Preseason Coaches Poll:
1. Raft River
2. Oakley
3. Glenns Ferry
T-4. Hagerman
T-4. Valley
6. Murtaugh
7. Shoshone
Written by: Will Hoenike
The 2A Snake River Conference is traditionally one of the toughest, most competitive conferences in Idaho and 2026 does not look like it will be any different.
Defending conference champion Raft River returns a solid foundation, as do 2025 playoff participants Hagerman and Oakley. Shoshone, Valley, Murtaugh and Glenns Ferry have new faces in new places – some on the sideline, some on the field – but should be a factor in the conference race in October.
Will there be any surprises when the playoff brackets are announced?
RAFT RIVER
Very few 8-man teams in Idaho take on the persona of its coaching staff quite the same way Raft River does. Tough, physical, feisty, and willing to scrap between the lines – in a clean, legal way – no matter who is on the other side.
So perhaps it is no surprise that Chad Evans, entering his ninth season as the Trojans’ head coach, was quick to identify his offensive line as a key strength for the 2026 season.
“A big strength we have going for us this year is returning our entire line from last year,” Evans said. “We have always been a run-first team, and with these guys back we should be able to do that again.”
That trio – seniors Rodee Evans, Gilbert Lloyd, and Jesse Petersen - helped the offense average six yards per carry last season en route to 344 points. Evans and his staff even have experienced depth along the front as seniors Miles Spencer and Zayne Bingham both return as well.
Junior Bo Udy will move under center as the team’s quarterback in 2026 and Evans hopes Udy’s big arm allows Raft River to spread the field a little bit more to keep teams from focusing on the potent ground attack. James Dalton and Treyce Ward will likely get a lot of carries with several players figuring into the passing attack, including tight ends Drew Herring and Daxton Severe, along with junior receiver Jaxon Boden.
If the Trojans hope to repeat as champions in the tough Snake River Conference, they’ll also need to continue to play tough defense. As a unit, the team allowed just over 25 points per game last fall which, in 8-man football, is a solid number.
“We have always had a very physical bunch of kids who like to hit,” Evans said. “We generally don't run from contact and do a decent job winning 1-on-1 tackling.”
Bingham (DL), Petersen (DL), Dalton (LB), and Ward (LB) all return to the lineup after earning postseason recognition from the conference’s coaches.
HAGERMAN
Longtime head coach Bill Hicks retired following the 2025 season, but the school didn’t look far to find his replacement – his son, Jacob, has taken the helm for the 2026 campaign.
While it is the first head coaching job for the younger Hicks, he has been by the elder Hicks’ side for the past two years, serving as the Pirates’ offensive coordinator. The offense is a group that returns most of its starters from last fall’s state playoff qualifier.
“Our offensive line and running game should be the foundation of our offense in 2026,” Hicks said. “We strive to improve at every position every year. Our 2025 playoff run ended earlier than we wanted, and we'll need to continue getting better across the board to reach the goals we've set for 2026.”
Hagerman will have to replace uber-successful quarterback Wyatt Mavencamp, who threw for over 5,000 yards and 81 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Once again, the search didn’t go too far. Wyatt’s brother, Will, shifts from tight end to the quarterback spot for his senior season in 2026.
“Will has never played quarterback before, but I'm excited about his potential,” Hicks said. “He's worked extremely hard and made tremendous progress this offseason.”
Mavencamp’s development will be aided tremendously by the return of all-state lineman Adam Nelson and all-conference running back Casen Knight. Senior Chovie Rebon and incoming freshman Gage DeVries will also see time up front for the Pirates while senior Cameron Clausse and junior Jace Leavitt will fill roles at the receiver position.
The Pirates welcome back a host of defensive playmakers, too, including Mavencamp at defensive end, where he collected 17 tackles for loss in 2025. He’ll be book-ended on the defensive front by Nelson, who had 21 tackles for loss, including 8.5 sacks last season. Senior linebacker Jonah Knapp (89 tackles) returns, as does Knight (79 tackles) and Clausse (51 tackles, 5 interceptions). Senior Cash Denton is returning to football this year after not playing last season and will add additional strength and athleticism at linebacker.
“We have to be complete in all three phases of the game and play with the confidence that if it's a close game in the fourth quarter, it's our game to win,” Hicks concluded.
VALLEY
Jim Rife takes over as head coach at his alma mater this fall after previously serving as head coach at Hansen High School. He inherits a roster long on talent but short on experience as he and his staff look to replace the conference’s offensive player of the year (RB Thomas Vargas) and defensive player of the year (LB Alfredo Valdez) from last season.
The team won six games and advanced to the opening round of the 2A state playoffs in 2025. QB/DB Brandt Jones returns for his senior year, providing valuable experience and dual-threat ability. Junior DB/WR Jaycob Perez also returns after being honored as an all-conference defensive back by the league’s coaches last fall. Senior Blayne Jarvis should compete for playing time at either running back or receiver while Julian Urias will be an important part of the team’s offensive and defensive lines.
The Vikings graduated 12 seniors from last year’s team (“losing 12 seniors off the team is a tough replacement,” Rife said), so there are plenty of jobs available to be earned. Senior Baylen Standlee should see the field at receiver and linebacker. Versatile junior Damien Traughber and classmate Adrian Juarez (OL/DL) should also get an opportunity to earn a large role.
“Staying healthy and avoiding injuries,” Rife said of keys to success for the upcoming season, adding that he was excited about opportunities at the school he himself attended. “Developing our young guys and continuing the Viking football tradition.”
OAKLEY
The Hornets, led by head coach Brennan Jones, finished strong after a slow start to claw their way into the 2A state playoffs.
Jackson Rice returns for another season under center in 2026. The lefty has shown the ability to deliver the ball down the field or, when the opportunity presents itself, tuck it and run. Senior Camden Cranney returns, along with versatile playmakers Kohl Beck, Laramie Lara, and Bridger Conant to lead the Oakley offense.
The number that likely stands out to Jones and his staff is 544 – the total number of points the Hornets allowed last season. In fact, the team did not hold an opponent under 50 points until its seventh game of the season. But, indicative of the overall strides made by the program, Oakley held the final three under 50 to qualify for a playoff spot.
There’s reason to expect a faster start from the defensive unit this season as long as the team is healthy. Conant and Beck return at linebacker with senior Traegan Jones in front of them along the defensive line. Eli Larson and Stran Craner should compete for key roles as well. Lara and Cranny provide crucial experience in the secondary for Oakley as well.
The program won three straight state titles in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and then reached the championship game again in 2023, so it’s a program that knows how to win.
GLENNS FERRY
Another alum has taken the helm in the Snake River Conference as Dustin Johnson is the new head coach at Glenns Ferry High School. It’s his first head coaching job, but he has capable and experienced assistants in Rob Spriggs and Jake Shrum. He also has the unenviable task of replacing a lot of experience, including all-conference seniors Henry Thomas, Juan Juarez, Brodie Merrill, Wyatt Davison, Dom Guerrero, and Heath Parsons, all of whom were seniors last fall.
Energy is high, though, as Johnson points out, “the kids are showing up and working out and becoming better teammates.”
The staff does return two-way all-conference junior Brayden Spriggs, who the conference’s coaches recognized for his play at quarterback and defensive back. He had over 1,700 total yards on offense and had a hand in 22 total touchdowns while intercepting two passes and recovering a fumble on defense. The team also returns a host of players who saw action in part-time roles last season who will have an opportunity to grab onto a full-time spot in 2026.
Senior David DeLeon and junior Ethan Morrison are two such players, along with sophomore Porter Reynolds. Senior Challis Burrel and juniors Carson Traudt and Sebastian Guitron will also work to earn roles at skill positions. Glenns Ferry will anchor its lines with senior Andrew Smith and junior Derek Sanchez. Sophomore Franco Cortijo will be in the mix for some playing time along the offensive and defensive lines as well.
The team anticipates a large freshman class to build some depth in the program, but some of those players may be called on to take the field this fall.
MURTAUGH
Head coach Chad Young’s Red Devil squad will feature just three seniors in 2026, two of whom received all-conference recognition last season. Dallin Virgin and Preston Stanger will provide valuable experience and leadership for a young team this fall that opens with a pair of tough non-conference games before opening Snake River play on September 11 when it hosts Shoshone.
Virgin led the team in all-purpose yards as a junior with nearly 1,000, and he tied for the team lead with seven touchdowns. He tied with Stanger, who also scored seven times while leading the team in receptions (25) and yards (450) as a receiver.
Junior Zander Vale is the team’s leading returning tackler, credited with 57 stops as a sophomore. Fourteen of those tackles went for a loss of yardage, including two sacks, and he recovered a fumble on defense.
SHOSHONE
What’s old is new again at Shoshone, where Mark Sant returns as the program’s head coach. Sant coached at Shoshone from 1993 to 2012, first as an assistant and later as head coach.
“We have many returning starters on both sides of the ball,” Sant said. “We had high participation in summer weights and football camp.”
All of that bodes well for an Indian program that is bumping up a classification after competing at the 1A level last season. Sant plans a run-heavy offense with multiple backs, but he must replace leading rusher Hadley Hunt, whose family moved.
Fortunately, Shoshone has athletic options, led by junior quarterback Ty Russell, a dynamic athlete who can break big plays at any time. Seniors Jayden Wallace and Hyrum Cheney, each of whom saw action in the backfield in 2025, should provide good experience this fall. Sophomore Daniel Larios will push for playing time as well.
Wallace and senior Mason Douglass will lead the Shoshone defense. Douglass led the team in sacks from his defensive end position last fall and Wallace averaged about ten tackles per game as a defensive back. Cheney also averaged nearly ten stops per contest, helping to form a solid nucleus on the defensive side of the ball. Senior Mario Torres and sophomore Colby Boyer should also fill important roles this fall for the Indians.
Like most 8-man teams, depth and injuries are a concern for Shoshone. Sant believes the team has a chance to make waves in the tough and talented Sawtooth Conference if it can stay healthy in 2026.