Players to Watch:
Parker Argyle, American Heritage
Jacen Farr, Challis
Brayden Ollar, Challis
Eric Barrientos, Clark County
Ethan Flicker, Grace Lutheran
Garrett Grayson, Grace Lutheran
Dane Piippo, Leadore
Kaizer Summers, Mackay
Ryker Summers, Mackay
Ryver Hayden, North Gem
Gage Setser, North Gem
Woodrow Lowder, Rockland
Aiden Radford, Rockland
Kezo Coby, Sho-Ban
Eli Murdock, Taylor’s Crossing
Ryan Demcowicz, Watersprings
Titus Driver, Watersprings
Written by: Brandon Baney
Over the past several years, the Class 1A Rocky Mountain Conference has seen teams enter and depart, and this year’s group of 11 teams is one of its’ largest ever.
But amidst all the change has been one constant: Rockland and Watersprings competing at the top of the RMC.
The Bulldogs (21-5) and Warriors (20-7) each qualified for the state tournament last season, and wouldn’t you know it? They met up on Saturday morning at state for the consolation title (Rockland won 46-33).
So it’s no shock that Rockland and Watersprings are the favorites entering the 2024-25 campaign. Watersprings enters this season with a little more in the cupboard compared to Rockland, although both teams have established winning programs regardless of who returns.
Watersprings said goodbye to starting guard Jackson Aldinger and posts Nathan D’Antoni and Luke Mathison. “Jackson was a great defender,” says coach Evan Bindenagel. “You could always count on him to make a play when the team needed it. And Nathan’s athletic ability and shot-blocking ability will be missed.”
But two starters return for the Warriors: junior guards Ryan Demkowicz and Korban Nelson. They’ll pair nicely with 6-foot-10 senior Titus Driver inside. Senior Matt Kinoshita and junior Jonny Thienes are also projected to start for Watersprings this season.
“We are going to be super balanced, from our posts to our guards,” says Binendenagel. “We have playmakers in all positions.”
Rockland coach Shae Neal will have to replace four starters from last year’s team, including RMC Player of the Year Teague Matthews, a 6-foot-6 leaper who is now playing football at Utah State University. Also gone are 6-foot-3 post Eli Hendrickson, and guards Abe Held and Jonny Libberton.
Senior guard Aiden Radford is the lone returning starter. He’ll be joined by junior Woodrow Lowder and sophomore Xavier Parish in the backcourt. “We like to play fast but can also slow it down and run our offensive sets,” says Neal. “We have a different look this year because we lost a great number of seniors and also some key players to football injuries. That being said, we have some great shooters and finishers that will be able to spark the offensive side of things.”
While Neal is excited about his guard’s offensive potential, he’s pointing to varsity newcomers Zach Permann (sophomore guard) and Hayden Smith (senior post) on defense. “Defense is what we hang our hat on here in Rockland,” Neal says. “We stress the importance of playing defense and how it kick-starts our offense. Zach Permann and Hayden Smith are at the helm of the defensive ship this year. They are smart, quick, and have an absolute ‘go’ motor.”
North Gem finished just outside the top two a season ago. The Cowboys, led by sixth year head coach Tracey Corta, finished 17-9 overall and 5-3 in RMC play. Like most years in Bancroft, the Cowboys are dealing with small numbers, as North Gem is one of Idaho’s smallest public high schools in terms of student enrollment. “Conditioning and fouls will be critical,” says Corta. “Our numbers are down so guys will have to be in great shape and be able to limit foul trouble.”
Senior forward Ryver Hayden and junior guard Gage Setser earned All-Conference honors last season. Junior guard Craig Yost and senior “defensive stopper” Rusty Hatch will also be key members of this year’s team. “All of our contributors are willing passers so our unselfishness should be a strength,” says Corta. “We did not shoot the ball well from three last year, but the guys have been working hard in the offseason and I expect to see a better outcome this season.”
Mackay, Grace Lutheran and Leadore finished in a three-way tie for fourth place in last year’s RMC standings, as all three went 4-4 in league play. The Miners seem to have the most buzz among the trio heading into this season, and for good reason. “We have a lot of height and experience,” says coach Scott Yearsley. “Kaizer Summers (senior), Cooper Holt (sophomore) and Ryker Summers (junior) will be tough to score on down low.”
While the Miners have the inside figured out, they’ll have to find a way to replace departed guard Ruger Nicholls. “He shot 40% from beyond the three-point line while making almost 70 total 3’s,” says Yearsley. “He was a team leader.”
Grace Lutheran coach Jeremy Hess welcomes back three starters in junior point guard Ely Sauer, senior wing Ethan Flicker and senior center Garrett Grayson. “We have good guard play, scrappy wings, and a big center,” says Hess. “We should be able to get baskets in multiple ways. We’ve got pretty good chemistry and we should play a pretty fun style. We can be up-tempo, but should be able to slow it down when necessary.”
Mackay’s top six players consist of three seniors (Mateus Brown, Wyatt Foster and Jared Ramsey) and three sophomores (Jake Herbst, Porter Mayo and Dane Piippo). Piippo was an All-RMC honoree last year as a freshman.
Sho-Ban finished 9-11 overall a year ago (including 3-5 in RMC action). Pam Coby returns as head coach of the Chiefs, and will rely on sophomore guards Kezo Coby and Kennion Martin to lead this year’s team.
Taylor’s Crossing has a similar record to Sho-Ban last season at 9-13 overall. But the Eagles only went 1-7 in league contests. Gone is one of the school’s all-time best players, Augie Droegemueller, and head coach Kolin Sutherland. New head coach Austin Rausch is working with a varsity roster featuring no seniors. This year’s Taylor’s Crossing team boasts five juniors, five sophomores and three freshmen.
Optimism at Clark County High School is sky-high. The Bobcats took their lumps a season ago during a 1-19 campaign, but new head coach Asiel Garcia is laying the foundation for the future. Seniors Sergio Avila and Eric Barrientos will provide steady leadership for a starting lineup that also features a sophomore and two freshmen.
American Heritage competed in varsity basketball for the first time a season ago, operating as an independent and automatically taking the lowest seed available at the district tournament. The Patriots went 1-15, and intend to compete as a full-fledged RMC member in 2024-25.
Finally, Challis is a newcomer to this year’s Rocky Mountain Conference. The Vikings are typically a Class 2A school but petitioned down a level due to competitive reasons. Fourth-year head coach Justin Farr brings back three capable starters in junior point guard Brayden Ollar, junior forward Ramey Rhoades and senior forward Jacen Farr, an All-Conference selection last season.
“Our players can play any offensive positions,” says coach Farr. “We play very well in a zone or man offense, and we will play aggressive man-to-man defense.”