Our expectations are really, really high, which is the way we want them. We have a good core of kids coming back and we have a lot of confidence in them. – Beaver head coach Jonathan Marshall

While many classifications and regions across the state are in flux, a direct result of the most recent realignment phase, the South region of 2A is as stable as ever. The gang's all back, headlined by the two-time defending champs, the Beaver Beavers.

History is against a third straight Beaver championship — the last team at the 2A level to accomplish that feat was Dixie in the early '70s — and yet that is the expectation as far as Beaver head coach Jonathan Marshall and his team are concerned.

“Our expectations are really, really high, which is the way we want them,” said Marshall. “We have a good core of kids coming back and we have a lot of confidence in them.”

No player inspires more confidence, for Marshall at least, than running back Tyce Raddon. Raddon, who carried the ball 48 times for 261 yards and four touchdowns last year, is one of four returning starters on the offensive side of the ball, and perhaps the most important.

“Tyce is one of the best players in the classification,” said Marshall. “I think he’s going to do great things on both sides of the ball for us. He runs extremely hard. Is a hard-nosed kid. He’s the emotional leader of our team.”

Along with Raddon, the Beavers are set to introduce a brand-new quarterback to the South region, Porter Hollingshead.

“Last year was the first year we played him at quarterback,” said Marshall. “We decided he was the guy we wanted to put there so we started playing him JV. He did fantastic. We feel very confident in Porter. Everybody wants to ask about our quarterback situation, but that is not a situation we are worried about.”

Things only get better from there for the Beavers, who return the vast majority of an elite offensive line, a group that Marshall considers “one of the biggest strengths of the team.”

Defensively, Beaver looks nigh unstoppable thanks to the return of all four defensive line starters, as well as the presence of both Raddon (LB) and Hollingshead (CB) behind them.

“Our defense is going to control the line of scrimmage,” said Marshall. “We feel we can make teams one-dimensional.”

The Beavers are not alone when it comes to confidence in their defense, however.

South Sevier, one of four teams, including Enterprise, San Juan and Grand, expected to compete for second place in the region, has supreme confidence in their boys as well.

“We have a lot of defensive linemen to rotate in, and at linebacker we have Tyson Chisholm,” said South Sevier head coach Weston Zabriskie. “He led the state in tackles last year and has only gotten better over the summer.”

Chisholm racked up an impressive 137 tackles in 2016 and added a sack for good measure. Up front the Rams also sport the likes of Tucker Gayler, Mason Schaugaard and Zach Roberts, all of whom are primed to make the South Sevier front seven a force to be reckoned with.

The Rams will also look to Chisholm on offense, as a power back in their Wing-T sets. Alongside Chisholm will be Carter Anderson, a slot receiver/speed back expected to make huge strides this season.

Zabriskie and his team understand the dynamics at play in the South region, but they won’t be fazed on their race to the top.

“We know Beaver is going to be solid as always,” said Zabriskie. “San Juan is always good. Grand and Enterprise always have tough teams. The thing about this year’s team is they don’t have any fear. We expect to compete with everyone.”

Compete they must as the battle for second behind Beaver is guaranteed to be fierce. Enterprise, entering its second season under head coach Andy Messersmith, fits squarely into the fight for second, thanks in part to its skilled defense.

“I feel defensively, we could be as good or even better than we were last year,” said Messersmith. “Our defense kept us in games. We often had to rely on our defense. We have a lot of kids back, and a lot of speed on defense. I think that’s going to help us a lot.”

Key to that defense will be defensive backs Tyler Hess and Kyle Fenn, who both earned praise from Messersmith.

“The good thing about Tyler and Kyle is they’re both great defensive backs. And Tyler, he is just an all-around great athlete,” said Messersmith.

Not to be forgotten are the San Juan Broncos, perennial contenders for the 2A South crown. The Broncos enter the 2017 season with a new head man, Barkley Christensen, as well as just two returning starters, Baylr Eldredge and Dylan Ivins. And yet through it all, expectations are the same as always in Blanding.

“San Juan has always been a powerhouse,” said Christensen. “For as long as I can remember San Juan has been on, or at least at, the top. We’re young and inexperienced. I know that. But we still expect to finish right at the top of the region.”

Grand County has similar expectations this year, after an injury plagued 2016 season.

“I feel our team should be battling for the second spot this year, and we are not giving into Beaver,” said head coach Dennis Wells. “We have a lot of players back who were hurt last year, that has given us a lot of depth that is sure to help us.”

With cornerbacks Bruin Meader and Kayden Robertson and defensive end Jarom Shumway returning, among others, the Red Devils defense is sure to pick up where it left off last season, giving Grand as good a shot as any.

Coming off a 1-9 campaign, North Sevier seems the outlier in the South. After all, each of the teams ahead of them won at least four games, compared to only one victory for the Wolves. For coach Devin Lindley, however, there is hope for the future, particularly in 2017.

“The kids have devoted themselves this summer. They are no longer waiting until August to put work in. They have been working hard all summer long,” said Lindley. “We went to BYU 7-on-7 and went 3-3. We went to Manti and had the same record. The kids are on fire and they are loving football. We are at a really good crossroads, with good things to come.”

2A South Projections

Deseret News Projections for 2A South in 2017

(Preseason rankings are based on coaches’ votes)

1. Beaver: After winning back-to-back state championships, Beaver shows no signs of letting up on the 2A classification just yet. The defending champs return all four starters from a dominant defensive line, as well as a premier tackler at linebacker in Kolby Oakden. On offense, the Beavers return veteran linemen Austin Carter and Brady Munoz, who will look to set the stage for senior running back Tyce Raddon. Questions about the secondary exist, and Beaver will trot out a new and inexperienced quarterback in Porter Hollingshead, but on the whole the Beavers look primed to pull off the rare three-peat.

2016 Record: 11-1

Playoffs: Defeated South Summit 55-35 in 2A state championship game.

2. South Sevier: The Rams lost their fair share of starters to graduation, but most of the notable contributors from last season’s playoff team are back and primed to break out. Tyson Chisholm, the Rams leading rusher in 2016, returns, along with a pair of big guys up front in Mason Schaugaard and Zach Roberts. South Sevier, famous for their Wing-T attack, will also look to get contributions on the ground from slot receiver Carter Anderson and whoever ends up the starting quarterback (last year’s starter Caleb Barton is undecided as yet whether to return).

Defensively, South Sevier will look to its front seven to carry the load, notably Chisholm, who was the state’s leading tackler in 2016. All in all, the Rams are well positioned to make a deep playoff run.

2016 Record: 4-7

Playoffs: Lost to Summit Academy 41-14 in quarterfinals.

3. Enterprise: Under coach Messersmith the Wolves have made quite the rapid turnaround, and look to keep that positive momentum going in year two of his regime. Enterprise returns 11 starters, six on offense and five on defense, including talented wide receivers Ryan Holt and Jaylon Gardner. Add in Tyler Hess at quarterback and the Wolves are primed to improve upon their sixth rated offense.

Defensively, Enterprise will look to a dynamic trio of defensive backs, Holt, Hess and Kyle Fenn, to improve what was already one of the premier defensive units in 2A. At this point, the trajectory is only up for the Wolves.

2016 Record: 8-3

Playoffs: Lost to South Summit 55-23 in quarterfinals.

4. San Juan: The Broncos were dealt an almost fatal blow heading into the 2017 campaign, the graduation of 17 starters. Those starters had propelled San Juan to yet another elite season, a regular occurrence in Blanding. The Broncos will look to Baylr Eldredge, transitioning from wide receiver to quarterback and Dylan Ivins, the team’s leading tackler, among others, to replace the bulk of production lost.

Jayden Torgerson and Shaw Nielson, both wide receivers, will be counted on offensively, as well as speedy back Ethan Vess.

On the other side of the ball, the Broncos will rely heavily on a strong linebacking corps, headlined by Ivins and Jens Jones.

2016 Record: 9-2

Playoffs: Lost to South Summit 38-21 in semifinals.

5. Grand: With 15 returning starters, nine on either side of the ball, the Red Devils are almost certain to return to the playoffs, and perhaps they will make some noise this time around. Injuries plagued Grand in 2016, but, if healthy, the Red Devils expect to compete with anyone and everyone in 2017.

Senior Derrick Tsosie (center) is back after missing the entire 2016 campaign due to injury, as is a platoon of offensive linemen, including Gage Hansen and Jared Smith. Quarterback Josh Jones is also back from injury, and he will look to involve running back Nick Downard and receiver Dakota Johnson as much as possible in the offense.

The Red Devils bring back the majority of their seventh ranked defense, headlined by Bruin Meader and Kayden Robertson at corner and defensive end Jarom Shumway.

2016 Record: 5-6

Playoffs: Lost to San Juan 46-6 in quarterfinals.

6. North Sevier: After a difficult debut season for coach Lindley and his Wolves the only place to go is up. With the return six offensive and eight defensive starters, North Sevier is, at the very least, assured as good a year as 2016. The Wolves are breaking in a new quarterback, sophomore Taylor Crane, and as such will rely heavily on a deep and talented receiving corps. Brooks Mickelsen, Kody Christensen and Chase Rasmussen will all line up on the outside for North Sevier, while running back Manny Perez will be expected to carry a significant load.

Mickelsen, as well as Burke Mickelsen, will be part of an experienced Wolves defense primed to improve its standing in 2A. Add in solid play from Tanner Sorensen, at linebacker, and North Sevier looks ready to scare more than its share of opponents.

2016 Record: 1-9

Playoffs: Lost to North Summit 47-12 in first round.

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