Note: Bountiful finished with an 8-3 overall record in 2014 and was second in Region 6 with a 5-1 record. It lost to Springville 21-17 in the 4A first round.
BOUNTIFUL — After posting a successful 8-3 season last year while its starting quarterback was injured for the majority of the year, Bountiful, it's safe to say, is eager to see what it can do with the ball in the hands of starting quarterback Austin Parkinson.
“We’re ready for the next stage. We’ve been going all summer and are very anxious to get going for real. The kids have been working really hard and we’ve got a good mix of returners and new guys. We’re just really optimistic and ready to get going,” Bountiful head coach Larry Wall said.
Parkinson suffered an injury early last season and never got back to full strength before the end of the year. His backup, Jake Lindsey, saw the majority of the action and led Bountiful to the playoffs before the Braves fell to Springville in the opening round.
Lindsey completed 46 of his 95 pass attempts for 548 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions while filling in, while Parkinson went 11-for-25 for 170 yards, one TD and two interceptions over a four-game span. He also added 68 yards on the ground.
“Our quarterback, Austin Parkinson, will be back and he’s a great athlete. He does a lot of really good things for us, so it’s going to be great having him back. He was injured almost all the way through last year, he was our starter in the beginning of the season and then got hurt, but we will have him back and we’re really excited about that,” said Wall.
Bountiful has four starters returning on offense, led by Parkinson and star running back Kaden Simmonds. Despite losing some key offensive linemen, Simmonds should have another productive season as the top guy out of the backfield.
Last season, Simmonds led the Braves’ rushing attack with a team-high 777 yards season and nine touchdowns while teammate Houston Heimuli added 672 yards and seven TDs.
Heimuli will definitely be difficult to replace, however, with its top rusher set to return and look to raise the bar again this season alongside several key newcomers, Bountiful should continue to see success pounding the ball.
Running back Max Tooley will also provide the Braves with a strong 1-2 punch out of the backfield alongside Simmonds and should nicely fill the hole left behind by Heimuli. Last season, Tooley ran the ball 65 times for 422 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and four touchdowns and should add to those numbers this season.
“Kaden is a proven commodity in our run game. He’s a great veteran and we will definitely be counting on him to lead us out of the backfield. The biggest shift has been on our offensive line. We had an excellent, veteran group last year, so we’re kind of reloading on the offensive line. Most of our returners are our skill players, so we’ll see how that goes this year,” Wall said.
On the defensive end, Bountiful has a strong core of returning starters (seven) highlighted by playmakers such as cornerback Alan Kieatisinlapin, defensive back Max Tooley and linebackers Connor Lloyd and Brandon Bott.
The two linebackers combined for 105 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one interception last season while the two defensive backs combined for 108 tackles, one sack and five interceptions. Tooley recorded a team-high four interceptions.
Last season the Braves' defense surrendered only 14.5 points per game, including a four-game, season-closing stretch in which they gave up just seven points per game. With several key skill players returning, Bountiful's D should have another successful season.
“Our defensive skill players are going to be a little more experienced than the guys up front. Our inside linebacker, Connor Lloyd, will be back and he directs our defense. He does a really nice job for us there. Max Tooley is an outside linebacker and defensive back, he’s just an all-around playmaker, and he’s coming back and does a really nice job for us there, too. We should be really experienced and solid on the defensive end,” said Wall.
With two preseason games against 5A teams (Lone Peak and Viewmont) along with difficult regular season and region schedules, the Braves will get valuable experience against great teams that should prepare them for a solid postseason run.
“I hope our season prepares us for the playoffs,” Wall said. “We really pride ourselves on playing the toughest schedule we can. Traditionally, we like to play the toughest teams every year. In all my years coaching, this year’s schedule is probably the toughest we’ve ever had. Hopefully we come out, have some success early on and build off that. We really try to build toward the playoffs — that’s where it all happens.”
Bountiful Braves at a glance
Head Coach: Larry Wall is entering his 31st season as Bountiful’s head coach. He’s amassed a 231-111 record and is a graduate of Viewmont High School. He also graduated from the University of Utah.
Offense (4 returning starters; Multiple offenses)
Offensive coordinator: Clark Stringfellow
Returning offensive starters
Austin Parkinson (QB)
Kaden Simmonds (RB)
Bridger Salazar (WR)
Alan Kieatisinlapin (WR)
Offensive newcomers to watch
Sam Stringfellow (TE)
Max Tooley (RB)
Defense (7 returning starters, Even Front defense)
Defensive coordinator: Larry Wall
Returning defensive starters
Austin Parkinson (DB)
Alan Kieatisinlapin (CB)
Bridger Salazar (DB)
Connor Lloyd (LB)
Brandon Bott (LB)
Kaden Simmonds (LB)
Max Tooley (DB)
Coaches’ preseason Region 5 straw poll: First
Deseret News Region 5 prediction: Third
Bottom line: There’s little doubt Bountiful has what it takes to be one of the top four or five teams in 4A, but do the Braves have what it takes to make a deep run in the postseason? That will depend on the younger players and Austin Parkinson at QB. Despite a solid 8-3 record last season, Bountiful struggled at QB — after Parkinson's injury — with a poor TD/INT ratio and then lost in the first round of the playoffs. As usual, the Braves have a difficult schedule, but that could help them prepare for a stronger postseason run.
Last 5
2014 — 8-3 (5-1 in Region 6 – 4A First round)
2013 — 5-6 (3-3 in Region 6 – 4A First round)
2012 — 9-3 (4-1 in Region 6 – 4A Quarterfinals)
2011 — 8-5 (4-1 in Region 6 – 4A Semifinals)
2010 — 9-4 (5-1 in Region 6 – 4A Semifinals)
Bountiful coaching history
1985-current — Larry Wall (231-111)
1982-1984 — Kim Peterson (13-17)
1972-1981 — Paul Waite (75-33)
1968-1971 — Lynn Smith (4-33)
1965-1967 — Leo Conk (9-18)
1956-1964 — Lloyd Hayes (44-36)
Deseret News First Team all-staters the past 10 years
2014 — Brady Christensen, OL
2013 — Ryan Curtis, Specialist
2012 — Jakob Hunt, RB
2011 — Rylee Guatavai, LB
2010 — Teau Satuala
2010 — Dillon Salazar, DB
2009 — Thomas Hamilton, DL
2009 — Helam Heimuli, DL
2009 — Ben Lemon, LB
2008 — Darren Denucci, OL
2008 — Travish Parrish, LB
2008 — Joe Lake, K
2007 — Tongo Toko, LB
2007 — Jamie Rigby, DB
2007 — Ammon Schwab, K
2005 — Daniel Benson, OL
2005 — Nick Binks, DL
2005 — Jake Magalei, DB
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.
Ryan Love is a full-time student and has been a part-time sportswriter for the Deseret News since Oct. 2012.
Follow him on Twitter @RLove7724
EMAIL: rlove@deseretnews.com