PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Tate Schumacher, Grangeville
Tate Thacker, Grangeville
Porter Lewis, Kellogg
Draeden Taylor, Kellogg
Nick Bonner, Orofino
Blake Barlow, Orofino
Ian Lamanna, Priest River
Lucas Mathews, Priest River
Isaiah Gustaffe, St. Maries
JJ Yearout, St. Maries
Written by: Will Hoenike
The Central Idaho League’s representative in the 3A state tournament last year, Orofino, was new to the event – it was the Maniacs’ first trip to state in over a decade. And they had to work for it. The team was under .500 during the regular season and entered the district tournament as the fourth seed in a five-team league.
But the team got hot at the right time and now returns four starters for the 2025-26 season. While Orofino should compete for a return visit to the Boise valley for the state tournament, they’ll first have to conquer a challenging CIL, which features a returning co-player of the year for the conference (St. Maries), a dynamic backcourt (Kellogg), a rising team loaded with junior talent (Grangeville), and the defending CIL champions (Priest River).
OROFINO
At one point last season, Rocky Barlow’s squad lost eight consecutive games and had to win a play-in game in the district tournament before rattling off back-to-back impressive road wins to qualify for the state tournament. That finish has helped to change the eye level for the Maniacs.
“We are an experienced team and are coming off the school’s first trip to State in 13 years,” Barlow said. “We are looking forward to building that.”
It helps when the Maniacs return virtually their entire team. They will have to replace the interior defense and rebounding of Aiden Olive, but otherwise return largely intact. Senior Nick Bonner returns after earning first-team all-conference last season, as does junior Blake Barlow, which provides a potent 1-2 punch for Orofino.
Senior guard Jake Runia also returns, as do fellow seniors Hudson Schneider, Quinton Naranjo, and Landon Connolley and they will be joined by another senior, Jaeger Tondevold, in the hunt for another trip to State.
ST. MARIES
One of the primary challengers to the throne are the Lumberjacks, who went 6-2 in CIL play before falling in the 3A state play-in game to Marsing. Returning to the mix is JJ Yearout, the league’s co-player of the year last year, who has big-time scoring capability. Also returning is senior Isaiah Gustaffe, who earned first-team all-conference accolades. The ‘Jacks will get a boost from the return of senior post Xavier Sloper, who missed last season due to an injury. Junior Landon Ribberich, who stands 6-foot-7, will be key to the team’s defensive efforts.
“We will have to mix it up with full-court pressure and half-court traps,” said veteran head coach Bryan Chase. “Keys will be spacing, taking care of the basketball, and tempo.”
Chase has been around St. Maries for years and came into the season eight wins away from 300 for his head coaching career between boys’ and girls’ basketball. He has also been facing health challenges, but he continues to work, inspiring his program and his community as the Lumberjacks seek an 11th state tournament berth in the past 12 years.
GRANGEVILLE
The Bulldogs roster shows only one senior - David Brandt - but nine juniors as the team looks to rebound from a tough 2024-25 season. The team won just five games last spring, all against 2A or 1A opponents, but Shawn Wolter’s group should be ready for a jump forward this season.
Leading the way is all-conference honoree Tate Thacker, a 6-foot-4 guard who can create matchup problems. Another Tate, junior Tate Schumacher, will be a key contributor for Grangeville, as will fellow juniors Will Told and McCoy Stamper. Sophomore Bear Wilcoxson has a chance to earn a role for the Bulldogs as well.
KELLOGG
The Wildcats should be anchored by the dynamic backcourt tandem of senior Draeden Taylor and junior Porter Lewis, but it’s far from a two-person squad.
“The core group of this team has been on varsity for three years now,” said veteran head coach Mike Martin. “I’m excited to see how the physical and mental growth of these guys culminates now that we’re predominantly juniors and seniors instead of underclassmen.”
Kellogg won 12 games last season and returns the two backcourt standouts, but also returns a solid post presence (junior Ty Cheney) and a versatile guard (Cayden Honnerlaw).
“His growth the last couple of years has been incredible,” Martin said of Honnerlaw. “He disrupts things on the defensive side. He’s got the potential to be the most impactful player on the floor on any given night.”
The team will play without key senior Radley McDonald, who suffered an injury over the summer, as the team looks to return to the state tournament for the first time since reaching the semifinals in 2023.
PRIEST RIVER
The Spartans are a bit of an unknown this season after graduating a host of talent and experience from last season’s team, including the league’s co-player of the year, Nate Stifel, which puts head coach Kevin Wylie in a different boat from Grangeville, which returned nearly its entire roster. The Spartans return just three players – guards Ian Lamanna and Lucas Matthews and 6-foot-4 post player Brady Hatten.
Priest River won 14 games last season, along with the regular-season CIL title, and now seeks new faces to step forward and take roles. Sophomore Madden Redinger is among the younger Spartans competing for playing time.