MALTA - Randy Spaeth doesn't want this story written.

He doesn't care for the limelight.

In fact, when contacted for this very piece, Spaeth was unaware that he was one victory shy of the 100-win plateau.

"Oh really?" said the Raft River head coach. "I figured we might be close. We've had a few good years."

More than a few.

Raft River has reached at least the state semifinals seven times in Spaeth's 13 seasons at the helm. The Trojans are 99-33 under Spaeth, with two state titles - one in 11-man, another in 8-man - two state runner-up finishes and three third-place trophies.

But Spaeth can't recall those numbers. He can barely remember his team's record last year.

"You're only as good as your last win," Spaeth said, "and all I know is the last time we were on the football field, we lost."

That loss was to Prairie in the Class 1A Division I state quarterfinals last November at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. Not only were the Trojan players sad that their season was over, but they were also disappointed that they didn't deliver Spaeth's 100th win. Without Spaeth's knowledge, an assistant coach had informed them of the milestone prior to the game.

"It kind of hit me on the bus ride home that we've got to step it up our senior year and get that for him," said senior Derek Harper.

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"How do you like that cone drill?" Spaeth asked a visitor to the Raft River football camp this summer, as players chopped their feet through a three-cone agility course. "I just learned it today on the Internet."

Heading into his 14th season at Raft River, Spaeth still tries to keep it fresh, implementing new things to make his players better.

Spaeth isn't a rah-rah guy, but the players know he's got their back.

"He's really easy going," Harper said. "He doesn't yell. He's just there for us. He talks us through everything and I think that's what makes a good coach."

Apart from practice time, Spaeth spends countless hours in preparation, breaking down tendencies in opponents' game film and creating scouting reports. He's an expert at putting kids in a position to be successful.

"I really look up to him because he's a good guy, he has experience and he knows what he's doing," Harper said. "When something goes wrong, he can fix it."

Over the years, Spaeth has had some great teams come through, but his finest work has come when he's coached-up less talented groups and got them to overachieve.

A prime example was last year's Oakley game. The more talented Hornets, who went on to win the state championship, were heavy favorites. However, Spaeth and his staff devised a solid game plan and the Trojans nearly pulled the upset.

After Oakley escaped with a 16-14 win - scoring the winning touchdown with two minutes remaining - Hornets coach Tim Behunin admitted that he was outcoached that night.

"We felt blessed to come out of that with a victory," Behunin said recently. "We felt that he really prepared his team well for us. It was a dogfight.

"He's a class person, a class act. His players are a reflection of him. I have nothing but praise for him and what he's done for that program. He does the right things, his kids do the right things for the right reasons, and I have total respect for that."

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Spaeth's success has brought opportunities to move up the coaching ladder, but instead he's chosen to stick with his low-key, small-town lifestyle. Marrying a Malta girl, his wife Stacey, also helped.

Besides, Spaeth has already experienced bigger football jobs. After graduating from Salmon High, he played at the University of Montana-Western, where he later became the offensive line coach for two years.

"When it comes down to it, I think (Malta) is a great community and a great place to raise kids," Spaeth said. "You can't ask for a better occupation than working with these kids every day. They keep you young. There are days when you want to pull your hair out, but the next minute they crack you up and make you laugh, it's just a lot of fun."

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Spaeth is Raft River football. It's not uncommon to see him out shopping, or strolling around the Cassia County Fair, wearing a "Raft River Football" hat and shirt. But his unwavering dedication doesn't stop there - he's equally devoted to the Malta community. He's been known to go about quietly doing good deeds, like shoveling people's driveways in the winter, or helping neighbors with chores such as changing water or hauling hay. He leaves food on people's doorsteps and visits the elderly.

Even as he reaches 100 wins, Spaeth believes the accomplishment is more about others than it is about him.

"More than anything, it's a celebration for the whole community, all the kids that have gone through and all the parents that have supported the program," he said. "I've been fortunate to have good coaches helping me, good players to coach and tremendous community support. All those things together make a big impact. There are some schools that aren't blessed with all of that."

And even fewer schools are blessed with a coach like Randy Spaeth.