Prep football preview: Skyline redemption tour underway

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is nan sixth communicative successful a bid featuring cardinal storylines for nan upcoming precocious schoolhouse shot season.

IDAHO FALLS — Redemption tin beryllium a awesome motivator.

It’s not a connection taken lightly astir nan Skyline shot program, which has been a 4A powerhouse pinch 5 authorities titles successful nan past 8 seasons.

But having its three-year title tally snapped past twelvemonth by convention foe Hillcrest successful nan authorities semifinals does adhd a lingering consciousness of desire entering nan caller season.

“Last year, we couldn’t decorativeness it off,” Skyline backmost CarMyne Garcia said. “This year, we decidedly want to make it each nan measurement to beryllium we tin do it and we want to beryllium it to everyone else.”

Last year’s squad was comparatively young, truthful coach Scott Berger said that other twelvemonth of acquisition should use nan 2024 squad.

The Grizzlies person already suffered a mates of setbacks arsenic starring rusher Amani Morel transferred to Rigby and All-State lineman Atticus Fuhriman is retired pinch a knee injury. Even so, Skyline returns immoderate cardinal pieces successful protect lineman Kaeson Smith and linebackers Bennett Southwick and Corbin Lancaster. Offensively, wide receiver Zyan Crockett is backmost aft an all-conference season.

“Ever since I was a small kid, I was reasoning astir maine correct now,” Southwick said of entering his elder season.

Garcia’s improvement arsenic a elder backmost will beryllium a storyline to watch.

“This year, I deliberation nan crippled slowed down a lot,” he said. “I’ve learned a batch much method worldly pinch my throwing mobility and interest little astir that successful nan crippled and now interest astir sounds and coverages and pre-snap reads.”

Skyline vanished 8-4 past play and was 1 Hail Mary play distant from winning convention arsenic Hillcrest scored a touchdown connected nan game’s last play of nan regular-season matchup. The Grizzlies met Hillcrest again successful nan authorities semifinals pinch nan Knights again prevailing 35-31.

“It’s a caller twelvemonth but that was crushing,” Berger said of past year’s semifinal loss. “After our quarterfinal crippled astatine Twin Falls and nan measurement we were playing, I thought that if we could hit Hillcrest, we were going to beryllium authorities champs again. I felt really bully astir our squad astatine nan clip going into that semifinal.”

Offensive lineman Dylan Meek said that nonaccomplishment does adhd substance for nan caller season, but nan attraction is connected 2024.

“The past is nan past,” he said. “You can’t alteration it, you conscionable person to do better.”