Note: Desert Hills finished with a 6-4 overall record in 2018 and was second in Region 9 with a 5-1 record. It lost to Mountain Crest 31-24 in 4A first round.
Desert Hills 2018 Offensive and Defensive Stats
ST. GEORGE — School splits are tough on high school athletic departments, and it’s Desert Hills turn to be involved again.
Twelve years after Desert Hills split off of Pine View, Desert Hills now gets to experience the other end of the spectrum as new school Crimson Cliffs opens this fall and pulls kids mostly away from the Thunder.
Second-year football coach Mark Murdoch said his team is losing a couple of potential returning starters as a result, but the biggest impact he said will be felt in the younger grades and maybe in future years.
“We just try our best to deal with it and keep things as normal as possible. I don’t feel it’s been too bad for the most part,” said Murdoch, who added that he knows it’s tough on kids who have to decide which school to attend.
Regardless of the school split, Desert Hills was always going to face some uncertainty this year after graduating the bulk of its starters from a year ago. It returns just three offensive and three defensive starters.
Offensively the Thunder will have a brand new offensive line but does return starting quarterback Logan Wilstead and running back Kina Taufa, which is a great foundation to build on.
A year ago Desert Hills ranked second in 4A in only allowing 17.2 ppg, and despite question marks at multiple positions Murdoch said great defense is still the expectation.
With preseason games against solid 5A programs Highland and Alta to open the season, Desert Hills will find out very quickly how all those new faces are fitting in.
Desert Hills Thunder at a glance
Coach: Mark Murdoch is entering is second season as head coach at Desert Hills after tallying a 6-4 record in his first season. He’s a graduate of Payson High School
Murdoch's comments on new UHSAA RPI:
“I think it’s a step in the right direction but I don’t think it’s the answer. It’s a little frustrating for those stuck in a weaker conference. It devalues the region play in my opinion because you could win the region championship but still the No. 2 team could have a higher seed than you do in the playoffs. Those that have a weaker region are forced to play those teams still and because of that they have a lower RPI score so I think there are kinks that still need to be worked out for sure.”
Desert Hills offensive snapshot
Offensive coordinator: Mark Murdoch
2018 offensive production: 28.9 ppg (10th in 4A)
— 3 returning starters
— Spread offense
Key offensive returning starters
— Logan Wilstead (QB)
Wilstead is coming off a junior season in which he completed 43 percent of his passes for 1,166 yards and 11 TDs. He also rushed for 259 yards and five more scores.
— Kina Taufa (RB)
Desert Hills leading rusher a year ago, he returns after racking up 860 yards and 10 TDs last year.
Returning offensive starters
Logan Wilstead (QB)
Kina Taufa (RB)
Jace Mortensen (TE)
Offensive newcomers to watch
Caleb Rogers (WR)
Kire Goulding (WR)
Ethan Ford (RB/Slot)
Chance Ritchen (OL)
Zeke Polu (OL)
Peyton Williams (OL)
Damin Brunson (OL)
Murdoch's comments on returning starting QB Logan Wilstead:
“He’s a good athlete, great leader. He’s going to kind of dictate what we do on offense, and he is such a good athlete we want to use him in that capacity and try to simplify things so he can make quick decisions and use his athleticism if he needs to.”
Murdoch's comments on running back Kina Taufa:
“He’ll continue to get better and have a similar year to what he did last year. He missed a couple of games last year. If we can keep him healthy and keep him in all the games, I think he goes over 1,000 yards, and that’s kind of our hope is that we’ll lean on him cause he’s a good leader and he just runs so hard and the kids really respond to that.”
Murdoch's on tight end Jace Mortensen:
“He started every game for us last year. He’s physical and has great hands. He always catches the ball if you get it in his area and he’s not worry about going over the middle and is really reliable. Logan and him have built a pretty good relationship and Logan trusts him and knows where he’s going to be out on the field to be able to find him.”
Keys for offensive success in 2019:
With barely any returning varsity experience on the offensive line, there are big questions marks offensively heading into the season. Chance Ritchen got a tiny bit of varsity playing time last year, but everyone else around him is new and how quickly the coaching staff can develop the young line will likely define the season.
Desert Hills defensive snapshot
Defensive coordinator: Wes Nunley
2018 defensive production: 17.2 ppg (2nd in 4A)
— 3 returning starters
— Multiple defenses
Key defensive returning starters
— Jarron Polu (LB)
Tied for second on the team a year ago with 69 tackles to go along with five sacks, and he’ll be the heart of the defense this year.
— Damin Brunson (DL)
The lone returning starter on the defensive line, he finished with 45 tackles and 2.5 sacks last year.
Returning defensive starters
Jarron Polu (LB)
Braxton Turnbow (FS)
Damin Brunson (DL)
Defensive newcomers to watch
Zeke Polu (DL)
Jake Warner (DL)
Chance Ritchen (DL)
Luke Watson (S/LB)
Austin Turnbow (FS)
Murdoch's comments on defensive expectation:
“Our expectation for the defense is that the kids are flying around and if we can get some pressure on the quarterback then that will really help us out. I expect us to still be very competitive and we’ll have to grow a little bit as a team and I’m sure we’ll have some growing pains just from the youth that’s out there but the expectation stays the same..”
Murdoch's comments on returning starter linebacker Jarron Polu:
“He’s big-time for us. He’s great at what he does and he’s definitely the leader on that side of the ball. The kids feed off of him and his energy and his physicality, we’re just trying to get him in positions to be successful as well.”
Coach Murdoch comments on the brothers Braxton Turnbow and Austin Turnbow in the secondary:
“Braxton is a competitor and he just keeps getting better. He’s always practicing, always doing individual sessions and anything to get better. He’ll be a help to us at safety definitely. His younger brother Austin will most likely be our other safety as well. The chemistry they have together is really fun to watch and how they work and communicate and I think that we’ll give us an advantage where we’re going to be so young.”
Keys for defensive success in 2019:
Getting pressure on the quarterback was the hallmark of Desert Hills’ defensive success last year. Of that front seven, only two starters are back (Damin Brunson and Jarron Polu) and how quickly the newcomers settle into their roles and get pressure on the quarterback will be key. Murdoch said the coaching staff has a huge responsibility to make sure they get the players in the right spots in that process to maximize their potential.
Bottom line
There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding this team heading into the 2019 season. Some of it has to do with the school split and lower participation numbers, but the bigger issue is with inexperience. A lack of experience in the trenches on both sides of the ball is a huge question mark heading into the season. If the newcomers prove themselves to be as capable as last year’s starters, Desert Hills will compete for the Region 9 title. But if there’s a drop off, cracking the top three in Region 9 will be tough.
Coaches preseason Region 9 straw poll: Second
Deseret News Region 9 prediction: Third
Key region game: vs. Dixie, Aug. 30 (Week 3)
2019 schedule
Aug. 16 — HIGHLAND, 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 — at Alta, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 — DIXIE, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 — at Snow Canyon, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 — HURRICANE, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 — at Cedar, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 — CANYON VIEW, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 — at Crimson Cliffs, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 — at Pine View, 7 p.m.
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Felt’s Facts for Desert Hills High School
All-time record: 81-43 (11 years)
Region championships: 3 (2012 co, 2014 co, 2015 co)
Playoff appearances: 11
Current playoff appearance streak: 11 (2008-2018)
All-time playoff record: 16-8
State championships: 2 (2013, 2016)
State championship record: 2-1
Most played rivalry: 12 meetings with Hurricane, Desert Hills leads 8-5
Felt's Factoids: Desert Hills, 11 years old, is one of just four schools to make the playoffs every year of its history.
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Last five
- 2018 — 6-4 (5-1 in Region 9 — 4A first round)
- 2017 — 6-5 (4-2 in Region 9 — 4A quarterfinals)
- 2016 — 10-2 (4-1 in 3AA South — 3A champions)
- 2015 — 5-5 (4-1 in 3AA South — 3A quarterfinals)
- 2014 — 10-2 (5-1 in 3AA South — 3AA semifinals)
...
Desert Hills coaching history
- 2018-current — Mark Murdoch (6-4)
- 2012-2017 — Carl Franke (44-15)
- 2009-2011 — Jake Nelson (22-12)
- 2008 — Kevin Cuthbertson (3-7)
...
Deseret News MVPs the past 10 years
- 2016 — Nephi Sewell, DB
Deseret News First Team all-staters the past 10 years
- 2018 — Kaige Baird, DE
- 2017 — Penei Sewell, OL
- 2016 — Penei Sewell, OT
- 2016 — Bundy Sewell, DT
- 2016 — Tyler Warner, LB
- 2016 — Ryan Hoppie, S
- 2015 — Justice Alo, OL
- 2015 — Badge Morris, LB
- 2015 — Zak Fuchs, DB
- 2014 — Bridger Cowdin, RB
- 2014 — Justice Alo, OL
- 2014 — Lausii Sewell, DL
- 2014 — Tucker Cowdin, LB
- 2014 — Gabriel Sewell, DB
- 2014 — Nephi Sewell, DB
- 2013 — Bridger Cowdin, RB
- 2013 — Brock Doman, OL
- 2013 — Jake Wagner, DL
- 2013 — Gabe Sewell, LB
- 2013 — Sil Bundy, LB
- 2013 — Braden Reber, DB
- 2012 — Ty Rutledge, QB
- 2012 — Josh Anderson, TE
- 2011 — Mike Needham, RB
- 2011 — Peter Brown, LB
- 2011 — Bud Pope, DB
- 2010 — Peter Brown, LB
- 2010 — Bud Pope, DB
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.