1A PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Clark Fork football readies for Garden Valley

CLARK FORK — “It’s just another game for us,” head coach Patrick Young said. “I told my team after our win over Lakeside last week that we need to move on and get ready.”

Coming off the emotional high of a thrilling game, especially one that will go down in Clark Fork football history, is not always an easy task, but Young has his Wampus Cats calm, cool, and collected.

“We came out to practice on Monday and it was just business as usual,” Young said after being asked about how the team responded to the 20-point fourth quarter comeback over Lakeside on Friday.

In addition to leading Clark Fork to a winning record (5-3) in his first year as head coach, he helped the team reach the 1A state championship playoffs for the second straight year. But Young is no stranger to success, and he has been in this position before. Young played for Clark Fork from 2006 to 2008 and helped lead the Wampus Cats against some tough Kootenai teams.

“I always dreamed one day that I would be a football coach,” Young said. “I didn’t actually expect it to be the school I once played for, but here I am.”

Now it’s time for Young and the Wampus Cats to shine, as they get ready to face a six-win Garden Valley squad. One player who is looking to lead his team to victory Friday is senior quarterback Ethan Howard, who played lights out last game, throwing five touchdown passes for Clark Fork, four of those coming in the fourth quarter.

“Despite all the touchdown passes, I think Ethan’s most underrated play of the year was last week when he scrambled out of the pocket to pick up 18 yards and get out of bounds, which set us up for the game-winning touchdown,” Young said. “He is a tough football player and he never gave up when the team was down 20.”

Howard did not only play a key role in the last game, but has throughout the whole season, taking charge of the offense in crucial situations.

“I think the biggest thing regarding next week is that we have to play as a team,” Howard said. “We need to stick together – a big reason why we were so successful last week is because we stuck together at the end of the game. Everyone was relying on each other, and I think that’s going to be a big if we’re going to be successful against Garden Valley.”

Clark Fork has eight seniors this year, which is almost unheard of for an 8-man football team. Young said this team has been playing as one cohesive unit. Another senior who has embraced the idea of playing for the team over self is senior Cole Mintken. Mintken had 23 carries for 135 yards, recorded two, two-point conversions, and had 18 tackles on defense last week, five for losses.

“He is one of the hardest working kids I have ever seen,” Young said. “In fact, a lot of these players work really really hard.”

Mintken played every single snap last week.

“Last week was make or break – we put everything on the line for that game,” Mintken said. “We brought it back, and that took a lot of heart… it would be great to win this playoff game Friday. I have been looking forward to going somewhere for four years now – and this is the chance.”

Another key play maker, wide receiver and defensive threat, junior Everett Montgomery, has six interceptions and a countless number of receiving yards and touchdowns this season. He has seen his hard work pay off.

“The coaching,” Montgomery said about who he attributes his success to this year. “I am able to get going early and into a rhythm early in games. Against Garden Valley, we’re going to need to take it one play at a time … I feel like we’re going into things pretty humble. We came into practice Monday and coach said we needed to move on, we have a big game in four days.”

Working hard at practice this week were also seniors Dillon Ryan-Downing and Jackson Clemens, and the two are both excited and ready for action.

“It feels good to be back in the playoffs,” Clemens said. “Last year we were in it, but didn’t make it far. This year I think we can make it further – I want to make it further. It’s exciting. It means a lot to me. This team means a lot to me – we have a lot of seniors and they are all my friends.”

Ryan-Downing had similar things to say about how excited he is for Friday’s opening round.

“It would feel amazing to come out on top Friday,” Ryan-Downing said. “It would feel like all of our hard work would pay off. I think I would be more happy for my teammates over myself because we have all been working at this for so long. It feels so good to be in this position.”

Senior Chase Sanroman, who missed the game against Lakeside due to an eye injury, will be back in action Friday for the Wampus Cats.

“It was hard at times,” Sanroman said in reference to missing the last game. “There were times where I wanted to go get my pads and run on to that field and make a play … I’m excited to get back on the field. I have had this opportunity in other sports, but football is just different. Friday is going to be tough, it’s going to be cold, and we are going to have to fight through it to get the win.”

Clark Fork (5-3) faces Garden Valley (6-3) at home in the first round of the 1A state championship Friday at 7 p.m.

Senior utility player Cole Mintken high-fives his teammates before kickoff at a game earlier this season. Against Lakeside last week, Cole played every snap, recording 135 rushing yards and two, two-point conversions, including the game-winner, and 18 tackles, five of which were for losses.