Last year, consensus five-star prospect Noah Sewell helped Orem best fellow Utah County school Timpview in the 2019 5A state football championship.
Following the game, Sewell — who’s now starting at inside linebacker in college — announced his commitment to play at Oregon.
This weekend represents one final time for Utah high school football players to suit up this season, with the 4A, 5A and 6A state football championships on Friday and Saturday. For some seniors, it gives them the chance to make a lasting impression, like Sewell did, before moving on to play at the next level.
The three championship games will feature eight players who are either considered among the top 15 recruits in the state for the class of 2021 by 247 Sports or are committed to Utah, BYU or Utah State.
Here’s a look at each of those eight players and their matchups this week as they seek to take home the championship trophy.
6A championship
Corner Canyon vs. Lone Peak
Friday, Nov. 20, 11 a.m. MST at Cedar Valley High School
Prospects featured:
Corner Canyon: Jackson Light, OL (No. 2 prospect in state, committed to Oregon), Jaxson Dart, QB (No. 3 prospect in state, uncommitted)
Lone Peak: John Henry Daley, LB (No. 9 prospect in state, uncommitted)
The skinny: Two of the state’s top uncommitted prospects will face each other in the 6A matchup, and both the QB Dart and DE Daley will be on the field at the same time. Dart holds scholarship offers from several Power Five programs, as well as BYU, and has thrown a state-record 63 touchdown passes this season. Daley, meanwhile, has garnered interest from several western FBS teams — including BYU, Stanford and Washington State — while posting 22 sacks and 79 tackles as a senior. Light, rated the nation’s top prospect at center, per 247 Sports, has long been committed to Oregon and has helped the Corner Canyon offense average 48.1 points per game this season.
5A championship
Orem vs. Timpview
Friday, Nov. 20, 3 p.m. at Cedar Valley High School
Prospects featured:
Orem: Kingsley Suamataia, OL (No. 1 prospect in state, committed to Oregon)
Timpview: Logan Fano, DE (No. 4 prospect in state, uncommitted), Raider Damuni, ATH (No. 5 prospect in state, committed to BYU)
The skinny: Suamataia committed to the Ducks program in September and is rated among the top prospects in the entire country. Suamataia, who 247 Sports’ Blair Angulo described as a “potential multi-year starter, all-conference type performer and future NFL Draft Day selection,” helped Orem run for 298 yards in their 5A semifinal win. The Damuni and the uncommitted Fano, meanwhile, have helped the T-Birds defensively in reaching the title game. Fano, who holds offers from Utah, BYU and Utah State, in addition to others from Power Five programs, has 70 tackles and 12 sacks (including one last week) on the year. Damuni, who also plays on offense and committed to BYU in 2017, made his third interception of the year in the semifinals.
4A championship
Pine View vs. Sky View
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2 p.m. at Dixie State
Prospects featured:
Pine View: Rick Mua’e, DE (committed to Utah State)
Sky View: Isaac Larsen, CB (committed to Utah State)
The skinny: The 4A championship features a pair of Aggie commits who play on the defensive side of the ball. Larsen, a three-star commit who’s also excelled as a wide receiver this year, had an interception in the Bobcats’ quarterfinal victory two weeks ago and has four picks and 42 tackles on the year. Mua’e came up big in the Panthers’ semifinal win last week, finishing with five tackles and a sack. He has 39 tackles and three tackles for loss on the season. Mua’e and Larsen represent a third of Utah State’s six current commits to its 2021 recruiting class.