Note: South Sevier finished with a 5-6 overall record in 2018 and was tied for fifth in 2A South with a 1-4 record. It lost to Grand 28-21 in the 2A quarterfinals.
South Sevier 2018 offensive and defensive stats
MONROE — A challenge awaits new South Sevier head coach John Ramage.
The Rams took a step forward last year, winning just four games in the regular season but securing a playoff victory in the first round against American Leadership before narrowly losing by seven points in the 2A quarterfinals to Grand.
Ramage will attempt to build South Sevier into a contender, but the Rams will be without star running back Tyson Chisholm, who graduated. Last year, Chisholm rushed for 1,883 yards and 23 touchdowns en route to being named to the Deseret News 2A first team. The challenge for South Sevier will be replacing Chisholm at running back. South Sevier starting quarterback Tracen Winkel will be back, along with two starting receivers and offensive linemen. On defense, the Rams return a stable of defensive backs, including Brody Carter and two defensive linemen, including Bryce Healey.
The key to South Sevier’s success this year will be how fast a replacement to Chisholm emerges and if the defense gels fast.
Team at a glance
Coach: John Ramage is entering his first year as head coach of South Sevier.
Coach comments on new UHSAA RPI:
“It’s worth a try, I guess. I don’t like anything that takes away from what a team does during the season. If a team can win their region, they’re the region champs. Just because the region was weak, they can end up playing another region. I can see the thinking on it and I kind of like the idea … The concept is good, where if you’ve got a real strong region, which I know they’ve got some of that up north, some of the big boys are all in the same region and they’re battling for that first-place spot. They lose a couple games by a point and all of the sudden, they’re the fourth seed.”
Team offensive snapshot
Offensive coordinator: John Ramage
2018 offensive production: 29.8 ppg (3rd in 2A)
— 7 returning starters
— Single wing/spread offense
Key offensive returning starters
— Tracen Winkle (QB)
Returns for another year as starting quarterback. He threw for 1,118 yards with five touchdowns and 10 interceptions a season ago.
— Brody Carter (WB/WR)
Was the second-leading receiver on the team with 163 yards and a touchdown.
Returning offensive starters
Tracen Winkel (QB)
Bo Louder (OL)
Brody Carter (WB/WR)
Cooper Hessey (WR)
Connor Peterson (RB)
C J Aimes (OL)
Offensive newcomers to watch
Parker Brian (RB)
Luke Jarnagin (TE)
Jaxin Torgerson (RB)
Coach Ramage’s comments on Tracen Winkel:
“I’m expecting a good year our of Tracen. I think he’s matured, he definitely has the experience, this being his third year at the helm. We’re definitely expecting some good things from him. We’re going to put a little bit more on his shoulders and I hope he jumps through. Talk is cheap, but that’s what we’re looking at.”
Coach Ramage’s comments on running backs:
“We lost Tyson (Chisholm), which is a huge loss, but we’ve got a couple kids that were there last year. Brody (Carter) did real good for us at that wing position, we expect him to come out and do some things there. We’ve got Connor Peterson, he’s got a little bit of speed and he got some good reps there towards the end of the year, we expect him to help out a lot. We had a new kid move in that has been a real help for us, Jaxin Torgerson. He’ll be a junior, we expect to see him working there. We’ve got some young kids that are showing some promise. I don’t know if we have the big bruiser like we’ve had in the past with Tyson, but we’ve got some speed.”
Coach Ramage’s comments on returning wide receivers:
“It’s going to help us a lot, their experience and what they’ve done. They’re both showing good leadership there as well. Both of them have been elected captains and so that leadership and experience, it’s tough to coach, it’s good to have.”
Keys for offensive success in 2019:
Ramage’s keys to offensive success is learning the playbook and learning the offense.
Team defensive snapshot
Defensive coordinator: Bryce Twitchell
2018 defensive production: 23.9 ppg (7th in 2A)
— 5 returning starters
— 3-5-3 defense
Key defensive returning starters
— Brody Carter (DB)
Had 61 tackles a season ago.
— Bryce Healey (DL)
Had 43 tackles and three sacks last year.
Returning defensive starters
Bo Louder (DL)
Brody Carter (DB)
Cooper Hessey (DB)
Connor Peterson (LB/DB)
Bryce Healey (DL)
Defensive newcomers to watch
Jaxin Torgerson
Noah Ramsey
Coach Ramage’s comments on defensive backs:
“I think that right now that’s probably the strength of our defense. It’s the only place where we have any real experience. I think they’re going to have to step up and really help us, especially early on, just with the leadership and helping things to gel as a group.”
Coach Ramage’s comments on returning defensive line:
“They both played well for us last year and they’re going to have to anchor that front and get that going for us, kind of give us a little bit more hopefully up front than what we’ve had in the past.”
Coach Ramage’s comments on defensive newcomers:
“We need to find us a free safety that can fill the shoes of Yates Taylor, with all of the picks he had last year, that was huge. I think Noah Ramsey’s probably going to help us out there, if not, we’ll find a spot for him somewhere. He’s a young kid that’s got some ability, so hopefully he can help us out there and do something. We’re hoping that Jaxin Torgerson can help us out with linebacker. We’re very young at linebacker, we lost a lot of linebackers, so we’re really young there.”
Keys for defensive success in 2019:
Ramage’s key for defensive success hinges on if the defense can gel together and learn the defense.
Coaches preseason Region 12 straw poll: 5th
Deseret News Region 12 prediction: 4th
Key region game: vs. San Juan, Sept. 20 (Week 6)
Bottom line
The key to South Sevier’s success this year will be how fast a replacement to Chisholm emerges and if the defense gels fast.
2019 schedule
Aug. 16 — NORTH SEVIER, 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 — ENTERPRISE, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 — at North Sanpete, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 — at Juab, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 — at Delta, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 — SAN JUAN, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 — at Richfield, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 — EMERY, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 — at Grand, 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 — CARBON, 7 p.m.
….
Felt’s Facts for South Sevier High School
All-time record: 212-332-1 (64 years)
Region championships: 7 (1925, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 2000, 2009 co)
Playoff appearances: 33
Current playoff appearance streak: 6 (2013-2018)
All-time playoff record: 13-32-1
State championships: 1 (1925)* Payson and South Sevier tied in the semifinals in 1925, but no state championship was held. Both were awarded state titles.
State championship record: 0-0
Most played rivalry: 59 meetings with Richfield dating back to 1920. Richfield leads 41-18.
Felt’s Factoids: Jared Petersen threw a 99-yard pass to Brett Wallace in 1997 to become one of just 13 pairs of players to complete a 99-yard pass. … South Sevier took home its only state-championship football trophy without playing in a championship game, in 1925. In the semifinals that year, East and West tied, as did Payson and South Sevier. Rather than hold additional games to break the ties, all four were awarded state crowns.
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Last 5
- 2018 — 5-6 (1-4 in 2A South - 2A Quarterfinals)
- 2017 — 3-7 (1-4 in 2A South - 2A First round)
- 2016 — 4-7 (2-3 in 2A South - 2A Quarterfinals)
- 2015 — 1-9 (1-4 in 2A South - 2A First round)
- 2014 — 6-5 (4-2 in 2A South - 2A Semifinals)
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South Sevier coaching history
- 2019 — John Ramage (0-0)
- 2010-2018 — Weston Zabriskie (31-64)
- 2003-2009 — Travis McAllister (34-35)
- 1998-2002 — Clint Christiansen (26-26)
- 1993-1997 — Brent Hafen (7-38)
- 1992 — Ron Winegar (1-8)
- 1991 — Rick Orr (1-7)
- 1984-1990 — Alfred Frehner (13-48)
- 1981-1983 — Garry Walker (6-20)
- 1980 — David Hare (6-5)
- 1971-1979 — Richard Orr (55-39)
- 1970 — Mike Jones (2-9)
.....
Deseret News First Team All-Staters the past 10 years
- 2018 — Tyson Chisholm, RB
- 2018 — Yates Taylor, DB
- 2018 — Brad Taylor, K
- 2017 — Tyson Chisholm, LB
- 2016 — Tyson Chisholm, RB/LB
- 2016 — Braxton Vakautakakala, OL/DL
- 2014 — Trevor Jones, QB/DB
- 2014 — Avery Healey, RB/LB
- 2014 — Brock Bastian, TE/LB
- 2013 — Wyatt Anderson, OL/DL
- 2012 — Wyatt Anderson, OL/DL
- 2011 — Patrick Baker, RB/DB
- 2010 — Logan Baker, TE/LB
- 2010 — Clayton Higginson, OL/LB
- 2009 — Ryan Anderson, OL/DL
- 2009 — Dillon Bishoff, WR/LB
- 2009 — Jace Mecham, OL/LB
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.