Loaded Kootenai has eyes on prize

The Kootenai High football team waltzed to the North Star League championship last fall, dominating conference teams.

In the final week of the regular season, in fact, Kootenai drilled runner-up Mullan 50-0 in a mercy-rule shortened game. A week later, Mullan shocked the Warriors 26-22 in the first round of the State 1A Division II eight-man playoffs.

Kootenai coach Doug Napierala knew his team’s season came to an abbreviated end.

“It left a real bad taste in our mouths,” Napierala said. “Part of it was our own fault. We overlooked (Mullan). We brutalized them the week before. We were looking ahead. It taught us that you can lose even if on paper you’re the best team. We’re not going to overlook anybody this year. We’ve learned a lot from that loss. But it still left a raw taste.”

Kootenai returns its team intact with nine starters and 15 lettermen. It’s the most experience Napierala has returned in seven years as head coach. So the Warriors’ goals are much more lofty than simply defending their league championship.

“We need to take care of us and things will work out,” Napierala said.

Lakeside coach Ron Miller sees Kootenai taking care of business.

“Kootenai’s starting 12 returns,” Miller exaggerated to make a point. “Doug’s sitting on a gold mine over there. They were mainly sophomores last year and now they’re juniors who are three-year starters. He’s got it all. It’s a great group of kids.”

Kootenai is tabbed by all the league’s coaches as the clear-cut favorite. As it has since the 1A classification was split into two divisions, the NSL receives two Division II state berths and one Division I berth. Mullan and Clark Fork figure to contend for the second Division II berth while Wallace is favored to top Lakeside for the lone Division I berth.

Kootenai doesn’t appear to have any holes. The Warriors return a sturdy offensive line in seniors Jesse Cress (6-foot-2, 220 pounds), Jason Dutton (6-2, 240) and Brett Speelman (6-1, 190).

“I’m putting a lot of weight on their shoulders,” Napierala said of his line. “They’ve started together for three years. I expect a lot of big holes for the backs to run through.”

Junior running back Ben Shannon found many holes to run through last year on his way to garnering the league’s most valuable player honor.

Joining Shannon in the backfield will be junior Kolten Willms, who will start for the first time at quarterback, and sophomore running back Jake Hall. When Napierala goes to two backs, senior Taylor Wallace will step in at fullback.

“I really believe we have the best athletes in the league,” Napierala said.

Wallace, who sees most of his time at middle linebacker, will be counted on to lead Kootenai’s defense.

“We’ve got to stay healthy and continue to get better every day,” Napierala said.

If Kootenai is challenged, it could come from Wallace.

“Every year, on paper, we should probably dominate,” Wallace coach Dave Rounds said. “But it hasn’t happened that way.”

Mullan coach Corey Miller believes his team can be in the title hunt.

“Kootenai is the frontrunner, but if we don’t get injuries we should be real competitive,” Miller said. “My No. 1 concern is injuries.”