When No. 14 Green Canyon (9-5) takes the field Thursday against No. 1 Ridgeline (13-0) in the 4A championship game, the question isn’t whether the Wolves can win – it’s whether they can even keep the game close enough for their late-game heroics to matter.
Green Canyon’s improbable playoff run has been defined by nail-biters: a 10-3 win over Desert Hills, a 23-20 victory against Snow Canyon, a 28-26 triumph over Skyline, and a 24-21 semifinal win over Crimson Cliffs secured by Tanner Holt’s 40-yard field goal with just two minutes remaining. This knack for winning tight contests has carried the 14th-seeded Wolves to their second championship appearance in three years.
But Ridgeline presents an entirely different challenge. The undefeated RiverHawks have dominated opponents all season, averaging 52.1 points per game while allowing just 9.4. When these Cache Valley neighbors met on Oct. 8, Ridgeline raced to a 42-0 halftime lead en route to a 49-14 victory.
For Ridgeline, reaching the championship represents a breakthrough after three consecutive semifinal exits since winning the state title in 2021. The RiverHawks dominated Provo 48-22 in the semifinals behind a stifling defense that forced four turnovers, including two interception returns for touchdowns.
“I have to give all of the credit to my players,” said Ridgeline head coach Travis Cox after the semifinal victory. “After the start we had, it was a little shaky. We had some plans there in the second quarter that really got us going in the right direction again and knock some sense back in us. Once our offense started scoring, I think we just got on a roll from there.”
In their October meeting, Ridgeline quarterback Nate Dahle torched the Wolves for 443 yards and seven touchdowns – six before halftime. Graham Livingston was his primary target, hauling in 12 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns in that matchup.
The RiverHawks’ offensive juggernaut is led by Dahle, who has thrown for 3,724 yards and 50 touchdowns against just six interceptions this season. Livingston has been exceptional all season with 96 receptions for 1,473 yards and 19 touchdowns. Hunter Knighton (622 yards, 10 TDs) and Owen Leishman (509 yards, nine TDs) provide additional weapons, while Noah Fiefia has rushed for 954 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Defensively, Landon Perkins leads Ridgeline with 88 tackles and nine sacks, while Krew Jones has added 68 tackles and 13 sacks. The unit has been opportunistic all season, with multiple players recording defensive touchdowns.
Green Canyon’s semifinal victory over Crimson Cliffs showcased the team’s resilience and defensive prowess that has fueled their playoff run.
“Our defense was really great. We put them in a tough spot. I think we were able to get two turnovers in that first half,” said Green Canyon head coach JT Tauiliili following the semifinal win. “At the end of the day, you just have to play the game as it comes to you. To be able to know that you get one more week with your guys, that you’re going to be the last ones playing, is super special.”
For the Wolves to have any chance at an upset, quarterback Ethan Munk will need to deliver his best performance. The dual-threat senior has passed for 1,677 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding 332 rushing yards and four scores. His top receivers, Hayden Schramm (807 yards, four TDs) and Cody Edelmayer (652 yards, nine TDs), will face a stiff test against Ridgeline’s secondary.
Defensively, the Wolves are led by Eli Wheatley (126 tackles, 18 sacks), Sawyer Rainey (120 tackles, five sacks), and Bryson Pabst (101 tackles, six interceptions).
Despite some concerns about his team’s running game in the semifinal, Cox remains confident in his squad’s ability to make adjustments. “I love our speed out there but I feel like we really didn’t run the ball very well,” he said after beating Provo. “We got to get that going earlier, so we got to figure that out over the weekend.”
This championship matchup marks the first playoff meeting between these Cache Valley rivals. Ridgeline holds a 7-2 advantage in the all-time series, having won six straight against the Wolves since 2019.
This isn’t the first time Green Canyon has made a deep playoff run as a high seed. In 2023, the Wolves reached the state championship game as a No. 8 seed before falling to Crimson Cliffs 33-0. Now they’ve taken it a step further, becoming an even more unlikely title game participant as a No. 14 seed.
The 4A championship kicks off at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m.
This report was compiled with the assistance of ChatGPT.