High school football: Stansbury Stallions pegged as Region 7 favorite

Lehi and Stansbury compete in a 5A football semifinal game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021.

It may be hard to believe that the Stansbury Stallions were a 3A football team six seasons ago.

After four seasons in 4A, the Stallions moved up and got their first shot at 5A last season, and as consistency has defined coach Eric Alder’s program through every year, it didn’t appear they needed any time to adjust. The Stallions finished with a 9-3 record and an appearance in the 5A state semifinals, losing to the RPI-busting eventual champion Lehi.

Owing to that, and their undefeated run through Region 7 last season, it’s no wonder that not a single coach in the region had a different team in mind to vote No. 1.

Alder, entering his fourth year with the Stallions, will get his first chance to coach a team entirely brought up under him and his staff.

“I feel like our leadership is as good as it’s ever been,” Alder said. “We’ve great accountability amongst kids. I’ve almost been able (to) step (aside) and let the program run itself. Our culture and our habits are pretty well established.”

That leadership comes on both sides of the ball as the Stallions return six offensive starters and four defensive starters. Seniors Michael Geovjian and Dylan Hamilton and junior Falinisi Vaka return as two-way starters. On defense, junior Easton Baker, who earned All-State first-team honors in his sophomore year, returns to his outside linebacker spot.

Easton Baker, Stansbury

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Luke Livingston, Timpanogos

Provided by Timpanogos

2 of 5

KJ Fisher, Cedar Valley

Provided by Cedar Valley

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Micah Madry, Hillcrest

Provided by Hillcrest

4 of 5

Bronson Larrat, Tooele

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If the Stallions didn’t already seem strong enough, they also sport the addition of All-State senior running back Mateaki Helu, who transferred to the program from region foe Tooele.

“He is a tremendously talented football player,” Alder said. “I knew that before I had the opportunity to coach him. We were already a talented roster with a lot of good players, and he’s certainly going to bring a lot to the table.”

Before focusing on the region, the Stallions will test themselves harshly in nonregion play with early matchups with 4A defending champion Ridgeline and another state championship team in Skyline, Idaho.

Last season’s final standings showed a tough battle for second place with Tooele, Timpanogos and Cedar Valley all finishing with 5-2 records in region play. After Stansbury, the competition remains stiff as Cedar Valley just inched out Timpanogos for the No. 2 spot in projections.

Coach Weston Zabriskie shares some common ground with Alder in that he’s also coaching his first class of four-year seniors, but these seniors bear the unique distinction of being the first class of four-year players to play at Cedar Valley, which started playing in 2019.

“That means a lot,” Alder said. “The coaching staff and players just get more cohesion. Cedar Valley’s always been one of our toughest opponents, and I can just see talent in the program.”

The Aviators return six offensive starters and five defensive starters, and because of the relative newness of the program, many of those players have 2-3 years of starting experience already.

“It’s really nice that we know how to work together now,” Zabriskie said. “There’s a lot less confusion going on. Kids know what we expect, and they come out and just execute it.”

Part of the respect that Aviators have right now is that the program didn’t really struggle to compete having a combined record of 17-17 in its first three years. With the returning experience they have, this could be their year to break out.

Timpanogos projected at very-close-behind No. 3. Teams could have a hard time reckoning with the talented offense the Timberwolves have with their returning experience. Among their six returning offensive starters, they return their junior quarterback Chase Riggs and junior wide receiver Luke Livingston. Livingston was dynamite last season with over 1,500 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns, earning All-State First Team recognition while just a sophomore.

Payson made good strides in revitalizing their program last year, beginning with a 3-0 record and getting to five wins on the season for only the second time in the last 30 years. The Lions struggled to establish themselves in region play, but they’ll welcome a new coach from California this season with a long coaching resume and several years of NFL experience. Along with five returning starters on each side of the ball, coaches seem to believe Payson could be headed for a statement year with a projected No. 4 finish.

Tooele has its work cut out far more this season than in the past after coach Andru Jones left for the head job at Viewmont. The Buffaloes are projected at No. 5 in the standings as they enter new territory with a first-year coach in BJ Hunter and only two returning starters, one on each side, but the staff was optimistic about summer participation and is looking forward to the season.

Uintah projected at No. 6 in the region after looking much better last season than in years past, finishing with a 5-6 record. They’ll have one of the most experienced defenses in Region 7 with eight returning starters.

Mountain View and Hillcrest projected at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. The two teams each finished with a single win in 2021, but the Bruins’ returning experience gives them an edge with eight returning starters on each side of the ball.

Region 7 projections

(Preseason rankings are based on coaches’ votes)

1. Stansbury Stallions

stansbury.sidebar

2021 Record: 10-3 (first in Region 7 with a 7-0 record)

2021 RPI ranking: No. 3 in 5A

2021 postseason: Lost to Lehi, 28-14, in the 5A semifinals

All-time record: 96-50 (13 years)

State titles: None

Region titles: 6 (2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 co, 2017, 2021)

2022 Schedule

Head coach: Eric Alder

Entering his fourth year as head coach at Stansbury, where he’s posted a 26-10 record the past three years. Previously he was the head coach at Ben Lomond from 2014 to 2018, where his teams were 10-41. He’s a graduate of Sky View High School and Utah State.

Coach Eric Alder’s general outlook

Stansbury will be looking to build upon the success from last year with some key players returning players and others that will be ready to contribute as varsity players. Our kids have continued to work hard at building a successful culture within our program. Very much looking forward to the 2022 season.

Offensive coordinator: Eric Alder

2021 offense: 37.4 ppg (No. 5 in 5A)

Six returning starters.
Spread No Huddle offense

Returning offensive starters

Michael Geovjian, Sr., OL
Dylan Chapman, Sr., OL
Ezra Harris, Sr., QB
Dylan Hamilton, Sr., WR
Brock Wilson, Sr., WR
Falanisi Vaka, Jr., OL

Key offensive newcomers

Mateaki Helu, Sr., RB
Trent Jones, Sr., WR

Defensive coordinator: Alex Huxford

2021 defense: 16.9 ppg (No. 1 in 5A)

Four returning starters
3-4 defense

Returning defensive starters

Micheal Geovjian, Sr., LB
Dylan Hamilton, Sr., DB
Falinisi Vaka, Jr., DT
Easton Baker, Jr., OLB

Key defensive newcomers

Mateaki Helu, Sr., OLB
Trent Jones, Sr., MLB
Brock Wilson, Sr., DB

2. Cedar Valley Aviators

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2021 Record: 6-5 (tied for second in Region 7 with a 5-2 record)

2021 RPI ranking: No. 11 in 5A

2021 postseason: Lost to East, 35-7, in the 5A first round

All-time record: 17-17 (3 years)

State titles: None

Region titles: None

2022 Schedule

Head coach: Weston Zabriskie

The school’s only head coach is entering his fourth season after leading the program to a 17-17 record its first three seasons. Prior to that he spent nine seasons as head coach at South Sevier, leading the Rams to a 31-64 record from 2010 to 2018. He’s a graduate of North Sanpete High School and Utah State University.

Coach Weston Zabriskie’s general outlook

Heading into year four as a school and program, we are excited to watch this team compete. This is our first four-year class and the team has been working hard. We will have a lot of 3-4 year starters on the team. With that we have a lot of experience that will be on the field and our younger kids have been working hard and battling for positions and are looking to replace a some departing seniors. It should be a fun year.

Offensive coordinator: Steve Vincent

2021 offense: 26.3 ppg (No. 19 in 5A)

Six returning starters
Multiple Formation offense

Returning offensive starters

Cooper Thomson, Sr., QB
Joe Lomu, Jr., RB
Noah Burnham, Sr., WR
KJ Fisher, Sr., WR
Taygen Hansen, Sr., WR
Dillon Linford, Sr., OL

Key offensive newcomers

Clayson Jakins, Sr., RB

Nick Tuakoi, Jr., OL

Dalton Dunn, Jr., OL

Michael Orr, Jr., OL

Ethan Johnson, Jr., WR

Kekai Baker, Sr., WR

Defensive coordinator: Dalton Dunn

Cedar Valley defense: 27.36 ppg (No. 19 in 5A)

Five returning starters
4-2-5 offense

Returning defensive starters

Bryan Vogl, Sr., DE
Aisea Langi, Sr., DT
Bucky Seely, Sr., DB
KJ Fisher, Sr., LB
Deilen Westbroek, Sr., LB

Key defensive newcomers

Jayden Jordan, Sr., DB
Treyveon Marshall, Sr., LB
Elijah Sekona, Sr., DB
Chase Christensen, Sr., DB

3. Timpanogos Timberwolves

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2021 Record: 9-3 (tied for second in Region 7 with a 5-2 record)

2021 RPI ranking: No. 8 in 5A

2021 postseason: Lost to Springville, 56-14, in the 5A quarterfinals

All-time record: 130-175 (26 years)

State titles: None

Region titles: None

2022 Schedule

Head coach: Austin Heaps

Is entering his third season as head coach at Timpanogos High School after posting an 11-10 record the previous two years. He’s a graduate of Timpanogos and Utah Valley University.

Coach Austin Heaps’s general outlook

We are excited with the talent we have returning. We believe we set a high bar last year with young players and are excited to challenge ourselves to reach even higher with what players we have returning. Even though we have holes to fill, we think there are guys ready to take the challenge and step up to the opportunity.

Offensive coordinator: Tyler Anderson

2021 offense: 42.7 ppg (No. 1 in 5A)

Six returning starters.
Spread offense.

Returning offensive starters

Chase Riggs, Jr., QB
Luke Livingston, Jr., WR
Easton Bretzing, Jr., WR
Link Peterson, Sr., OL
Tyler Anderson, Sr., OL
Orion Guereca, Jr., OL

Key offensive newcomers

Josh Graff, Jr., WR
Bryce Mella, Fr., WR
MJ Iosefo, Jr., RB

Defensive coordinator: Joseph Haymore

2021 defense: 29.7 ppg (No. 23 in 5A)

Four returning starters
4-3 defense

Returning defensive starters

Tyler Hunter, Jr., FS
Aiden Vongsawad, Sr., SS
Tyson Miller, Jr., LB
Joe Vance, Sr., DE

Key defensive newcomers

Logan Wheeler, Sr., DE
Nash Price, Jr., LB

4. Payson Lions

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2021 Record: 5-6 (sixth in Region 7 with a 2-5 record)

2021 RPI ranking: No. 19 in 5A

2021 postseason: Lost to Olympus, 49-21, in the 5A first round

All-time record: 398-490-39 (111 years)

State titles: 4 (1925, 1943, 1969, 1971)

Region titles: 15 (1909, 1919, 1921, 1925, 1928, 1932, 1943, 1949, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1976 co)

2022 Schedule

Head coach: Arnold Ale

Entering his first season as head coach. He’s a graduate of Carson High in California and UCLA.

Coach Arnold Ale’s general outlook

We are excited about our program and look forward to the upcoming 2022 football season. Our coaches, players and parents have worked extremely hard this summer. Our focus has been on offense/defense installation and fundamentals, building a team-first culture, and accountability. Our success during the season will be a result of our buy in to this process.

Offensive coordinator: Easton Smith and offensive staff

2021 offense: 26.7 ppg (No. 17 in 5A)

Five returning starters
Multiple offenses

Returning offensive starters

Cooper Swasey, Jr., WR
Jaxton Howard, Sr., WR
Kelton Smith, Sr., RB
Zayden Cook, Jr., OL.
Trey Worthen, Jr., OL.

Key offensive newcomers

Cade Edwards, Jr., QB
Benjamin Beddes, Jr., OL
Dylan Wall, Jr., WR

Defensive coordinator: Defensive staff

2021 defense: 28.8 ppg (No. 22 in 5A)

Five returning starters
Multiple defenses

Returning defensive starters

Rett Robinson, Sr., CB
Zayden Cook, Jr., DT
Josh Webber, Sr., LB
Kamden Schimpf, Sr., LB
Trey Worthen, Jr., DT
Quin Christensen, Sr., DB

Key defensive newcomers

Jaxon Bulkley, Sr., LB
Chandler Loveless, Jr., ATH
Lincoln Ewell, Sr., DE
Porter Beckstead, Jr., CB
Tanner Ivers, Jr., S

5. Tooele Buffaloes

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2021 Record: 7-3 (tied for second in Region 7 with a 5-2 record)

2021 RPI ranking: No. 9 in 5A

2021 postseason: Lost to Box Elder, 22-14, in the 5A first round

All-time record: 423-493-20 (106 years)

State titles: 5 (1928, 1929, 1933, 1937, 2002)

Region titles: 20 (1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1962, 1985, 1988 co, 2001, 2002, 2016 co)

2022 Schedule

Head coach: BJ Hunter

A long-time assistant at Tooele, BJ Hunter is taking over as head coach in 2022. He previously served as the head coach at Granite from 2002 to 2004, where his teams went 1-26. He’s a graduate of Granger and Utah.

Coach BJ Hunter’s general outlook

A lot of new faces will be taking the field for the 2022 Tooele Buffaloes as only two returning starters back from the 2021 team. With a new coaching staff and schemes on both sides of the ball the team will have a different look for the coming season. There is a three-way battle for QB between Bronson Larrat (Sr.), Kaden Dean (Jr.) and Cooper Anderson (So.). The team will be anchored up front on offense by Dalton McQuiddy and on defense by Brock Thrall. We’ve been pleased with our offseason as the kids have had great attendance and worked very hard. We are excited for the upcoming season.

Offensive coordinator: BJ Hunter

2021 offense: 37.6 ppg (No. 4 in 5A)

One returning starters
Wing-T offense

Returning offensive starters

Dalton McQuiddy, Sr., OL

Key offensive newcomers

Seth Valencia, Jr., RB
Josh Willson, Sr., RB
Bronson Larrat, Sr., WR/QB
Lucas Rydalch, Sr., RB
Luke Avina, Sr., RB

Defensive coordinator: Byron Anderson

2021 defense: 18.1 ppg (No. 6 in 5A)

One returning starters
4-3 defense

Returning defensive starters

Brock Thrall, Jr., DL

Key defensive newcomers

Bronson Larrat, Sr., DB
Luke Avina, Sr., LB
Lucas Rydalch, Sr., LB
Josh Willson, Sr., LB/DL
Wes Tso, Sr., DB

6. Uintah Utes

uintah.sidebar

2021 Record: 5-6 (fifth in Region 7 with a 3-4 record)

2021 RPI ranking: No. 16 in 5A

2021 postseason: Lost to Alta, 54-13, in the 5A first round

All-time record: 242-423-6 (76 years)

State titles: 1 (1994)

Region titles: 8 (1931, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1994, 1998, 2000 co, 2001 co)

2022 Schedule

Head coach: Justin DeCol

Entering his third season as head coach at his alma mater, recording a 5-14 record the previous two years. Previously he’d been assistant coach at Union, Mountain Crest, Box Elder and Snow College. He’s a graduate of Utah State.

Coach Justin DeCol’s general outlook

Uintah High School will return a hard working blue collar attitude team in 2022. Our players have been great at being committed in our off-season and summer strength and conditioning and I believe that will help us to compete and play fast and confident.

Offensive coordinator: Scott Mansfield

2021 offense: 23.5 ppg (No. 22 in 5A)

Six returning starters
Multiple offenses

Returning offensive starters

Kelton Bingham, OT
Ben Callahan, OG
Kaedyn Sheffield, WR
Jaron Colton, WR
Jace Evans, RB
Dace O’Bagy, RB

Key offensive newcomers

Chase Harding, QB

Defensive coordinator: Justin DeCol

2021 defense: 33.1 ppg (No. 28 in 5A)

Eight returning starters
Multiple defenses

Returning defensive starters

Jonah Mamea, DE
Porter Gehring, DE
Chase Harding, LB
Jake Rhoades, LB
Kaedyn Sheffield, FS
Jace Evans, SS
Jaron Colton, CB
Edy Pinales, CB

Key defensive newcomers

Austin Richens, DE
Brody Rhoades, LB

7. Mountain View Bruins

mountain.view.sidebar

2021 Record: 1-9 (seventh in Region 7 with a 1-6 record)

2021 RPI ranking: No. 31 in 5A

2021 postseason: Did not participate

All-time record: 181-242 (42 years)

State titles: None

Region titles: 5 (1983, 1985 co, 1989, 1999, 2004 co)

2022 Schedule

Head coach: Abe Poduska

Heading into his second season as head coach at Mountain View after last year’s 1-9 debut season. He’s a graduate of Clovis High School in California and National University in California.

Coach Abe Poduska’s general outlook

This year we expect to be much more competitive than last year. We have some great Senior Leadership stepping up. Dustin Havea, Messi Pahulu, Isaac Bates and Jackson McCarty are a few of those seniors that have accepted the challenge to lead. The players are entering their second year in what were both brand new offensive and defensive schemes last year.

Offensive coordinator: Matt Bailey

2021 offense: 17.0 ppg (No. 29 in 5A)

Eight returning starters
Spread offense

Returning offensive starters

Jackson McCarty, Sr., QB
Kyler Copeland, Sr., RB
Laumeesi Pahulu, Sr., RB/WR
Dustin Havea, Sr., TE
Isaac Bates, Sr., TE/OL
Zarian Kama, Sr., OL
Jackson Spieth, Sr., OL
Tanginoa Teaupa, Jr., OL

Key offensive newcomers

Ty Mullen, Jr., WR.

Defensive coordinator: Abe Poduska

2021 defense: 41.3 ppg (No. 31 in 5A)

Eight returning starters
4-3 defense

Returning defensive starters

Austin Atwood, Sr., LB
Dustin Havea, Sr., LB
Isaiah Ugapo, Sr., S
Laumeesi Pahulu, Sr., LB
Isaac Bates, Sr., S
Arizona Priddis, Jr., DE/LB
Anoakekai Ballard, Sr., DL
Zarian Kama, Sr., DL

Key defensive newcomers

Seth Johnson, Sr., DE
Lucas Bautista, Jr., CB
Loko Tonga, Sr., DL
Michael Ernest, Sr., DE

8. Hillcrest Huskies

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2021 Record: 1-9 (eighth in Region 7 with a 0-7 record)

2021 RPI ranking: No. 32 in 5A

2021 postseason: Did not participate

All-time record: 233-349-8 (60 years)

State titles: None

Region titles: 7 (1966 co, 1968, 1975, 1980, 1981 co, 1983, 1984 co)

2022 Schedule

Head coach: Brock Bryant

Entering his fourth season as head coach at Hillcrest after recording a 5-27 record since his debut season in 2019. He’s a graduate of Olympus High School and the University of Utah.

Coach Brock Bryant’s general outlook

With a program that relies heavily on it’s youth program to provide future student-athletes, we are continuing to build positive relationships with them, the parents and community members of Midvale and Sandy. We have some great players! I am proud of their dedication and loyalty to the program. We had a great experience at our padded camp in Twin Falls, Idaho. The players have worked hard this summer and are looking forward to start the season.

Offensive coordinator: Tim Brenneisen

2021 offense: 9.5 ppg (No. 32 in 5A)