Preseason Coaches Poll:
1. Melba
2. Nampa Christian
3. New Plymouth
4. Payette
5. Marsing
6. Parma
Written by: Jack Davis
The Western Idaho Conference could have one of the more interesting races in Idaho High School football this fall.
Nampa Christian enters the season at the top of the conference standings after a 9-2 season, but the Trojans also have one of the biggest groups of graduation losses in the league. New Plymouth finished 7-4 and brings back a young group that already has significant varsity experience. Melba went just 2-7 last season, but a senior-heavy roster gives the Mustangs a chance to change that quickly.
Behind them, Marsing and Parma are both looking to make up ground.
The records from a year ago don't tell the entire story. There is experience all over this conference, but there are also plenty of players being asked to move from supporting roles into the spotlight. That could make the Western Idaho race much more unpredictable than it looks on paper.
NAMPA CHRISTIAN
Nampa Christian has a new head coach, a long list of players to replace and the difficult task of trying to maintain the standard of a team that went 9-2 last season.
Daniel Miller takes over the Trojans after a 2025 season that saw Nampa Christian establish itself as one of the conference's top programs. The problem is that much of that success walked out the door with the senior class.
Quarterback Pete Dice is gone after leading the offense, while Ian Johnson provided game-breaking speed at running back and on special teams. The Trojans also lost a long list of receivers, defensive backs and linemen, including Dylan O'Brien, Philip Van Gilder, Brayden Ganino, CJ Pond, Joshua Clark, Landen Skogsberg and several others.
That would be enough turnover for most teams to take a step back.
Nampa Christian, however, still has three important seniors at the center of the roster. Ben Knudsen returns at quarterback, receiver and safety, while Quade Hartley returns at center and defensive tackle. Cole Richardson gives the Trojans another experienced two-way player at tight end and defensive end.
Those three will be especially important as a large group of younger players moves into bigger roles.
Mason Mills could become one of the most important additions at running back and safety. Zack Volack, Tripp Belskey, Isaac Norris, Andrew Forrest, Mason Forrest, Matthew Clark, Paxton Kubat and CJ Mahr also give Miller plenty of options to work with.
Offensively, Nampa Christian believes its depth at the skill positions can make the Trojans explosive. The challenge is turning that talent into consistent execution. With a new coach and a new look, Knudsen will have to make quick decisions while the younger players around him learn their roles.
The same applies defensively. Nampa Christian has plenty of depth at linebacker, but replacing the instincts and leadership of last year's seniors won't happen overnight.
Miller's vision for the team goes beyond football, and he has emphasized the development of his players as young men. On the field, though, the Trojans' biggest question is straightforward: how quickly can all these new pieces become one team?
Nampa Christian has enough talent to stay near the top. Whether it can repeat last year's success will depend on how quickly its younger players grow into the roles waiting for them.
NEW PLYMOUTH
If there is one team in the Western Idaho Conference that could be especially dangerous because of its youth, it might be New Plymouth.
The Pilgrims went 7-4 last season and gained valuable experience during a deep postseason run. Now, much of that experience returns in the form of players who were sophomores and juniors a year ago.
Braxton Mowder is at the front of that group.
Mowder rushed for 1,056 yards as a sophomore, showing that he could handle a major workload against varsity competition. He was just as valuable on defense, where he finished with 142 total tackles.
That kind of production is difficult to replace- and New Plymouth doesn't have to.
Junior WahNay Say also returns at running back and cornerback after recording two interceptions last season. Say gives the Pilgrims another player capable of impacting both sides of the ball.
There is plenty more experience behind them. LJ Gibson, Jeremiah Gustin, Joel Gutierrez, Austin Esparza, Kent Esplin, Bode Adams, Nolan Darrough, Kaden Gillihan and Wes Troke are among the seniors who were part of last year's roster.
That matters because New Plymouth won't have to throw an entirely inexperienced group onto the field. These players have already been through the ups and downs of a varsity season, and some have played in big games.
Offensively, Mowder gives the Pilgrims a proven centerpiece. The question will be how the rest of the offense develops around him. New Plymouth has enough returning athletes to rotate players around and create different looks, but consistency will be important.
The defense should benefit from the same experience. Say and Mowder give the Pilgrims two-way contributors, while the returning junior class provides depth throughout the roster.
New Plymouth still has to replace several seniors, but this is not a team starting over.
The Pilgrims already know what it feels like to play deep into the postseason. Now the goal is to take the next step and turn that experience into another run.
With Mowder, Say and a large group of returning juniors leading the way, New Plymouth could be much more than just the No. 2 team on paper.
MELBA
Melba doesn't need to be reminded how the last two seasons have gone.
The Mustangs went 2-7 last year, but head coach Marc Caron believes this year's team has the experience to change the direction of the program.
The biggest difference is the senior class.
Elias Shoemaker, Rhett Franklin, Owen Hansen, McCoy Allison and Alex De La Torre all return after gaining years of varsity experience. Franklin will be a major factor at running back and linebacker, Shoemaker returns at receiver and defensive back, Hansen contributes at receiver and defensive back, and Allison and De La Torre give Melba experience up front.
That group gives the Mustangs something they haven't had much of recently: a roster full of players who have been through it together.
There are losses, though.
Tyler Magdaleno leaves behind a big, physical presence on the offensive and defensive lines. Dylan Fahey was a three-year starter at tight end and linebacker and set the tone for the defense. Yandel Velasquez was another three-year starter, anchoring the center position and defensive line.
Melba has already started preparing for those departures.
Juniors Tommy Cossel, Kaleb Pinkston and JJ Dubbels saw time last season and are expected to move into major roles along the lines. Senior Cooper Brooks gives the Mustangs another option at tight end and linebacker, while Tristen Ferring can help at receiver, defensive back and kicker.
Offensively, Melba has no shortage of skill.
Franklin, Shoemaker, Hansen and Tylar Aggen give Caron several players who can make things happen with the ball. A good-sized offensive line should allow the Mustangs to establish the run while finding different ways to get their playmakers involved.
The biggest issue is execution.
Caron wants his team to limit mental mistakes, and that may be the difference between another frustrating season and a turnaround.
Defensively, Melba wants to be aggressive. Franklin and Allison are expected to be major pieces, while William Palacios adds experience at linebacker. The Mustangs also believe they have good depth along the defensive line and in the secondary.
The talent is there. The experience is there.
Now Melba has to prove it can turn both into wins.
If the Mustangs can avoid beating themselves, this is a team capable of making a much bigger impact than its 2-7 record from a year ago suggests.
MARSING
Marsing enters 2026 with a young group that already gained valuable varsity experience a year ago. The Huskies finished 3-5 overall and 1-3 in conference play, but with several younger contributors returning, there is reason to believe the program can take another step forward.
Noah Shelton is one of the most important pieces returning for Marsing. Shelton was one of the team's top offensive producers at running back last season while also contributing defensively at linebacker, giving the Huskies a proven two-way player to build around.
Heston McIntyre also returns after leading Marsing in tackles, while Hayden Wolfswinkel and Gavin Watts give the Huskies additional experience on defense. Several other young players who saw varsity action last season are back as well, giving Marsing a group that has already experienced the challenges of playing at the high school level.
Offensively, Shelton gives the Huskies a reliable starting point. Marsing will need the players around him to continue developing and find enough consistency to sustain drives and turn opportunities into points.
The defense could be another area of strength. McIntyre's production at linebacker gives the Huskies an experienced leader, while Wolfswinkel, Watts and the rest of the returning group should benefit from another year of varsity football. Playing faster and trusting their assignments will be important as Marsing looks to limit mistakes.
The biggest challenge for the Huskies will be turning their experience into consistency. Marsing showed flashes last season, but finishing games and avoiding the mistakes that can change the outcome of close contests will be critical.
Marsing enters the season hoping to improve on their fourth place finish in the Western Idaho Conference, and the Huskies have a young group with room to grow. If Shelton can continue producing, the defense can build around McIntyre and the returning experience can turn into consistency, Marsing has an opportunity to climb the conference standings in 2026.
PARMA
Parma enters the 2026 season looking for a fresh start.
The Panthers went 1-8 overall and 0-4 in conference play last season, leaving them at the bottom of the Western Idaho Conference standings. New head coach Randy Riley now has the task of building the program into a more consistent team.
Riley is joined by assistants Payton Pinz and Oscar Arteaga.
The Panthers are difficult to project because the available 2025 roster information does not provide a complete set of player statistics. That makes Parma one of the conference's biggest unknowns heading into the season.
What isn't unknown is the challenge in front of them.
Parma has already seen what the top teams in this conference can do. Now the Panthers need to start closing the gap.
For a young team, that begins with development. Players who were previously on the edge of the rotation will have to become dependable varsity contributors, while the coaching staff works to establish an identity on both sides of the ball.
The Panthers don't need to make the biggest jump in the conference overnight.
They simply need to start making progress.
A more competitive Parma team would immediately make the Western Idaho Conference more interesting, and Riley has the opportunity to begin building that foundation this season.
For now, the Panthers are the conference's biggest question mark. That also means they have the most room to surprise people.
PAYETTE
The Pirates slide down from Class 4A after lower-than-expected enrollment numbers.
That’s good news for a program that went 3-6 overall while competing against the likes of Homedale, Fruitland, Weiser and McCall-Donnelly (all 4A playoff teams in 2025).
The road ahead in Class 3A is a treacherous one, as well, made more difficult by the losses of three-year starting quarterback/free safety Darrien Pecunia, linebacker Cody Pattee, two-way lineman Calvin Shaffer, and wide receiver/defensive back Michael Ocampo.
“Coming into this year we will learn a lot about ourselves and hopefully we are hitting our stride at the right time of the year,” said second-year coach Daniel Pecunia. “Our offense will be a spread but with a punch to run the ball. We are going to take advantage of matchups and use the entire football field.”
Senior Pierce Croft will replace Pecunia at both positions (quarterback and free safety). He’ll hand the ball off to senior Alan Cox, and sophomores Bain Thaxton and Brycen Cervantes. Senior tight end Gauge Christy figures to be busy in the passing game, and three offensive linemen return as well: seniors Talon Heinley and Kaedyn Nunez, and junior Christian Longoria.
“It’s a new year and I’m excited to see the kids grow,” said coach Pecunia. “We have had the most offseason work put in this year since I’ve been around the program. We have had an average of 25 kids a night lifting and putting in work on the field.”
He added, “We have a huge freshman class of 20 kids that are all about football. I’m excited to be able to field a consistent JV team for the year and watch them grow. We are going to be young but that makes it even better watching the kids grow the right way so they can really turn this program around.”
If those younger players can develop quickly, perhaps Payette can finish ahead of schedule in 2026. One thing that won’t be lacking, though, is their desire to compete and their will to win.