2024 Prep Football Previews: Holtville Vikings
Coming off a San Diego Section title, the Vikings are looking to do more than just repeat, they're looking to continue building the foundation for their players off the field
HOLTVILLE, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - It's about more than just winning for Holtville Vikings football, even coming off their CIF San Diego Section Division V-AA title in 2023.
Assistant coach Micah Harrison knows this year, they'll be getting everyone's best shot.
"Really the only adjustment we have is now we have a target on our back, everyone's gunning for us because we won last year,” Harrison said.
This year's Holtville squad will feature 13 seniors, including key members of the team that ripped off seven straight wins to finish last season.
Among those not coming back however will be graduated quarterback Bryce Buscaglia.
The Vikings are still determining who will start under center to begin the season, and Harrison knows the difficulty of looking for a replacement.
"It will be a challenge to find our new quarterback, but we have a couple battling it out here in practice that we think will be good," Harrison shared.
One of the key targets the future gunslinger will throw to will be junior Bradyn Terrill.
As one of the more experienced players on the offense, Terrill is hoping to continue laying the foundation for the Viking program.
"We just show up, we beat the teams better than we did last year, we show them how to do it, we show our new teammates, we show them our new way to play, [and] we go out and prove that we're the best," Terrill said.
On the other side of the ball, senior defensive tackle Smith Hilfiker looks to be an example for the underclassmen, a role he's gotten more comfortable with throughout his career.
"Being a leader and all is a big aspect of mine because I've also grown more of being a leader from my freshman year," Hilfiker said.
Even through the wins and last season’s championship, one of the things the coaching staff wants to emphasize is making sure these players leave the program as great off the field as they were on it.
“Off the field goals are just as important as the on-field. The on-field is the same as everyone. You wanna win league and CIF, but off the field we want to help raise these boys to become men of quality and integrity, that when it's their turn to be leaders in their community they're the ones we want leading us,” Harrison said.
The Vikings season will kick off on a Thursday, when they host Southwest on Aug. 22.
Harrison also tells KYMA a key matchup for the Vikings will be on Sept. 27, when they welcome in defending Nevada Division 2A champion Lake Mead.
