BOISE, Idaho — For the better part of three decades, Southern Idaho Conference squads looked down on the Boise High School football team. With the leadership of a former Boise State Bronco, teams are now looking up at the Brave.
Over the past five years, Boise head coach Mike Altieri shunned preparing his resume.
"I can't even tell you how many coaches that are still coaching in the valley that have reached out to me like, 'hey, probably toughest place to coach. Probably not gonna make it happen. When it doesn't work out, let us know,'" Altieri said.
Instead – Altieri has been padding his biography.
"My time at Boise High here has been tremendous," Altieri said. "I'm taking the things that I learned from Boise State and the things that were instilled in us with my time with coach (Dan) Hawkins and with coach (Chris) Petersen. We're not doing anything different. It's that same mentality of just showing up and working, and these guys have bought into it."
Last fall – for the first time since 2002 – Boise participated in the 5A state playoffs.
"It was pretty exciting and just fun to watch and be a part of," senior wide receiver Jordan McDonald said. "It kind of gave us like another reason to do it, to prove everyone wrong. It felt like we finally broke through that barrier."
"The first couple years was definitely rough," senior running back and defensive back Grant Spillman said. "I think it just showed us all that we can do this. We're not just the same old Boise High."
The Brave now enter a whole new world, no longer the hunters, but rather the hunted.
"That's been kind of our message to the kids all offseason is that this time in particular, this year's team, hasn't done anything," Altieri said.
Junior quarterback Trevor Schoolfield is the tip of the spear.
Sharp and strong, he'll take aim at the title of having the best arm in the state.
"He's a phenomenal quarterback," Altieri said. "He's extremely smart, he's extremely accurate, he can make every throw on the field. There's some guys who can sling the ball around the valley, but I think Trevor is one of if not the best in the state."
Schoolfield will have playmakers around him.
"We think our offense is pretty solid this year and we're excited about the potential," Altieri said.
McDonald will serve as Schoolfield's biggest target.
"Size obviously, athleticism, state high jump champion, good hands, knows what to do," Schoolfield said. "He's got everything."
Defense is where the Brave will have to play with a chip on their shoulder
"It's a team thing. Our defense is gonna have to step up as well," Altieri said.
Spillman is one of the leftovers hoping to help with a makeover.
"We lost a lot of guys on the defensive side of the ball," Altieri said.
As Boise continues to build, its goals now seem less bold than before.
"Obviously state championship is always a goal. That's where we're trying to get to," Altieri said.
"I believe that we can and I think the team believes that too," McDonald said.
It's safe to say the Brave have moved on from history, but are eager to make even more of it at the same time.
"The expectations that we have for our kids, and for our coaches and for this team, it just keeps growing each year," Altieri said. "We got something special going on right here."
"I think it's just all showing up, having a great attitude about it and really pushing each other to get better," Spillman said.
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