Note: Juan Diego finished with a 7-5 overall record in 2018 and was tied for second in 3A South with a 3-2 record. It lost to Summit Academy 40-6 in the 3A semifinals.
Juan Diego 2018 Offensive and Defensive Stats
DRAPER — Last season, Juan Diego — winners of three straight 3A football championships — ran into its match in Summit Academy in the semifinals, losing 40-6 and ending the Soaring Eagle’s championship hopes.
This year, as always, Juan Diego has its sights set on getting back to the top of the 3A mountain.
“We always talk about being the best possible football team we can be, living up to our potential, and so we kind of preach that from day one — be as good as we can be. Let’s not be satisfied with being good, let’s try and be better,” head coach John Colosimo said. “Hopefully, we’ll be good enough to be able to make a good run in the state tournament. I think we can, I think we have the potential to do that, so we’ll keep working towards that goal."
The Soaring Eagle enter 2019 pretty inexperienced, especially on offense.
“We are inexperienced on both sides of the ball, we don’t have a whole lot of returning starters. We had a great class last year and they dominated pretty much all of the positions,” Colosimo said.
Juan Diego has three offensive line starters returning, but the only starting skill position returning is quarterback Justice Brusatto. The Soaring Eagle will have to replace star running backs Hunter Easterly and Tristen Tonozzi.
“We have to replace two very, very good running backs with some kids, but I think we have potential,” Colosimo said.
With the new UHSAA RPI rules, every game counts — even more so than usual — so Juan Diego will have to be ready to go on Aug. 16 when it faces Bear River to open the season.
“We just have to pick up ready to go. We start with Bear River and they’re always a tough team to play. It will be a good measuring stick for us, see how far we’ve been able to bring this team,” Colosimo said. “It’s different now because all the games count towards how you’re going to be seeded in the state tournament, so it’s important that we’re good right from the very beginning because we’ve got a pretty tough schedule, go out and try and be as successful as we can against those teams.”
Team at a glance
Coach: John Colosimo enters his 20th year as head coach at Juan Diego and his 32nd year overall as a head coach. He holds a 183-47 record at Juan Diego.
Colosimo’s comments on new UHSAA RPI:
“I think it’s interesting. It’s not a bad idea so you don’t have those situations, I know there was a couple years where Alta and Bingham were the two best teams and they would meet in the semifinals and probably should have been a final game. We play teams early in the tournament that I thought should have been a later round game. We’ll see how this plays out. The interesting thing is every game counts and the other thing they did was put a multiplier if you’re playing teams above you, then you also get demoted if you play teams below you, so that’s an interesting idea. You could be third in your region and be the No. 1 seed. I think our region is pretty tough, I think our region might be the toughest 3A region, so we will have an opportunity to play some good teams and hopefully improve our RPI and get a good seed in the tournament.”
Team Offensive Snapshot
Offensive coordinator: Greg Williams
2018 offensive production: 27.7 ppg (5th in 3A)
-- Four returning starters
-- Split back Veer offense
Key offensive returning starters
-- Justice Brusatto (QB)
Brusatto has experience at quarterback, throwing for 182 yards last year and rushing for 70 and two touchdowns.
-- Graham Skirucha (OG)
Skirucha will be one of two seniors anchoring the offensive line.
Returning offensive starters
Justice Brusatto (QB)
Konnor Kaczka (OT)
Trace Monson (OG)
Graham Skirucha (OG)
Offensive newcomers to watch
Logan Huggard (C)
Lake Jacobs (OL)
Kekoa Mataele (TE)
Xavier Carlton (TE)
Colosimo’s comments on Justice Brusatto:
“Justice Brusatto throws a nice ball, he can throw the ball really well and I think that’s going to be an advantage to us. He’s also very good at reading on the RPO, our veer option game, and I expect him to step right in and be as good as our quarterbacks have been in the past years.”
Colosimo’s comments on offensive line:
“Having three offensive linemen back is huge. They’ve been experienced, they’ll be better than they were last year, they’ll help us keep things going, keep things settled down. I think our offensive line has the potential to be as good as any one we’ve had, but potential, we’ll see if that plays out, but I think it’s an opportunity. The offensive line could be good.”
Colosimo’s comments on running backs:
“It looks good. We know we have Jackson Butler, who played a lot, Jayden Madry is another kids that played a lot of running back last year. Dominick Lewis, a junior, is showing some great work ethic. We’ve got a couple sophomores, so it’s just a matter of who steps up and who’s at those positions. They understand our offense, they’re very capable, smart kids. I’m looking for great things out of them.”
Keys for offensive success in 2019:
Colosimo’s keys to success are running the ball, controlling the game with running and being able to pass.
Team Defensive Snapshot
Defensive coordinator: Joe Colosimo
2018 defensive production: 19.3 ppg (4th in 4A)
-- Five returning starters
-- Okie defense
Key defensive returning starters
-- Cartur Gray (SS)
Gray led the team in tackles last year, with 62. He also added a sack and an interception.
-- Jackson Butler (LB)
Buttler had 28 tackles and a sack in 2018.
Returning defensive starters
Kaden Bravo (NG)
Jackson Butler (LB)
Grant Dhondt (C)
Cartur Gray (SS)
Kekoa Mataele (DE)
Defensive newcomers to watch
Xavier Carlton (DE)
Isaiah Taufaasau (DL)
Maui Roopinia (CB)
Rangireva Colombel (LB)
Colosimo’s comments on defensive line:
“Defensive line, I think we’re going to have an outstanding defensive line. I’m really excited about the guys that we have there, especially since we are playing a number of passing teams, we’re going to be able to get a pass rush. They’re athletic, they’re big. Xavier (Carlton) is a transfer kid from Calfornia who’s everything everybody says he is — he’s a big, athletic kid, he’s a good leader. We’ve got Isaiah (Taufaasau), Kaden (Bravo), a couple other defensive ends that are decent.”
Colosimo’s comments on Jackson Butler:
“Jackson’s going to be an iron man for us, probably going to start both ways for us, probably going to start at running back for us and then on defense. He’s a great leader, great work ethic, has a great attitude. He’s a fun kid to watch play and I expect the best from him. He was a little banged up last year but he seems to come back from all that. He’s healthy right now and I expect good things from him.”
Colosimo’s comments on Cartur Gray:
“There’s another fine, outstanding kid. Same thing, good leader. We’ll probably start him just on defense. I expect his impact will be in special situations on offense, but on every down on defense.”
Keys for defensive success in 2019:
Colosimo’s key to defensive success will be if the defense can pick up the experience to be able to react to situations.
Bottom line:
Juan Diego comes into the year fairly inexperienced at running back, which is the key position for the Soaring Eagle. With only four returning starters on offense and five on defense, Juan Diego’s success will depend on how fast the newcomers get acclimated as the Soaring Eagle play a tough Region 13 schedule.
Coaches preseason Region 13 straw poll: Second
Deseret News Region 13 prediction: Third
Key Region Game: at Morgan, Oct. 4 (Week 8)
2019 Schedule
Aug. 16 — at Bear River, 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 — PARK CITY, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 — at Skyline, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 — MANTI, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 — at Copper Hills, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 — SOUTH SUMMIT, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 — SUMMIT ACADEMY, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 — at Morgan, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 — at Grantsville, 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 — JUDGE MEMORIAL, 7 p.m.
….
Felts Facts for Juan Diego High School
All-time record: 178-43 (19 years)
Region championships: 12 (2003, 2004, 2005 co, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017)
Playoff appearances: 18
Current playoff appearance streak: 18 (2001-2018)
All-time playoff record: 39-10
State championships: 8 (2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017)
State championship record: 8-1
Most played rivalry: 17 meetings with Judge Memorial dating back to 2001.
Felt’s Factoid: JD has the best all-time winning percentage in the state at .816 and is tops in average victories per season with 9.81.
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Last 5
- 2018 — 7-5 (3-2 in 3A South – 3A Semifinals)
- 2017 — 11-1 (4-1 in 3A South - 3A Champions)
- 2016 — 8-4 (4-1 in 3A North – 3A Champions)
- 2015 — 12-1 (5-0 in 3A North – 3A Champions)
- 2014 — 5-5 (5-1 in 3AA North – 3AA Quarterfinals)
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Juan Diego coaching history
- 2000-current — John Colosimo (183-47)
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Deseret News MVPs the past 10 years
- 2017 — Zac Hoffman, QB
- 2016 — Ryan Baker, RB
- 2015 — Alex Hoffman, QB
- 2010 — Taylor Cassita, LB
Deseret News First Team all-staters the past 10 years
- 2018 — Hunter Easterly, FB
- 2018 — DJ Larson, OT
- 2018 — Tristen Tonozzi, ATH
- 2017 — Alex Saunders, K
- 2017 — Dallen Davis, S
- 2017 — Max Butkovich, LB
- 2017 — Kyle Abundo, DT
- 2017 — Quinn Brown, OL
- 2017 — Hunter Easterly, FB
- 2016 — Connor Dumont, OL
- 2016 — Nic Bianchi, LB
- 2016 — Stone Azarcon, CB
- 2016 — Alex Saunders, K
- 2016 — Zach Hoffman, ATH
- 2015 — Jorge Rico, OL
- 2015 — Blake Moore, LB
- 2015 — Joshua Vasquez, DB
- 2014 — Andrew Markosian, DL
- 2013 — Cole Nelson, QB
- 2013 — Semisi Bloomfield, DL
- 2013 — Harry Jones, LB
- 2013 — Andrew Montoya, K
- 2012 — Zach Schekel, OL
- 2012 — Dakota Cox, LB
- 2012 — Walter Kauhaahaa, LB
- 2011 — Jared McCauley, OL
- 2011 — Ryan McCauley, DL
- 2011 — Dakota Cox, LB
- 2010 — Oliver Weight, DB
- 2010 — Eric Heinz, TE
- 2010 — Jalin Ames, OL
- 2009 — Cody Stevenson, QB
- 2009 — Christian Ika, OL/DL
- 2009 — Tana Vea, RB/DB
- 2009 — Keegan Andersen, WR/DB
- 2009 — Frank Sutera, DB
- 2009 — Junior Latu, DL
- 2009 — Trevor McFalls, TE/DL
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.