushing yards (656), yards per carry (7.1), and touchdowns (13) as a junior. Senior Trevor Farrens, who ran for 198 yards in part-time duty last fall, is expected to contribute to the team’s attack as well.
The Titans averaged almost 34 points per game last season but the scoring output was inconsistent, ranging from a shutout loss against rival Garden Valley to lighting up the scoreboard for 74 points in a win over Meadows Valley. Waggoner and his staff will look to create a more consistent offense, especially against some of the tough teams they’ll have to defeat to reach the postseason.
Tri-Valley has a good group of sophomores, headlined by QB/DB Jace Waggoner, OL/DL Wyatt Moura, and TE/DE Elias DeVries, ready to step into bigger roles this fall. All three suited up and contributed at times as freshmen but now they’ll be part of a group of Titan players who need to help push the program forward in the tough Long Pin Conference.
Warren and Farrens will be asked to anchor the team’s defense from the linebacker position. The duo combined for over 90 tackles last season, with Warren picking up a pair of sacks and Farrens a trio of interceptions. Junior Toby Walker will see time at linebacker as well.
For the Titans to reach the 1A Division 2 postseason in 2023, they’re going to have to leapfrog Council, Garden Valley, or Horseshoe Bend. That won’t be easy – all three teams return solid rosters – especially since Tri-Valley plays two of the three away from its home field in Cambridge. Tri-Valley travels to face its longtime rival, Council, on September 29 and also plays at Horseshoe Bend on October 13.
Tri-Valley will look to use its weapons to take care of business early in the season to put itself in position to make a move in October. It is possible the Titans’ final game of the regular season, at home against Garden Valley on October 20, will have major playoff implications in the Long Pin Conference.