Spring Creek Spartans Season Preview - Playoff Edition
By: J. Ray Dockter
The playoffs for high school football in the 'Silver State' are under way. I owe a handful of teams season previews and this seems to be the perfect time to knock those out. Without further ado, here is today's team: Spring Creek Spartans.
Spring Creek Spartans
2023 record: 5-6 overall, 4-3 league
Head coach: Hunter Thomsen, second year as head coach at Spring Creek
2024 record: 5-6 overall, 4-3 league (Current as of November 8, 2024)
Head coach: Hunter Thomsen, second year as head coach at Spring Creek (10-12 Overall, 8-6 League in Two Seasons at Spring Creek)
Overview:
Last season (2023) was Coach Thomsen's first while coaching/playing 11-man football as a varsity head coach, prior to taking over the Spartans he coached 8-man football in Carlin. He noted that there was a learning curve he had to work through being in the Northern 3A.
He said, "[I] learned a whole bunch, we are way ahead of where we were last year, and we have a different feel in the air this season." The Spartans were able to hit the ground running in camp and Thomsen pointed out that his team needed to "see how fast we can get these kids to adjust to the next level" - pointing to his team's inexperience as the season was about to get under way.
Coach Thomsen said "Effort - Talent and potential means nothing if we don't have great effort," in my conversation with him before the season began. He pointed out that the Spartans were senior heavy last season and headed into this season with a lot of inexperience. He also noted that his squad must go out and compete their very best each game if they are going to have the season that they hope to have. As Coach Thomsen put it, "We are young, and inexperienced but we have standards that are through the roof. Our best kids are our hardest workers and that drives everyone around us."
"We have a gritty team that works hard and wants to win," said Thomsen. The Spartans expect to go out and compete with every team that they play because of their depth that they have at all major skills positions as well as along both lines (in the trenches) and in the second and third levels defensively. The Spartans have long expected the upperclassmen, namely the seniors, to bring the team along. As Thomsen put it "Leaders emerge, we form that bond, and we play as a team."
Offensively the Spartans began this season with a renewed emphasis on running the ball. They "wanted to be physical up front and win in the trenches." Coach Thomsen said that this was by design as he felt like changing the offense a little with an emphasis on incorporating the "ground and pound." The Spartans also got a big lift prior to the season when former head coach Joel Jund decided to come back and was named the offensive coordinator for the Spartans. Jund was described as an "Offensive Genius," who just works well with QBs and will help with DBs as well.
Defensively Spring Creek welcomed a new defensive coordinator this season as well when they had former defensive coordinator Tommy McCormick resign from his post in hopes of catching more games in Moscow (Idaho) this season as his sons play for the Vandals of the FCS. Coach Thomsen pointed to his team's physicality as a key point for their defense this season. His LBs and DBs have great talent and the potential to be stars on the field because they love competing with one another. Without further ado, let's take a look at some of the Spartans key players.
Players to watch:
OL/DL Colin Banning, Senior: Banning, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 275 pounds, is a mountain of a man and he will complete his playing career as a four-year starter for the Spartans. He has committed to play football for the University of Nevada starting next fall. Thomsen described him as "[A] great leader, everything you could ask for in a kid, and our team's heartbeat." He's a great player with a nasty attitude on the field and confidence and respect off of it.
OL/DL Liam Rowe, Senior: Plugged in as a starter at RT, Rowe transferred to Spring Creek from Montana. He provides a lot of support on the opposite side of Banning. Together these two are great anchors for the Spartans.
RBs Jo Jo Bright, Junior; Landon Boyle, Sophomore; and McCoy Mcartor, Sophomore lead the RB room for the Spartans. They have put up nice numbers this year... Bright has over 440 yards of total offense to go along with a quartet of TDs. Boyle has racked up over 930 yards of total offense and nine touchdowns and Mccartor does it all having played QB, RB, FB, TE and WR to the tune of 960 total yards of offense and eight touchdowns.
WR/TE Mike Popp, Sophomore: A transfer from Wyoming, Popp has 86 receiving yards on the season.
WRs Dom Taylor, Senior; Snowdon Bear Williams, Sophomore; Aiden Walthers, Junior; Wyatt Negrych, Junior and Lelanyd Bautista, Senior have all contributed as pass catchers for QB Aaron Santos, Junior and his nearly 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns.
Season Schedule:
Aug. 16 at Galena
Aug. 23 vs. Carson
Aug. 30 at Douglas
Sep. 6 Bye Week
Sep. 13 at Truckee (Calif.)
Sep. 20 vs. Lowry
Sep. 27 at Sparks
Oct. 4 at South (Lake) Tahoe (Calif.)
Oct. 11 vs. Churchill County
Oct. 18 vs. Fernley
Oct. 25 vs. Elko
J. Ray Dockter has been covering high school sports since 2022. If you have a story worth telling let him know via Twitter @J_RayDoc.
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