We are now down to just four undefeated teams in the state (Bingham, East, Alta and Springville) after South Summit fell to Summit Academy. With just a few weeks left in the regular season, region games are becoming more and more vital, especially the battle for second place in each region, which lands a coveted home game the first round of the state playoffs.
These six games are going to be very important for not only the teams involved but also the regions as a whole.
1. Roy (5-1, 3-0) at Sky View (5-1, 3-0)
Region 1 is down to its last two undefeated teams in region play. The Royals are still flying high after their upset victory over Fremont two weeks ago. The Royal defense has looked pretty stout this season, allowing just 14 points per game, including holding the high-powered Jordan offense to just 13 points in Week 2. The Bobcats, however, haven't scored less than 27 points yet this season. Even in their loss to Highland, they still managed to put up 35 points. If the Royals can leave Smithfield with a win, they will be sitting pretty as almost locks to come away as region champions.
2. American Fork (5-2, 2-1) at Herriman (4-2, 2-1)
Region 4 could have a lot of movement the last three weeks of the season, starting with this matchup in Herriman. The Cavemen are coming off a 27-7 loss to Lone Peak but are sitting pretty at 2-1 in region play with a lot of help from their defense, allowing just 18 points a game to in-state schools. The Mustangs, however, are in big trouble. The defending champs still have to play the top three teams in Region 4 (American fork, Lone Peak and Lehi) and their 13-0 loss to Pleasant Grove really hurt. If the Mustangs go 0-3 in their last three games, the defending champs could be watching the state playoffs from home, making this a must-win for the home team.
3. Tooele (6-1, 3-1) at Bear River (5-2, 3-1)
Stansbury has shown that it is the team to be in the 3AA North region, but Tooele and Bear River are still in the driver's seat for second place. The Buffaloes have one of the best offenses in the state, averaging a whopping 40 points per game. The Bears have done it with their defense, allowing just 11.6 points per game. If the Bears can come out with the win, that will set up a really juicy matchup with Stansbury the final week of the season.
4. Pine View (6-1, 2-1) at Desert Hills (5-2, 2-1)
What do Pine View and Desert Hills have in common? They both lost to region-leading Dixie. With these two teams separating from the rest of the region, this game will most likely decide second place in the 3AA South region. The Panthers are coming off a 30-point victory over Hurricane last week and have dominated defensively this season, allowing just 13.3 points per game, and that's while giving up 38 points to Dixie. The Thunder are coming off that close 31-22 loss to the Flyers. They have done most of their damage on the offensive side of the ball, averaging 31 points per game.
5. Kearns (5-2, 2-1) at Skyline (4-3, 2-1)
With Olympus looking like region champions, this game between Kearns and Skyline could determine second place. The Cougars have scored less than 40 points just twice this season, averaging 38.9 points per game. The Eagles haven't had an easy season, and their final two games are against the top two teams in Region 6 (Kearns and Olympus). But what the Eagles have proven this season is that they can score, averaging 32.3 points per game. The Eagles are going to need to find some defense though against this tough Cougar offense.
6. Highland (5-1) at Davis (6-1)
This isn't a region game and doesn't have any impact on region races, but it's a juicy Thursday matchup between a couple of the best teams in the state. The Rams come in only having lost in that weird 5-3 game against Olympus. It's weird because the Rams' offense is averaging 36.8 points per game, even with that pitiful three-point performance. This game may be more important for the Darts though than the Rams. The Darts haven't shown that they are a dominant team yet this season. The majority of their games have been decided by seven points or less. The Darts need a strong showing against the Rams to show that they belong with the best in 5A.
Nathan Harker is a sports writing intern currently enrolled at Brigham Young University majoring in broadcast journalism. Nathan can be reached at nathan.harker32@gmail.com or via Twitter @n8_harker.