3A Championship
No. 3 Manti vs. No. 1 Cedar
A battle of offensive juggernauts awaits as undefeated Cedar (12-0) faces Manti (9-3) in the 3A state championship Saturday at Zions Bank Stadium. The 10 a.m. kickoff will feature two teams with contrasting championship pedigrees but similar explosive capabilities.
The Reds, averaging a blistering 43.8 points per game, are chasing the first state football championship in school history. Standing in their way is a Manti program that knows championship success but has been waiting for more than a decade to add to its collection of four state titles (1999, 2003, 2011, 2012) while scoring at a 40-point-per-game clip this season.
Cedar quarterback Everett Kelling has been the engine driving the Reds’ perfect season, accumulating 3,408 total yards and 46 touchdowns. The dual-threat senior has passed for 2,443 yards and 29 touchdowns against just three interceptions, while adding 965 rushing yards and 17 scores on the ground.
The teams met earlier this season on Sept. 12, with Cedar claiming a decisive 51-27 victory. Kelling torched the Templars with three touchdown runs, including a 65-yard dagger in the fourth quarter.
Manti running back Tala Taulapapa scored four rushing touchdowns in that loss but couldn’t keep pace with Cedar’s relentless attack. The senior has been a force all season with 1,077 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns while also leading the defense with 95 tackles.
Both teams dispatched formidable opponents in the semifinals. Cedar survived Juab 23-16 in a defensive struggle, while Manti upset No. 2 Morgan 42-28 behind quarterback Carter Mason’s four touchdown passes.
Mason, who has thrown for 3,190 yards and 34 touchdowns this season, found his rhythm in the semifinal victory, connecting with Ty Pringle for a pivotal 62-yard touchdown strike that helped seal the win against Morgan.
Cedar’s perfect season has been powered by a balanced offense featuring running back Braxton DeMille (1,357 yards, 12 TDs) and big-play receiver Slade Parsons, whose 33 catches have produced 833 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging a remarkable 25.2 yards per reception.
The Reds’ defense, anchored by linebacker Dax Wankier (119 tackles) and defensive back Junior Togiai-Bloomfield (70 tackles), has allowed just 18.7 points per game.
Manti counters with a prolific passing attack led by Mason finding Stone Mortensen (65 catches, 1,339 yards, 16 TDs) and Pringle (22 catches, 426 yards, 8 TDs) while the defense relies on the linebacking trio of Taulapapa, Spencer Robbins (85 tackles) and Mac Olsen (75 tackles, 10 sacks).
The championship represents a chance for Cedar to complete a perfect season and secure an elusive first title, while Manti aims to end a 13-year championship drought that dates back to 2012.
2A Championship
No. 3 South Summit vs. No. 1 San Juan
A rematch with historic implications awaits as San Juan (10-2) seeks its fifth consecutive state championship against South Summit (8-4) in Saturday’s 2A title game at Zions Bank Stadium.
The 4 p.m. kickoff features the explosive Broncos pursuing rare air in Utah high school football history. Only three programs have won five or more consecutive championships: Skyline (1995-1999), East (1917-1923) and West (1898-1905).
San Juan’s Jagger Nieves enters the final game with 37 rushing touchdowns, just one shy of tying the single-season state record of 38 shared by Grantsville’s Alan Mouritsen (1997) and East’s Jaylen Warren (2016).
These teams met on Sept. 12 when San Juan hammered South Summit 69-21 on the Wildcats’ home field. The Broncos erupted for 32 first-quarter points and led 62-14 at halftime.
Both teams have been impressive in their playoff runs. San Juan dominated Judge Memorial 77-2 in the quarterfinals before dispatching Summit Academy 51-27 in the semifinals. South Summit has found its stride late in the season, dismantling American Leadership 55-20 in the quarterfinals before shutting out South Sevier 34-0 in the semifinals.
The Broncos’ offense has been nearly unstoppable, averaging 54.2 points per game behind Nieves’ record-chasing season. The senior running back has amassed 1,938 rushing yards (9.9 per carry) while quarterback Beau Yeomans has thrown for 3,186 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Yeomans’ favorite target has been Tripp Palmer, who has 68 receptions for 1,356 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Broncos’ defense, led by Nieves (85 tackles) and George McNaughtan (72 tackles, 14 sacks), has allowed just 19.8 points per game.
South Summit counters with a balanced attack led by quarterback Ian Mair, who has thrown for 2,314 yards and 28 touchdowns while adding nine rushing scores. Bryce Pulver (695 rushing yards, 8 TDs) provides punch on the ground while Blake Osguthorpe (53 catches, 742 yards, 13 TDs) leads the receiving corps.
The Wildcats’ defense is anchored by linebacker Ammon Marchant (96 tackles) and Theus Reed (99 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 interceptions).
South Summit’s championship pedigree includes eight state titles (1977, 1978, 1984, 1988, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018).
While the regular-season matchup was decidedly one-sided, the Wildcats have improved dramatically since September, winning six of their last seven games including back-to-back playoff victories by a combined score of 89-20.
The question remains whether South Summit can slow down Nieves and company enough to prevent the Broncos from making history while potentially adding a ninth championship trophy to their own storied collection.
1A Championship
No. 2 Beaver. vs. No. 1 Kanab
A championship rivalry steeped in tradition unfolds Friday when Kanab (10-1) and Beaver (10-2) meet at Southern Utah University for the 1A state title.
The 1 p.m. kickoff features programs that have combined for 24 state championships and will decide whether Beaver adds a 16th title to extend its remarkable run of back-to-back championships or if Kanab captures its 10th crown after a championship drought dating back to 2007.
The teams met Sept. 19 with Kanab claiming a 26-14 victory on its home field. The Cowboys built a 12-0 halftime lead behind Hayden Gubler’s running and never trailed, though Beaver battled back with second-half touchdowns from Davin Orton and Dawson Orton.
Gubler, the Cowboys’ offensive catalyst, has amassed 928 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns this season. The senior scored three touchdowns in the regular season victory over Beaver and continued his dominance in Kanab’s semifinal win over North Summit, breaking free for a 92-yard touchdown run among multiple scores.
Kanab quarterback Brogun Virostko provides balance with 1,262 passing yards and 14 touchdowns against just three interceptions. His favorite target, Lattimer Glover, has 18 receptions for 221 yards and five touchdowns, including a score in the previous meeting with Beaver.
The Cowboys’ defense, allowing 16.8 points per game, is anchored by linebackers Kolton Blomquist (65 tackles) and Grady Anderson (64 tackles, seven interceptions).
Beaver counters with its own dynamic quarterback in Davin Orton, who has accumulated 912 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns while passing for 1,137 yards and 13 scores without an interception. The Beavers also feature running back Bridger Blackner (730 yards, 9 TDs) and deep threat Noah Wolff (14 catches, 424 yards, five TDs).
Defensively, the Beavers surrender just 13.6 points per game behind linebacker Jex Bradshaw (95 tackles) and defensive back Dominique Tobey (81 tackles, two interceptions).
Both teams took similar paths to the championship. Kanab overwhelmed Gunnison Valley 49-0 in the quarterfinals before dispatching North Summit 43-19 in the semifinals. Beaver blanked Parowan 49-0 in the quarterfinals, then earned a hard-fought 24-14 win over Duchesne in the semifinal round.
Friday’s matchup represents the latest chapter in one of southern Utah’s most storied rivalries, with Beaver looking to further cement its dynasty while Kanab aims to return to championship glory after 18 years.
1A 8-player Championship
No. 2 Milford vs. No. 1 Rich
Two offensive juggernauts collide Saturday as two-time defending champion Rich (9-3) faces first-year 8-player program Milford (9-2) in the 1A 8-player state championship at Zions Bank Stadium.
The 1 p.m. kickoff features a rematch of Rich’s early-season 25-18 victory, though the Tigers enter the championship game looking vastly different from the team that fell short in August.
In their previous meeting, Milford was playing just their second-ever 8-player game, with coaching staff still adjusting to the nuances of the format. According to coach Thane Marshall, the team has improved night and day since that early-season encounter.
The numbers support this assessment. Milford enters the championship averaging a staggering 51.4 points per game while allowing just 9.2. The Tigers’ semifinal performance—an 83-24 dismantling of Monticello—showcased their evolution into an 8-player powerhouse.
Rich, seeking to become the first program to win three consecutive 8-player titles, counters with an offense scoring 35.9 points per contest. The Rebels dominated Whitehorse 50-8 in their semifinal, with Jett Holmes contributing a 10-yard touchdown run and three scoring passes, including a 76-yard strike.
Holmes has been a dual-threat catalyst for Rich, passing for 839 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding 743 rushing yards and 11 scores. The Rebels’ ground game also features Wilkes Weston, who has accumulated 1,032 rushing yards and seven touchdowns while anchoring the defense with 82 tackles.
Milford’s offensive firepower centers around the connection between quarterback Carson Cheney (1,971 passing yards, 27 TDs) and receiver Boston Sullivan, who has 35 catches for 795 yards and 12 touchdowns. Sullivan’s impact extends to defense, where he’s recorded 74 tackles and an eye-popping 12 interceptions with seven defensive touchdowns.
The Tigers’ explosiveness is further enhanced by Kyzler Merryweather, who has scored 22 total touchdowns—11 rushing, seven receiving, and four on returns, including a spectacular 98-yard interception return against Monticello in the semifinals.
The previous meeting between these teams featured dramatic swings. Milford led 18-6 before Rich rallied, with Holmes scoring a decisive 6-yard touchdown run with 1:59 remaining. The Tigers were held scoreless in the second half, a drought they’re determined not to repeat.
Rich’s defense will be tested by a Milford attack that’s scored 44 or more points in nine of its 11 games. The Rebels counter with defensive standouts Karter Groll (103 tackles, three interceptions) and Aiden Weston (46 tackles, three interceptions).
This report was compiled with the assistance of ChatGPT.