Truckee Wolverines Season Preview
Updated: Aug. 6, 2024
By: J. Ray Dockter
We are just under two weeks away from the start of high school football in the Silver State and I couldn't be more excited. Over the next few weeks, I'll be previewing many teams from our local area as well as a few other surprises, before getting into football season full swing on Aug. 16th when the first games kickoff. Today's team: Truckee.
Truckee Wolverines
2023 record: 13-0 overall, 7-0 league; 2023 NIAA 3A State Champions
Head coach: Josh Ivens, twelfth season at Truckee (81-34 overall, 57-22 league in eleven seasons at Truckee)
Overview:
The Truckee Wolverines are back on top of the 3A for the second time in two seasons and the 14th time overall. With their 35-14 defeat of SLAM! Nevada last season they successfully defended their title from the season before. After a scare against Moapa Valley in the state semi-finals the Wolverines cruised to victory against the Bulls from down south, marking the second consecutive year that they lifted the 3A State Championship Trophy in a victory against the aforementioned Bulls of SLAM! Nevada.
During the last two seasons Truckee football has gone 24-1 while winning Back-to-Back State Championships. In the process they have dominated teams winning 22 straight and outscoring their opponents 900-320 over that same stretch. They are winning games by an average of 23.8 points per game during the last two season and they won the State Championship by an average of 24 points per game in each of the last two seasons as well. As Coach Ivens put it "we aren't really blowing teams out early in our season, but our kids have bought into the process, and we've reached another level towards the end of each of the last two seasons."
In the eyes of the Truckee football program the successes of the last two years (including the first ever 13-0 season last year) are great but the Wolverines must do their best to stay level headed and maintain perspective for the season in front of them. In the word of Coach Ivens "we are on a pretty good run right now, it's important to enjoy the ride and do things that have our football team playing at our peak come playoffs - if our streak comes to an end we must remember that it is not the end of our season." The message is clear - The Wolverines still have more work to do this coming season, but the plan is to get better each week. Ivens continued on "we must keep complacency out of the locker room, each week is a season within itself." Ivens also stated "we must focus on what is in front of us and not relish in our past accomplishments. Every season is different, each team is different, and the teams we are playing are different." The key to another successful Truckee football season will be to make sure that complacency stays out of the locker room so the goals can be accomplished.
Truckee has the pieces in place to make another run this season. They return six starters offensively where they'll continue to operate out of their 'Wings 'N Things' base set that allows them to use teams lack of discipline to get them out of sorts. The Wing-T base allows misdirection to open things up for the power running game and play-action passing concepts. Defensively Truckee lost a lot of 'program guys' from last year's squad (including State Defensive Player of the Year Maxx Ellermeyer and Miles Kelly-Caruthers) that will need to be replaced. Expect them to have "multiple fronts so that we have our best chance of executing against our opponent each week." Ivens squad returns four starters on that side of the ball but their inexperienced defensive line and linebackers is cause for concern early in the season.
The key to the Wolverines season this fall will be staying healthy, as most teams in the 3A will attest, depth simply is not there like it is at some of the larger schools in our region. The strength of the Wolverines lies in their 'team speed,' they have a lot of athletes that can make plays in space and most of them ran track this past spring. Ivens also stated "[our kids] have strong bonds that they've developed through [various] sports and it helps them stay on the same page."
Truckee's team motto for this season is "Prepare, perform, and Prevail. We must put in the preparation because our performance matters and if we do that we will prevail victorious." Ivens closed our conversation by stating that "bringing Truckee back to prominence, after everything we lost, makes me happy but we aren't finished yet." The tone I get from this team is that they still have something to prove and that should be cause concern for every team on their schedule, one we should all take notice of and be worried about.
The Big Three - Skill guys that'll lead the way for Truckee
RB Joe Birnbaum, Senior: This list simply doesn't exist without Birnbaum, who was the 3A State MVP last season as a Junior. In his two seasons on Varsity he had racked up 1,736 rushing yards and 27 TDs to go along with an additional 1,378 receiving yards and an additional 15 TDs. He is Truckee's version of Christian McCaffrey and I wouldn't be surprised to see him get even more touches this season because as Ivens put it "I've got to get [Joe] more touches, I'd be an idiot not to." To date Birnbaum has received some recruiting attention from Nevada, Eastern Oregon, Southern Oregon and a few D-II's in the Midwest (namely Chicago, Illinois). With an additional 1,500 yards of total offense and 21 more TDs Birnbaum's name will be scattered throughout the Truckee and NIAA record books for those of you keeping track at home. If you haven't seen him, get out and check him out - he's dynamic on the field.
QB Jace Estabrook, Senior: Headed into last season one of Coach Ivens biggest concerns was "Quarterback play." I'd say that Estabrook, the reigning 3A State Offensive Player of the Year, put that worry to bed real early in Truckee's season last year. By the time the trophy was raised Estabrook had done his best Kyler Murray impression all season long, tallying 1,877 passing yards and 20 TDs while proving his dual threat capability to the tune of 289 rushing yards and 4 additional TDs. Jace was everything that the Wolverines needed in a signal caller last year and Ivens stated "[Jace] got better as the season went on, he's way more confident now. We are lucky to have him." My only question is "can he take the next step this season and show every aspect of his game in the process?" I wouldn't bet against this kid. He is The Ultimate Gamer, and I'd suspect that he'll rise to the occasion once again.
Athlete Jackson Wicks, Senior: Described as "an up-and-coming play maker for us." Wicks is expected to get touches offensively at RB, FB, TE, and WR this upcoming season. He is a beast with the ball in his hands, running with ferocity and playing behind his pads. Ivens said "[Wicks] is going to surprise some people this year." I envision him being the type of tone-setter that Truckee has had the past two seasons, think of a guy like Dylan Sumner or Luke Trotter from last season.
The Step Up Crew
Ivens was quick to mention that he expects the following guys to "step up and fill critical roles for us this season."
They are as follows:
OG/DL Miles Macosko, Junior and Damian Herrera, Junior: The only Juniors on this list, Macosko and Herrera will be looked to provide leadership and stability along the line of scrimmage for the Wolverines this season.
DL Ethan Stendell, Senior: "Power cleaned 300 in the offseason and runs a sub-12 second 100-meter dash in track, he's an animal that will set the tone for us." Ivens said.
LB Paul Ronzone, Senior: Ivens stated "[Ronzone] played really well for us at the end of last year and we expect big things from him this season."
DB Calvin Curtis, Senior: Curtis, who Ivens referred to as "really good for us last season" will be expected to be the tone setter in the Wolverines defensive backfield this upcoming season as he led the team in interceptions last year.
Also look out for Ryder Crezee, Dylan Flynn, Paxton Lubrano and Luke Lauter to have breakout season for the Wolverines in the months ahead. They are all beast's for the Wolverines.
My Notes: Truckee prides itself on being a program that pursues team success, and I believe that the Wolverines will be prepared to go for a three-peat this season. Ivens also wanted to give a huge shoutout to his coaches that help make Truckee football what it is, saying "Coaching football is the most unselfish thing someone can do, it's a huge commitment and these men spend a lot of time away from their families, I wanted to say 'Thank You' to them for their commitment as they are an in integral part of our success."
Quoteworthy:
"We had a great offseason, we have to believe and trust in ourselves, establish discipline, stay out of the hype, focus on our opponent in front of us each week and we can have a special season."
Season Schedule: (My Take:) The first three games in Truckee's non-conference are brutal. I hope that they can get through them injury-free so that they can show their full arsenal of weapons to the rest of Northern Nevada during League play this season.
Season schedule:
Aug. 24 vs. Damonte Ranch
Aug. 30 at Union Mine (El Dorado, Calif.)
Sep. 6 vs. St. Vincent de Paul (Petaluma, Calif.)
Sep. 13 vs. Spring Creek
Sep. 20 at Fernley
Sep. 27 at Churchill County
Oct. 4 vs. Lowry
Oct. 11 at Elko
Oct. 18 at Sparks
Oct. 26 vs. South (Lake) Tahoe (Calif.)
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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