With Bingham playing on Dec. 27 as part of the inaugural State Champions Bowl Series in Florida, the 2014 season won’t finish for over a month.
Bingham’s game won’t be the first December contest for a Utah school. But it will be the first since Dec. 5, 1943, when Payson tied Wasatch Academy 19-19 in the Class B championship game. That was the last of five championship contests that were held in December.
December games were played during 18 seasons between 1893 and 1943. In fact, games were played on Christmas Day in 1893, 1896 and 1900.
Bingham’s game is part of a triple-header which also includes a state champion from Washington and four from Florida. The action takes place at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. It also marks the first time a Utah team has played 15 games in a season.
Most points allowed
Dixie surrendered 404 points this season, the most ever by a state championship team. The Flyers join 40 other teams that have given up at least 400 points in a season. But only two have winning records — Dixie and this year’s Jordan squad, which allowed 473 and finished 8-4. The 473 points is the fourth-most allowed by a Utah gridiron team.
Dixie scored 542 points and Jordan tallied 534.
Five-championships coaches
Bingham’s Dave Peck became one of a dozen coaches to win at least five state championships, joining such illustrious names as Roger Dupaix, Al Marshall, Snyde Taylor, Earl Ferguson, Arlyn Hafen, Taft Watts, Walter Brooks, John Colosimo, Dean Fowles, Jerre Holmes and Ken Schmidt in that exclusive club.
First three-peater
Timpview’s Cary Whittingham became the first coach to win state championships his first three seasons. Three others had won state titles their first two years, including, chronologically, Leroy Warthman at East (1922-23), Sterling Harris at Tooele (1928-29) and Ned Alger at Pleasant Grove (1955-56).
Spoiler Timpview
Timpview became the 56th team to ruin another school’s undefeated season in a championship game. It marks the fifth time the Thunderbirds have spoiled someone else’s unblemished record and won the state title.
Despite Timpview’s domination in 4A over the past decade, winning eight championships in 11 seasons, the Thunderbirds celebrate just their third undefeated campaign. Fifteen other schools have put together at least three unbeaten seasons, listed here.
Most undefeated, untied seasons
West: 9
East: 7
Millard, Skyline: 5
Box Elder, Duchesne, Jordan, Rich: 4
Beaver, Bingham, Davis, Judge Memorial, Morgan, San Juan, Timpview, Tooele: 3
Season offensive output
Four teams accumulated over 5,500 (or nearly that many) yards of total offense this season, placing them in the top 20 all-time. Jordan amassed 6,602 yards, trailing only the 2012 Beetdiggers (6,962 yards) on the all-time list. Riverton racked up 5,715 total yards, the 13th-best all-time. Dixie totaled 5,665 yards, good for the 14th-most all-time. Skyline’s 5,490 total yards puts the Eagles 17th all-time. The numbers for Riverton, Dixie and Skyline set school records for season offense.
Riverton also rushed for 4,449 yards in 2014, the fourth-most on record all-time. But it’s not a school record as the Silverwolves ran for 4,456 yards in 2010.
In season passing yards, Jordan threw for 3,891 yards, the sixth-most all-time. Skyline (3,295 yards) and American Fork (3,259) set school records and rank 21st and 22nd all-time.
Stat update
As the season ends, except for Bingham, here’s a list of players who are ranked in the top-30 all-time state records in various season and career categories — and those who were close enough to warrant mentioning.
Listed by school:
American Fork: Zach Katoa – Season: rushes, 13th (284). Career: rushes, 21st (494); touchdowns scored, tied for 30th (49).
Tanner Smith – Season: passing yards, 24th (3,180); passing attempts, 12th (414); completions, 14th (229).
Bear River: Cole Fronk – Season: touchdown receptions, tied for 27th (15).
Bingham: Chayden Johnston – Season: field goals, third (16); extra points, tied for 14th (65). Career: field goals, sixth (23); extra points ninth (143).
Brighton: Simi Fehoko – Season: receiving yards, second (1,656); reception yards per game, first (138.0); touchdown receptions, first (24). Career: receiving yards, 16th (2,113); touchdown receptions, tied for 15th (25).
Robbie Hutchins – Season: touchdown passes, tied for 29th (33).
Cedar: Jeff Rogers – Career: extra points, 30th (104).
Corner Canyon: Braxton Martison – Season: field goals, tied for 15th (12).
Riley Ogden – Season: 100-yard rushing games, tied for 31st (9). Career: rushes, 24th (478).
Cottonwood: T.J. Fehoko – Season: sacks, 19th (20).
Desert Hills: Bridger Cowdin – Season: all-purpose yards, 13th (2,527); 100-yard rushing games, tied for 31st (9). Career: all-purpose yards, third (6,142); rushing yards, 20th (3,882); rushes, tied for ninth (584); 100-yard rushing ames, tied for sixth (22).
Dixie: Ammon Takau – Career: total offense, 30th (6,341 yards); TDs-responsible-for, tied for 34th (73).
East: Isaac Anthony – Career: extra points, tied for 25th (109).
Enterprise: Kelton Hunt – Season: rushing touchdowns, tied for 19th (27). Career: rushing touchdowns, 18th (50); 100-yard rushing games, tied for 22nd (15); touchdowns scored, tied for 28th (50).
Fremont: Paxton Merrill – Season: receptions, tied for 11th (85).
Hunter: Joseph TiaTia – Season: net rushing yards, eighth (2,205); average rushing yards per game, 16th (183.8).
Jordan: Spencer Curtis – Season: receiving yards, 20th (1,301); receptions, tied for 20th (79).
Austin Kafentzis – Season: total offense, second (5,707 yards); average total offense yards per game, first (475.58); rushes, 22nd (273); 100-yard rushing games, tied for 12th (10); consecutive 100-yard rushing games, tied for 18th (7); passing yards, sixth (3,865); average passing yards per game, fourth (322.1); passing attempts, 19th (394); completions, 22nd (222); TDs-responsible-for, third (64). Career: total offense, first (19,678 yards); all-purpose yards, second (6,837); rushing yards, first (6,749), rushing touchdowns, first (100); rushes, first (976); 100-yard rushing games, first (37); passing yards, first (12,929); touchdown passes, first (114); passing attempts, first (1,434); completions, first (811); points scored, first (600); touchdowns scored, first (100); TDs-responsible-for, first (213).
Jeffrey Timothy – Season: extra points, tied for 24th (61); Career: extra points, second (190).
Judge Memorial: Tim Hemmersmeier – Season: extra points tied for 24th (61).
Lehi: Caden Calton – Career: rushes, 27th (468); 100-yard rushing games, tied for 25th (14).
Logan: Chad Artist – Career: touchdown receptions, tied for 18th (24).
Maple Mountain: Jaren Hall – Season: passing attempts, 31st (361).
Milford: Wade Netto – Career: rushing yards, 30th (3,412); 100-yard rushing games, tied for 25th (14).
Orem: Tucker Camp – Career: total offense, 24th (6,517 yards).
Pine View: Ethan Baer – Career: field goals, tied for 12th (19); extra points, tied for 10th (142).
Kody Wilstead – Season: average passing yards per game, 18th (285.5); touchdown passes, tied for 29th (33); passing attempts, 29th (364); completions, 25th (215). Career: total offense, third (9,877 yards); passing yards, third (9,658); touchdown passes, third (90); passing attempts, third (1,103); completions, third (642); TDs-responsible-for, eighth (97).
Riverton: Simeon Page – Season: tackles, 16th (169).
Roy: Cody Hobbs – Career: receiving yards, 15th (2,118).
Tyler Skidmore – Career: total offense, 11th (7,857 yards); passing yards, eighth (7,734); touchdown passes, 18th (64); passing attempts, 11th (839); completions, 14th (460); TDs-responsible-for, tied for 26th (75)
Salem Hills: Porter Gustin – Season: total offense, 27th (3,772 yards); average total offense per game, 25th (314.33); completions, 28th (212).
Sky View: Isaac Herrmann – Season: 100-yard rushing games, tied for 31st (9); consecutive 100-yard rushing games, tied for 15th (8).
Bryce Mortenson – Season: touchdown receptions, tied for 15th (16).
Skyline: Braxton Chipman – Season: passing yards, 21st (3,241), average passing yards per game, 31st (261.1); completions, 26th (214).
South Summit: Georgi Harley – Season: extra points, tied for 24th (61).
Spanish Fork: Jason Money – Career: total offense, seventh (9,243 yards); Passing Yards, 18th (6,219); passing attempts, fifth (941); completions, seventh (502); TDs-responsible-for, 18th (83).
Stansbury: Landon Stice – Season: average yards per carry, fourth (12.46).
Syracuse: Romney Harker – Season: field goals, tied for 15th (12). Career: field goals, second (25).
Timpview: Britain Covey – Season: total offense, 14th (4,242 yards); rushing touchdowns, tied for 28th (26); TDs-responsible-for, fifth (56). Career: total offense, 12th (7,570 yards); rushing TDs, 26th (45); 100-yard rushing games, tied for 22nd (15); TD passes, 30th (56); TDs scored, tied for 10th (58); TDs-responsible-for, fourth (111).
Zach Simpson – Season: extra points, 12th (67). Career: extra points, 15th (129).
Union: Nic Smith – Season: all-purpose yards, 12th (2,205); net rushing yards, 27th (1,943); average rushing yards per game, 23rd (176.6); consecutive 100-yard rushing games, tied for 18th (7). Career: touchdowns scored, tied for 33rd (48).
Woods Cross: Tomasi Giles – Season: sacks, tied for 22nd (19).