MIDDLETON, Idaho — After the Idaho High School Activities Association set updated classifications for the 2022-2023 school year, Middleton and Nampa were challenged with facing new opponents in new environments as part of the new-look 5A Southern Idaho Conference.
While the 13-team league brought a lot of new, the Vikings' football program found success in the same old way under head coach Bill Brock. For the ninth-straight season, Middleton earned a trip to the state playoffs, this time in Idaho's largest classification.
In their 2022 season opener, the Vikings held the top-ranked team in 5A to just seven points in a slugfest with Rocky Mountain. From there, Middleton rolled, winning six of its next seven games. Despite the hot streak Brock's squad did not receive any love in the statewide media poll.
The underdogs made more noise in the state playoffs, going on the road and shutting down Lewiston's high-powered offense in a 14-7 first-round win, before battling with eventual 5A runner-up Meridian in an 18-16 quarterfinal loss.
While senior quarterback Cash Weeks said the new level is "higher tempo and faster football," and senior defensive end Wyatt Striefel added the intensity is different up front, the Vikings are already up to speed and "more ready" than ever before.
"If we have confidence, we can take ourselves as far as we want to go and that we're just as real of a football team as anybody else," Striefel said.
Brock told KTVB Middleton played 5A opponents before last year and the Vikings proved they were a big-time program long ago, being a constant in 4A post-season play. The difference now is knowing what to expect on a weekly basis in the 5A SIC, which sent eight teams into last year's 5A state tournament.
"This year we've gone through a 5A season and we kind of feel like we know what it takes to be successful. So, in that regard, we're ahead of where we were at this point last year," Brock said.
Knowing the program's lying ahead, Middleton dove into offseason preparation at full steam and just finished up two-a-days. The Vikings have less than a week before visiting Rocky Mountain under the Friday night lights.
"You know, two-a-days is one of my favorite times of the year anyway. I just like coming out and teaching and watching kids compete and watching kids grow," Brock said. "So, it's been a lot of fun in that respect. Our seniors have done a great job leading as they have all summer and our younger kids are learning by the day."
The Vikings are young in the defensive backfield, as well as on the perimeter at wide receiver. Middleton does return at least four starters on each side of the ball, and also brings back talent in the front seven, including Striefel and senior linebacker Cole Holman.
"I think we're really good. We lost some of our people in the back, but I think we got good replacements and our line is just as good – if not better – and I'm ready to play, for sure," Striefel said.
Holman, who tallied more than 100 tackles last fall, is doing all that he can to ensure the Vikings reach new heights in 2023, even after raising the bar with a 5A state-quarterfinal trip last fall.
"Set an example, whether that's in physicality, tempo, tone, always trying to lead into a better place and never take a step backwards," Holman said.
There is no worries about fitting in at Idaho's top classification – the Vikings have already proved they belong. With a long offseason in the books and a showdown with the Grizzlies on the horizon, Middleton now turns its focus to claiming the 5A SIC Foothills title and another November run.
"This time of the year we finally get to see the reward after working hard all season," Holman said. "We just finished two-a-days, so I think mentally, we just built a lot of toughness and we're looking forward to our first game now. It's a cake walk from here, we're ready for season. It's compete time."
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