Written by: Marlowe Hereford
A change in classification did not deter Sugar-Salem last fall. The Diggers, who went 22-0 and won back-to-back 3A state titles in 2022 and 2023 to extend their state title haul to five in six seasons, went 9-2 overall last fall en route to claiming the 4A crown with a 28-14 win over Homedale.
Sugar-Salem enters its second season ever at the 4A level having compiled six titles in seven seasons in two different classifications. District 6 has a history of including multiple teams ranked in the state media poll in the current 4A, former 3A, classification, and contention for deep playoff runs.
Could another banner come back to the Mountain Rivers Conference this fall, and who will step up and fill the vacancies left by an accomplished class of 2025?
SUGAR-SALEM
Head coach Tyler Richins has been in this position before.
The accomplished Class of 2025 has left multiple vacancies, which reminds him of five years ago when the Diggers were aiming for a three-peat state championship in 3A.
“We had one other year in the past several that I can think of where we had such a large graduating class,” Richins said. “We graduated 25 seniors and the kids that played football in 2020, only two had varsity experience. That was an exciting year because those kids had to jump into the fire quick and learn to battle. I’m excited to see how these kids fight this year.”
While Dawson McInelly (4A Player of the Year, running back/linebacker/punter), Clark Siddoway (All-Conference Defensive Player of the Year, offensive/defensive lineman), Abe Baldwin (First Team All-Conference wide receiver/defensive back), Kase Malstrom (First Team All-Conference linebacker), Cooper Mace (First Team All-Conference running back/defensive back), Jack Gardner (First Team All-Conference quarterback) and Brayden Pocock (First Team All-Conference offensive/defensive lineman) are among the biggest losses to graduation, the Diggers do return senior Ace Clark (Second Team All-Conference wide receiver/defensive back), senior Kimball Tonks (Second Team All-Conference running back/linebacker), junior Everett Poole (Honorable Mention All-Conference offensive/defensive lineman), junior Latrell Markle (Honorable Mention All-Conference defensive back) and junior Kaden Nate (Honorable Mention All-Conference tight end/defensive end).
Richins also looks forward to the potential of junior quarterback/free safety Frank Fillmore as he leads the offense.
“With Frank under center and his ability to run the football, that will require teams to play us more honestly,” Richins said. “They have to respect his speed and ability to run the ball. Last year as a sophomore, he rattled off two or three touchdowns of 50 yards or more.”
Richins said the Diggers were young at defensive back in 2024, but overall, Sugar-Salem returns experience and athleticism to varsity defense this fall.
“Having some experience coming back in the secondary, and at linebacker, will be helpful for us,” Richins said. “Our athleticism should help us cover the pass. We’re not overly big in size, but our athleticism and ability to flow to the ball and team tackle will be our strength.”
Junior Adriane Williams (running back/linebacker), junior Sam Chappell (wide receiver/defensive back), senior Ben Hegewald (linebacker/defensive back), junior Josh Peterson (wide receiver/linebacker), junior Brooks Robinson (offensive/defensive lineman), sophomore Walter Fillmore (linebacker), senior Benson Schulthies (offensive/defensive lineman), senior Carson Richins, (offensive/defensive lineman) and senior Dax Rowbury (offensive/defensive lineman) will join Frank Fillmore in filling vacancies from the class of 2025 and taking on bigger roles this fall.
“I’m excited to see how these kids respond to adversity and how they fill those shoes of our graduated seniors,” Richins said.
Sugar-Salem begins the season August 23 versus Timberlake in Anaconda, Mont.
TETON
Teton went 2-7 overall last fall and 1-1 in league play, reaching the first round of the state playoffs before falling 47-13 to Fruitland.
The Timberwolves have a new coach in Shane Braman, as his predecessor David Joyce has taken the head coaching job at McCall-Donnelly.
Teton graduated First Team All-Conference running back Jack Joyce, First Team All-Conference defensive lineman Jimmy Perez and Second Team All-Conference offensive lineman Jack Ockander, and will also be without senior and First Team All-Conference wide receiver Joker Joyce as he has moved to McCall.
However, among the key returning players for Teton will be senior Luke Nelson, who received First Team All-Conference as defensive back and Second Team All-Conference as quarterback. Nelson was one of seven underclassmen to receive All-Conference honors last season for Teton.
Teton begins the season August 22 at Declo.
SOUTH FREMONT
South Fremont went 2-6 overall in 2024 and 0-2 in league play.
The Cougars graduated All-Conference Offensive Player of the Year, three-year starting quarterback Bryce Johnson, First Team All-Conference wide receiver/defensive back Hudson Miller, First Team All-Conference wide receiver/defensive back Kyler Larson, Honorable Mention All-Conference tight end/linebacker Cole Crapo, Second Team All-Conference wide receiver/defensive back Jerome Crichton and running back/linebacker Kayden Larson.
Cy Hill, a junior, will be under center this season for the Cougars.
“We will count on him to make quick reeds and get the ball out to our playmakers (senior running back/linebacker) Conner Eddins, (senior wide receiver/linebacker) Kelton Ricks, (junior wide receiver/linebacker) Nash Brower, (junior wide receiver/linebacker) Tayson Farley, (junior wide receiver/defensive back) Kreston Carpenter and (junior tight end/defensive lineman) Kannon Purser,” South Fremont head coach Chad Hill said. “We will get the ball out quickly to our playmakers on the perimeter and then use the running game to keep defenses in the box, so we can attack outside with our pass game.”
Ricks and Purser both received First Team All-Conference last season while Brower was Second Team All-Conference.
Hill described the Cougars as a ‘very athletic and intelligent football team.’ Consistency in the running game, finishing drives and creating more turnovers will be points of emphasis this fall.
“We have a lot of players that move really well and are physical,” Hill said. “I think we will match up to all types of offenses that we see at the 4A level. We will be physical enough to stop the run and athletic enough to match up with teams that like to spread it out.”
Hill added that the Cougars do not have much varsity experience. Acclimating to varsity speed will be top priority.
“We don’t return a lot of experience at the varsity level, so we will need guys to step up and learn the speed of the game and continue to improve on that as the season progresses into conference games,” Hill said.
Hill furthermore described the Cougars as an unselfish group.
“I am really excited about our athleticism and football IQ,” Hill said. “We have guys that are team-first players and willing to do whatever is asked of them, whether that is moving to a new position, or sacrificing touches to get the ball to the open guy.”
South Fremont begins the season August 22 at North Fremont.