Star Valley High School Seniors Kyan Watson and Dylan Hirschi, along with Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator Kelly Merritt, all stepped into the SVI Radio studio for First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday to reflect on this year’s season of Braves’ football.

(0:00) As part of Sports Friday today, we are going to recap and wrap up state football that took (0:05) place last weekend. (0:07) The Starbuddy Braves, of course, winning their fourth consecutive title, a couple of seniors (0:10) in studio with us right now, along with Coach Kelly Merritt, and joining us is Dylan Hershey (0:16) and Kyan Watson as well. (0:18) Dylan, Kyan, we’re going to start with you guys.

(0:21) First off, Kyan, now that it’s been a week, you’ve had a chance to look back at it. (0:26) What are your thoughts on the whole season in state football? (0:28) Can you put it into words? (0:30) It was a blast. (0:32) Just the coaches and the team, the atmosphere, it’s something you don’t get to experience (0:38) in other sports.

(0:39) We’re such a family as football, and that’s something I’m going to miss a lot. (0:44) Absolutely. (0:44) Dylan, when you look back over the season, is there a moment that sticks out to you most (0:49) that maybe was the most memorable for you? (0:52) I think probably just the end of that Sugar Salem game, coming back from behind to end (0:57) up winning that one and keep our winning streak alive, I think just gave us all the (1:00) momentum we needed to go through and finish out our season.

(1:03) Absolutely. (1:04) No doubt. (1:04) It’s amazing that you guys have won four state titles, and the Sugar Salem win.

(1:11) I ask that question all the time, and I get that answer a lot, that the Sugar Salem win (1:16) is one of the most memorable. (1:16) Why is that, Dylan? (1:18) Maybe speak to that. (1:19) I think mostly just because they’re a really quality opponent, and just the fact that we’re (1:23) able to come back from behind in a game that at some points didn’t look like we’d be able (1:27) to come out on top, just shows the teamwork that we have and the bond that we have to (1:31) be able to go through that.

(1:35) Kyon, one of the things I wanted to ask you about, this last fall the coaches kind of (1:41) talked to me about weightlifting and things like that, and you were part of a very exclusive (1:46) club, the Thousand Pound Club. (1:49) Talk about that and what that is and how you got there. (1:54) So, the Thousand Pound Club combines our three main core lifts, which is bench, squat, and (2:01) clean, and then they add up all the weights that you’ve maxed on them, and it totals (2:08) a thousand.

(2:10) It’s been a journey. (2:11) I’ve loved working out. (2:13) I’ve been working out with my dad since I was 10, and it’s just something I’ve enjoyed.

(2:17) Just putting in the work to become a better football player, I think, has helped me a lot (2:22) in the weight room, and just knowing that it’s for a bigger cause than just looking (2:27) good and all that. (2:29) Although that’s a good benefit at the same time, right? (2:33) You guys, I want to ask the same question and have both of you answer it, so Kyon, we’ll (2:37) just start with you since you’re already rolling here. (2:40) 27 seniors on this roster, and you guys had such a unique class this year where you didn’t (2:46) lose a game freshman through even middle school.

(2:50) Did you lose any middle school games? (2:51) I’m trying to remember. (2:52) Yes, we did. (2:52) You did? (2:53) Okay.

(2:53) So freshman through senior, all the way through high school, didn’t lose a single game. (2:59) And regardless of the state titles, I mean, that is incredible, and it’s not like you (3:03) didn’t play some tough competition earlier on, especially your sophomore and junior years. (3:08) You guys played some tough teams.

(3:10) You had to battle. (3:11) What makes this group special? (3:13) What makes this class special in your mind? (3:15) So Kyon, we’ll start with you, and then Dylan, we’ll let you answer that. (3:18) I think it’s just our bond.

(3:20) No matter how tough a competition we’ve had, nothing like that. (3:25) We’re brothers, and no one’s selfish on the team. (3:28) It’s not, oh, I want this, or I want the stats, or I want the most touchdowns.

(3:32) It’s all, I’m going to do this so you can succeed, and it’s just a bond that we have (3:37) that keeps us pushing and makes us what we are. (3:42) Yeah, and I think along with that, we’re just doing it for the guys next to us, and so we (3:46) do it for our brothers. (3:47) We do it for our teammates, and having that tough competition early on just helped us (3:50) get better and grow stronger as a team.

(3:53) You guys obviously played both sides of the ball at times, and looking at Coach Merritt, (4:00) who’s in here, talk about some of the things defensively that you guys worked on that made (4:06) you kind of stand above the rest of the teams in the state this year. (4:10) Because you guys, when it really boiled down to it, a lot of the matchups this year, that (4:16) was the difference in terms of just making tackles in space, and rallying to the ball (4:21) as a group, things like that, things that other teams maybe don’t necessarily are able (4:24) to do consistently. (4:25) You guys were rock solid in that, and I think that made a huge difference.

(4:29) Talk about maybe your progression learning about all those things over your high school (4:33) career. (4:34) I think a lot of it comes down to just the preparation before the games, like watching (4:38) films, seeing what the other teams like to do, and then focusing our skill sets and getting (4:42) guys in the right place to do their job. (4:45) Now to add to that, just shout out the best D coordinator in the state.

(4:50) He’s watching hours and hours of film to prepare us, and just teaching us the basics. (4:58) Relentless effort, that’s one thing we talk about every day in stuff. (5:03) You have four to six seconds to play, and we want the whole team to the ball no matter (5:10) where it is, and just not giving up, and not taking plays off, and just really pushing (5:15) through.

(5:16) Well, with that, we can’t let that segue just hang out there, with Kyon saying best (5:21) defensive coordinator in the state, so Coach Merritt is here. (5:24) Coach, why don’t you slide over and share that microphone with Dylan here for a second. (5:29) Speak to, since these are the seniors we have, speak to these two players specifically, (5:33) and what Kyon and Dylan brought to the unit this year.

(5:37) Yeah, that’s so much fun, because when we talk about relentless effort, just kind of (5:43) segueing into that, that’s how we pick our players on defense. (5:46) I don’t know if I’m always that clear with them at the beginning of the year, but we (5:51) do a lot of drills, and we’re looking for those guys that are never going to stop. (5:56) Dylan and Kyon were two of those guys all season long.

(6:00) Just every single game, when we talk about preparation, Dylan Hershey would have some (6:07) little wrinkle that he had seen on film, or something he’d seen out of their quarterback, (6:11) and I think early on in the season, we wondered if he was going to go any games without having (6:16) a pick six because of that. (6:19) In fact, I think in the state championship game, the only one that kept him from getting (6:23) one was Kyon, broke up a pass that Dylan had, and then you have a guy like Kyon that plays (6:29) middle linebacker, and you don’t want to get hit at all when you’re playing on offense (6:35) or playing a running back position. (6:37) You certainly don’t want to get hit by the thousand pound club linebacker that just is (6:43) ferocious on every single down, making plays and taking on blocks, which I think that goes (6:51) overlooked sometimes when you have people that are willing to take on a block so the backside (6:55) linebacker can make a play.

(6:56) These two anchored it for us. (6:58) We had 11 great players on defense, and just proud to work with all of them. (7:04) Kelly, I’ve got to talk to you about the state game itself.

(7:08) What a lot of crazy plays were in that game, some by you guys, some by the Bronx. (7:15) The Bronx first possession, I thought to myself, as soon as the center scooped it back to the (7:21) quarterback and they were running, I thought to myself, man, I’m glad I’m not trying (7:25) to stop all these shenanigans. (7:28) Talk about preparing for a team and a program that knows each other so well and what that (7:37) puts on you as a coordinator in particular.

(7:40) Yeah, I think that goes both ways. (7:44) We sat as a coaching staff and watched the Riverton and Cody game the week before, and (7:50) I had a lot of mixed emotions because you play a team like Cody, they know you and they’re (7:55) going to attack you in a new way. (7:58) And if you get Riverton, you have to prep for something new and exciting.

(8:01) So it was kind of a little bit of a back and forth. (8:03) That said, we really embrace and enjoy playing a quality opponent. (8:09) Like Dylan said, whether it’s Sugar Salem, Cody, we play a lot of quality opponents, but (8:13) there’s some standouts like that.

(8:15) And that’s a fun one to embrace. (8:17) I will say a couple of things that happened that were exciting as we go through the week (8:23) and we really try to focus in on a lot of their base stuff that they do. (8:28) I do remember, I think it was even that morning, we had gone over some maybe odd sets we might (8:35) see or some odd plays, and one of those was kind of that first play out of the game and (8:39) that swinging gate.

(8:40) And so if you watch it back on film, you’ll see our guys, the way they lined up was surprising, (8:45) but our guys were like, oh, this might be a thing. (8:47) And then so instead of a touchdown, it ended up being a nice game for them. (8:50) So it was fun to dial in on a few of those things.

(8:53) But at the end of the day, X’s and O’s take a second place to the Jimmy’s and Joe’s on (8:58) the field. (8:59) We say that all the time in these players play. (9:01) Absolutely.

(9:02 Coach Kelly Merritt in studio this morning. (9:04) Coach, when you look at this year’s group, you’ve been part of this great run that Star (9:09) Valley’s been on, the four titles and everything like that. (9:11) What though stands out to you in your mind with this year’s team and what makes them unique (9:16) and what will you remember them by? (9:18) I love that question every year because it’s something that we talk about as coaches.

(9:23) This was such a special group. (9:26) And the next year, you have the same conversation. (9:29) I will say, much like Dylan and Kyan already pointed out, it’s amazing, one, to have 27 (9:37) seniors stick it out through four years of football.

(9:39) We did have a few that maybe didn’t play early on and then came in. (9:43) But just that tight-knit bond was evident. (9:46) And so that was a special part of that group.

(9:49) The other thing was, I think you guys even mentioned it on the broadcast several times, (9:54) but just the patience for these guys to kind of wait their turn a little bit. (10:00) That’s not easy. (10:02) It’s not easy to play a JV football game for some players when you have varsity-level talent.

(10:08) And that’s a lucky thing that we have at Star Valley sometimes, and especially with these (10:12) guys. (10:15) Both Dylan and Kyan experienced that, where they were last year, could have been competing (10:22) for starting positions easily, but kind of waited their turn. (10:25) And I think it makes them hungry.

(10:27) And that was evident this year, too, because complacency is a real thing, especially when (10:32) you’ve won three titles. (10:33) And they were not complacent. (10:34) They were just as hungry as if they had never won a game in their high school career.

(10:39) So, Dylan and Kyan, I guess I wanted to ask you guys, what’s something that you would (10:44) impart to this next group of guys? (10:48) Obviously you’ve already spent time with them, but what are some things that you would tell (10:52) them as far as what you’ve learned as seniors within the program, and to kind of leave a (10:58) little bit of a parting legacy? (11:01) I would just say to trust the process. (11:03) Coaches have been through it. (11:04) Players have been through it.

(11:05) So just do everything the way you should, and just trust the process, and things will (11:10) work out in the end if you’re doing your hardest. (11:13) I’d say brotherhood, too. (11:15) It’s like, there’s countless times where we went to Kimball Holst’s house and swam in (11:20) his pool after games, after home games, and just had a blast together and just spent time (11:25) as a senior group together.

(11:27) I think if they can bring in brotherhood and just be one team and not worry about everything (11:32) else, I think they’ll be really successful. (11:34) All right. (11:35) You mentioned the swimming pool.

(11:36) There’s one big, important question I really had to ask. (11:39) You guys always had the pool party after you win the state title game. (11:42) It’s been a tradition now.

(11:44) Which coach has the best belly flop? (11:48) Which one does it best? (11:50) I would say it’s got to be Coach Young. (11:52) He does it every year. (11:53) He goes for it? (11:54) It makes a big deal out of it.

(11:56) I love it. (11:57) All right. (11:57) Well, what’s next for you guys? (11:58) Dylan, let’s start with you, and then Kai.

(12:00) And now that football’s over, what are you doing for the rest of your senior year in (12:04) And then what’s after high school for you? (12:05) Just going to try to get through the school year. (12:08) I’m going to run outdoor track in the spring. (12:10) Right now, just get my knee back to 100%, and then go from there.

(12:14) After high school, I’ll go on a mission and then figure out college after that. (12:20) Me, I’m going to graduate after a second try, and then start work, and then either (12:25) think about going into a trade or going into the military. (12:30) Love it.

(12:31) Awesome. (12:31) That’s in studio. (12:32) All right.

(12:32) Start with the high school seniors. (12:34) Kai and Watson, Dylan Hershey, Coach Kelly Merritt. (12:36) Also, you guys, congratulations.

(12:38) Thanks for making our job easy. (12:40) It’s always fun when the team’s good. (12:41) So we appreciate you doing that for us.

(12:43) Thank you very much. (12:45) And no, we appreciate you coming in today. (12:47) Thank you, and wish you guys the best of luck.

(12:49) Appreciate it. (12:50) And Coach Merritt, if it’s all the same to you, I mean, why not five? (12:55) Right? (12:55) I mean, you’ve started this thing now, so. (12:59) Yeah.

(12:59) I, it’s never too early, right? (13:02) Like you want to ask that question. (13:03) I would say that, you know, going into next season, (13:08) these guys have set a high standard (13:10) and we’re excited to see what special group we have next year (13:14) because really at the end of the day, (13:16) whether it’s a title or anything else, (13:19) the opportunity to work with these young men (13:21) is the true reward. (13:22) Perfect, love it.

(13:23) That’s Coach Kelly Merritt, Dylan Hershey, (13:25) Kyan Watson in studio. (13:26) It’s all part of the first make of Wyoming Sports Friday (13:27) on the SBI Radio Network.