Note: Alta finished with a 6-5 overall record in 2017 and was third in Region 7 with a 3-2 record. It lost to Springville 20-17 in the 5A quarterfinals.
Alta 2017 Offensive and Defensive Stats
SANDY — In Alema Te’o’s first year at Alta three years ago, he knew the program needed to take baby steps to put it back on the map of Utah high school football.
He inherited a team that had won just two games the year before, and returned just six seniors. During that first season he raved about Alta’s large freshmen class, one he said would take time to develop but could ultimately be really good.
Fast forward to this season and 27 of those freshmen are still on the team and now seniors. That talent and depth make Alta one of the best teams in 5A heading into the 2018 season.
“That first group of freshman is still together and that’s going to be part of our strength is they’ve grown together,” said Te’o. “This is our fourth year here, and we feel like the seniors now have seen it all and they’re better prepared to get themselves mentally ready and emotionally ready too to come together as a team.”
Five of those seniors were junior starters last year and part of the highest-scoring offense in 5A that averaged 43.2 ppg.
For Indy Hansen, he’s shifting from a receiver who rarely got many balls his throw his way to the quarterback of that entire Alta offense. Hansen is an explosive runner and quality passer, and one who should be able to help the offense continue rolling along this year.
Te’o said the offense may not have the same dominant caliber of runners like Josh Davis or Zach Engstrom, who they've had the past couple of years, but the overall quality of the entire team is better and that balance should help in the long run.
“The last couple years we’ve had two or three standout guys to pull the masses,” said Te’o.
Hansen and running back Dallin Pan are capable of having standout seasons if things go well.
Defense is the biggest area Alta needs improving. In Teo’s three years as head coach Alta has never ranked higher than 15th in its own classification in scoring defense. In those three years it allowed 27.8 ppg, 29.1 ppg and then 29.3 last season.
That was fine in many games with a dominant offense, but that offense was also inconsistent as it scored three touchdowns or less in four of Alta’s five losses last year.
Seven players who started full or part-time are back this season which should help the Hawks get off to a strong defensive start in the season opener against Lehi on Aug. 17.
Alta Hawks at a glance
Coach: Alema Te’o is entering his fourth year as Alta head coach after compiling a 25-11 record his first three seasons. Te’o was Woods Cross’ head coach from 2000-2004 and compiled a 7-42 record. He’s a graduate of Leone High School in American Samoa.
Alta Offensive Snapshot
Offensive coordinator: Riley Jensen
2017 offensive production: 43.2 ppg (1st in 5A)
- 5 returning starters
- Pro-spread offense
Key offensive returning starters
- Indy Hanson (WR, playing QB this year): Only had seven catches last year with so many other skill kids ahead of him on the depth chart, but he’s shifting to QB this year.
- Brock McDermott (OL): Was an anchor of the offensive line last year and is one of two returning starters this year.
Returning offensive starters
- Indy Hanson (WR) – playing QB this year
- Dallin Pan (RB)
- Wilson Murray (TE)
- Brock McDermott (OL)
- Dallan Denning (OL)
Offensive newcomers to watch
- Samisoni Peau (WR)
- Daniel Thomason (WR)
- Patton Germann (WR)
- Bryson Fabrizio (WR)
- Keller Elison (WR)
- Semisi Tuitahi (RB)
- Zachary Weeks (RB)
- Christian Tau (OL)
- AJ Wooching (OL)
- Loi Mauga (OL)
Coach Jensen comments on QB Indy Hansen:
“Indy Hansen is going to be really fun to watch. He’s the most athletic quarterback I’ve ever coached on the college or high school level. He can throw the ball — even though we still need to work on his progressions — he can run the ball, he’s a great leader for these guys. I think he has a little bit of a chip on his shoulders because he’s a quarterback that’s coming into his senior year that hasn’t started at quarterback. He was a starter on the defensive side of the ball and receiver last year.”
Coach Jensen comments on running back Dallin Pan:
“He could’ve started at 90 percent of the schools last year, but he was behind (3 great guys). I think he’s the type of kid that is hungry as well to show what he can do in this offense. I really think Dallin is going to be the load of our offense as far as carrying the ball. He’s a real glider. He’s perfect for our offense because he’s a great wide receiver, he can catch the ball out of our backfield. He can run in between the tackles.”
Coach Jensen comments on WR newcomers Samisoni Peau and Daniel Thomason:
“They’re both 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. Both of them can high point the ball, which becomes really advantageous when you have a jump ball scenario. A lot of times I’ll get tall guys that you’re all excited to throw the ball to and they’re not good at catching the ball above they’re head, cause they’re not as coordinated that way. These guys are tall, coordinate and fast.”
Coach Jensen comments on young offensive line:
“Our size and our strength on the offensive is as good as we’ve ever had. Now can we be smart, can we get a hat on a hat, can we go to the right guys?”
Keys for Offensive Success in 2018:
Consistency from game to game is one of the keys heading into this season. During a seven-game stretch in the middle of last season, Alta’s points scored were 62, 7, 66, 17, 69, 21 and then 56. It lost all of those lower-scoring games against quality opponents. It was a trend that lasted all season. The Hawks could score against the lesser teams but struggled against the better times. One of the areas offensive coordinator Riley Jensen said that can help with that is getting the running game solidified early in the season. That will take pressure off of Hansen to do everything with his own arms and feet.
Alta Defensive Snapshot
Defensive coordinator: Jim Hermann
2017 defensive production: 29.3 ppg (15th in 5A)
- 7 returning starters
- Even defense
Key defensive returning starters
- Lutui Maka (NG): One of two sentences on their stats from last year
- Brandon Folau (LB): Recorded 34 tackles in a secondary role last season, but this year he’ll be the leader of the defense.
Returning defensive starters
- Kimball Henstrom (CB)
- Setefano Malietulua (LB)
- Eric Folau (LB)
- Brandon Folau (LB)
- Remedy Akoteu (DE)
- Lutui Maka (DT)
- Dymente Faamafoe (DE)
Defensive newcomers to watch
- Wilson Murray (DE)
- Brock McDermott (DL)
- Myles Clayton (CB)
- Semisi Tuitahi (S)
- Jace Wilson (S)
- Brock Fabrizio (DB)
- Jeremy Deforest (DB)
Coach Te’o comments on linebacker Brandon Folau:
“He is the core of that group. We expect him to make plays, to call the defense, to lead the kids on the field. He’s a big body, he’s going to surprise people in my opinion. I know the buzz has been about other kids around the valley, but he, in my opinion, will emerge as one of the best inside linebackers in the state.”
Coach Te’o comments on versatile lineman Brock McDermott:
“He starts for us on the O-line, we would love to have him start both ways for us. He’s going to be playing a lot of D-line too. He’s going to be really good. He’s by far our Mr. Hustle dude. He’s first in everything. He’s the one kid I know I can put him anywhere on the field and he’s going to give us everything he’s got.”
Coach Te’o comments on young secondary:
“You want your guys to be able to get home and put pressure on the quarterback to help the secondary out. I think we have kids regardless, discipline-wise and effort-wise we should be OK. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I think the bodies we’ve got there and the way they’re developing, we feel comfortable when it’s all said and done we’re going to be very competitive whoever we go up against.”
Keys for Defensive Success in 2018:
To truly take the next step as a program, Alta can’t keep allowing four touchdowns per game like the past three seasons. It has become too reliant on one side of the ball to win games. Te’o said one of the keys to taking that next step is making sure everyone has the fundamentals down, and from there getting everyone comfortable with the scheme. There should be more depth defensively this season which could help as more players are fresh in the fourth quarter.
Coaches preseason Region 7 straw poll: Second
Deseret News Region 7 prediction: Third
Key Region Game: at Corner Canyon, Oct. 11 (Week 9)
Bottom line: On paper, this team lacks the star power that has fueled the program the past three years. Externally, it has quelled the expectations a bit for Alta in 2018. That might be a mistake. Coach Te’o has upperclassmen depth in the program for the first time in his four seasons, and that should help in a variety of different ways throughout the season. Internally, the Hawks have big expectations for the season. They start the season with games at Lehi, Woods Cross and East, and each one of those games will be great measuring sticks heading into region play.
2018 Schedule
- Aug. 17 — at LEHI, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 24 — at WOODS CROSS, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 31 — at East, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 7— FARMINGTON, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 14 — WEBER, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 21 — COTTONWOOD, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 28 — TIMPVIEW, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 5 — at Jordan, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 11 — at Corner Canyon, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 17 — BRIGHTON, 7 p.m.
Felt’s Facts for Alta
All-time record: 275-164 (40 years)
Region championships: 12 (1984 co, 1985 co, 1988 co, 2000 co, 2003, 2005 co, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 co, 2011, 2016)
Playoff appearances: 32
Current playoff appearance streak: 21 (1997-2017)
All-time playoff record: 46-28
State championships: 4 (1983, 1988, 2007, 2008)
State championship record: 4-2
Most played rivalry: 39 meetings with Brighton dating back to 1978. Brighton leads 22-17.
Felt’s Factoid(s): Alta had scored in a school-record 126 straight games stretching back to 2002 before being shut out at Bellevue, Wash. in Week 4 in 2014. … Vance Bingham kicked a season record 17 field goals in 2009. In 2007, the Hawks captured the 5A crown by holding Layton to minus-9 rushing yards, the fewest since 1979 in a championship game.
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Last 5
- 2017 — 6-5 (3-2 in Region 7 – 5A Quarterfinals)
- 2016 — 11-2 (6-1 in Region 7 – 5A Semifinals)
- 2015 — 8-4 (4-2 in Region 7 – 4A Quarterfinals)
- 2014 — 2-9 (2-3 in Region 3 – 5A First round)
- 2013 — 5-6 (2-3 in Region 3 – 5A Quarterfinals)
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Alta coaching history
- 2015-current — Alema Teo (25-11)
- 2011-2014 — Bob Stephens (25-20)
- 2005-2010 — Les Hamilton (60-20)
- 1994-2004 — Mitch Lunak (71-42)
- 1978-1993 — Doug Berry (94-72)
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Deseret News Mr. Football recipients
- 2007 — Boo Andersen, LB
- 2006 — Sausan Shakerin, RB
Deseret News MVPs the past 10 years
- 2016 — Josh Davis, RB
- 2008 — Ammon Olsen, QB
Deseret News First Team all-staters the past 10 years
- 2017 — MJ Tafisi, MLB
- 2017 — Zach Engstrom, WR
- 2016 — Will Dana, QB
- 2016 — Zach Engstrom, WR
- 2016 — Hayden Harrison, TE
- 2016 — Chandler Dolphin, OG
- 2015 — Josh Davis, RB
- 2013 — Mack Richards, WR
- 2012 — Ammon Barker, WR
- 2011 — Ryan Jensen, DL
- 2009 — Jordan Brown, QB
- 2009 — Zach Liston, WR
- 2009 — Lundon Smith, OL
- 2009 — Beaver Ho-Ching, DL
- 2009 — Nick Wolford, LB
- 2009 — Vance Bingham, K
- 2008 — Parker Webster, WR
- 2008 — Parker Erickson, OL
- 2008 — Dan Adams, DL
- 2008 — A’I Ho-Ching, LB
- 2008 — Trey Phillips, DB
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.