The 2025 Deseret News high school football Players of the Year were playmakers for their teams throughout the season, often on both sides of the ball doing whatever their team needed on any given play.
Most led their teams to a state championship, but regardless, all seven were the catalysts to great things for their teams all season.
This year’s seven Players of the Year are Davis’ Bode Sparrow, Orem’s Lopeti Juni Moala, Ridgeline’s Nate Dahle, Cedar’s Everett Kelling, San Juan’s Jagger Nieves, Kanab’s Hayden Gubler and Rich’s Wilkes Weston.
Class 6A Player of the Year
Bode Sparrow, Davis, WR/DB, Jr.
It’s definitely not uncommon for a player to excel on both sides of the football, even in 6A where it happens with dozens of players every year.
Bode Sparrow, however, is an anomaly. The Davis junior was a standout at wide receiver and defensive back this year, so much so that the top junior recruit in Utah is being recruited by college coaches on both sides of the ball.
Davis coach Scott Peery said Tennessee’s receiver coach wants him at receiver, Oklahoma’s coaches want him at defensive back.
“It’s interesting, ’cause they really are split. I would think too it’s one way, but some legit see him at safety and some legit see him at receiver. So it’s kind of cool,” said Peery at his three-year starter.
Maybe he’ll follow the path of Travis Hunter at Colorado and excel on both sides.
As a receiver this season he caught 83 passes for 1,228 yards and 16 TDs. Defensively, he recorded 71 tackles, seven interceptions and two defensive TDs.
“He brings a spark. He can ignite an offense or a defense. I tell him before every game, take it to the bank that Bode Sparrow is going to make two to three big plays every single game. And he does, he does these game-changing plays. And he’s done it since he was a freshman,” said Peery.
Sparrow ranks seventh in the UHSAA record books with 42 career touchdown receptions. If he equals his production in 2026, he could approach Puka Nacua’s state record of 58 career TD receptions.
Class 5A Player of the Year
Lopeti Juni Moala, Orem, DE, Sr.
An elite edge rusher is one of the most coveted positions in football.
For Orem, it had arguably the best one in the state this season, and Moala’s impact was felt all season long en route to the 5A state championship.
The BYU signee finished the season with 83 tackles, 23 sacks and 32 tackles for loss.
“Juni is an incredibly dominant player. He’s big and powerful but also has a unique quickness. He’s one of the most impactful defensive players I’ve ever seen. And what was most impressive to me is he’s an even better young man,” said Orem coach Lance Reynolds.
Orem’s defense only allowed 164 total points (11.7 ppg) all season. A total of 70 of those points came in the first three weeks as Orem started 1-2 with losses to Lone Peak and Rocky Mountain, Idaho.
From then on, led by Moala on defense, the Tigers went 11-0 the rest of the way and only allowed 79 points (7.2 ppg)
“He is the type of player that other teams would build their game plan around. So the fact that he was as productive as he was with 23 sacks, a bunch of TFLs was all while being the focus point for almost every offense we played. Despite double teams, crack blocks, chips from running backs, he was still able to be incredibly disruptive,” said Reynolds.
Class 4A Player of the Year
Nate Dahle, Ridgeline, QB, Sr.
Nate Dahle put the finishing touches on a remarkable four-year career this season, which included the state championship that had eluded him in three straight semifinal losses in the years prior.
“Nate had an incredible year and an outstanding career. Watching him grow — not just as a player, but as a person — has been one of the most special parts of coaching him,” said Ridgeline coach Travis Cox.
Dahle’s name will be etched in the UHSAA record books for years to come.
He ranks second in career passing yards (12,464), third in career touchdowns (128), second in career completions (842), fourth in career attempts (1,366) and fourth in career total offense (13,051).
This season, the Weber State signee completed 70.4% of his passes for 3,994 yards and 54 touchdowns to just six interceptions.
“Nate was an exceptional leader and teammate. His experience truly set him apart this year as the game slowed down for him,” said Cox. “He consistently knew where to go with the ball, and his decision-making made our offense go. His understanding of protections and ability to recognize blitzes were outstanding and directly led to big plays for our team.”
Ridgeline’s record in four years with Dahle under center was 44-9, including a 14-0 record this season.
Class 3A Player of the Year
Everett Kelling, Cedar, QB, Sr.
Cedar had never won a football state championship in 75 years of trying, but quarterback Everett Kelling helped get the program over the finish line in 2025.
Kelling passed for 2,602 yards and 29 TDs and rushed for 1,195 yards and 21 more TDs — 50 touchdowns in all — as Cedar capped an undefeated state championship season.
“Everett is a great quarterback and can make any play on the field. Whatever our team needed him to do, he did it at a high level. Everett has always been a relentless competitor but this season he improved as a leader within the program,” said Cedar coach Tye Hiatt. “He was always looking for ways to help his teammates outside of football activities and that led to complete trust from his teammates when it came to executing plays in crucial moments.”
In some games, that meant passing for nearly 300 yards or four touchdowns, in other games that meant being a bruising running back.
In Cedar’s come-from behind 41-35 win over Manti in the state championship, Kelling carried the ball 28 times for 225 yards and four TDs.
Afterward, he said, “Oh, this is the worst I’ve hurt probably my entire high school life. But you know what, whatever it takes. We ended up getting the W.”
Class 2A Player of the Year
Jagger Nieves, San Juan, RB/LB, Sr.
A year after rushing for over 1,000 yards and 22 touchdowns, Jagger Nieves had sky-high internal and external expectations heading into his senior season.
He obliterated those expectations in a season for the record books. Nieves broke the previous state record of 38 rushing touchdowns by rushing for 40 TDs to go along with 2,088 rushing yards.
“Jagger knew he had to work twice as hard this offseason after winning player of the year as a junior, and he led our team every day by example. His work ethic and leadership set the standard for the rest of the team, and with the help of his teammates, he was able to break state records and drive our success,” said San Juan Coach Barkley Christensen.
He also added 731 receiving yards and eight TDs, giving him 48 total touchdowns, also a state record as it broke the previous state record of 42 by Grantsville’s Alan Mouritsen in 1997.
Defensively, he also starred at middle linebacker with 93 tackles.
“Jagger’s rare playmaking ability showed up all over the field. He ran with physicality, was shifty in space, and had uncoachable speed that led to countless explosive plays. We could line him up at running back or wide receiver, and his hands and versatility created constant matchup problems,” said Christensen.
“Beyond the talent, he was an exceptional teammate who celebrated others’ success just as much as his own. He never came off the field, contributing on offense, defense and special teams, and is truly deserving of player of the year.
Class 1A Player of the Year
Hayden Gubler, Kanab, RB/LB, Sr.
The perfect blend of speed, balance, power and vision, Hayden Gubler was one of the key pieces for Kanab this season en route to winning the 1A state championship.
The senior running back racked up 1,785 yards of total offense and scored 30 touchdowns while also leading the way defensively at linebacker with 82 tackles.
“Hayden has had a spectacular football career for the Cowboys,” said coach JR Quarnberg. “He is able to score from anywhere on the field, effective as a runner and a pass catcher. He started games for four seasons, including a state championship game his freshman year, running the ball against an LCA team that was the biggest team we have seen in years.”
He set new school records in career touchdowns (75) and career rushing touchdowns (63).
The 75 TDs rank fourth all-time in the state record books and the 63 TDs rank sixth. He missed most of his sophomore season with injury, otherwise he’d likely be a few spots higher in the record books.
“He is also a terrific young man, a great student (3.9 GPA), resilient, awesome teammate and great leader. Kanab Cowboy football will miss Hayden Gubler,” said Quarnberg.
Class 1A 8-player Player of the Year
Wilkes Weston, Rich, QB/LB, Jr.
Wilkes Weston excelled in every area of the football field for the Rich Rebels during their three-peat state championship season.
Whether it was offense, defense or special teams, the coaching staff could always count on Weston for big plays as the Rebels won 10 games this season.
“Wilkes was a key component to our team’s success. His physical and tough style of play helped elevate our team to another level, and I, as one of his coaches, am grateful for his desire to stay hungry and humble,” said Rich coach Tyson Larsen. “He did a nice job of being quick to find ways to improve his game and also to give credit to amazing talent in front of and around him that helped earn him a quality season and ultimately this deserved recognition.”
Offensively, Weston rushed for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns, while he also passed for 147 yards and three touchdowns out of the Wildcat formation. He finished the season with 1,421 yards of total offense.
Defensively he racked up 87 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 10 hurries and three sacks, and he also blocked a punt.
“We have been privileged to have Wilkes on our team. Whether in the offseason, in the weight room, at practice or on the field, he is a leader by example in being one of our most dedicated, hardworking, and trustworthy guys who plays the game the right way,” added Larsen. “He embodies everything a coach would want in a player and always represents our team and community well.”