Boys Basketball
Makai Allen, Provo (Sr.)
Led by Makai Allen, Provo posted a 19-4 record this season and earned the No. 1 seed in the 4A state tournament which gets underway this week.
The Bulldogs have a first-round bye and will begin play in the second round on Friday.
Allen finished second in 4A averaging 23.1 points this season to go along with his 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals.
“Makai has been a huge part of our success the last few years. He’s been awesome this year helping us in so many ways from scoring, finding his teammates, and setting the tone on defense. He is exactly who we want leading us into the state tournament this weekend,” said Provo coach Chris Collinsworth.
Allen scored 20 or more points in all but six regular season games this year, including 23 points in last week’s 62-49 win over Mountain View in the regular-season finale.
The senior has racked up 1,225 career points in three years with Provo and was voted a 4A first team all-stater last year.
Girls Basketball
Rylee Little, Kanab (Sr.)
Rylee Little heads into the home stretch of a remarkable career looking to finishing things off with one more state championship.
The senior Ute commit led Kanab to a 21-2 record and the No. 1 seed in the 2A state tournament which gets underway this week. She’s averaging 21 points, 12.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 3.1 blocks.
“What Rylee has meant to our team and program over the past four years is immense. Her athleticism is obvious if you watch her play; especially those special basketball skills like her ability to smoothly run and catch on an elite level,” said Kanab coach Klint Glover, whose team won titles in 2023 and 2024 with Little on the squad.
“Equally special is her attitude and ability to lead. People follow Rylee because she treats them well and is a great friend. Her toughness, mental and physical, and commitment to improve herself and spend extra time in the gym make her an athlete with no limits to what she can accomplish. We simply love her,” added Glover.
Two weeks ago in a 49-22 in over South Sevier, Little recorded the first triple-double of her career with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks.
Little has scored 1,684 points in her career, and once she surpasses 1,700 points she’ll move into the top 10 in state history.
Boys Swimming
Benny Bridge, Hillcrest (Sr.)
Year and years of hard work for Hillcrest’s Benny Bridge have him poised to peak in his final high school meet in two weeks.
Bridge is coming of his best meet of the season at the Region 4 championships last week as he won both the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke.
His 200 I.M. time ranks third in 5A this season while is 100 breast time ranks second.
“Benny is an impressive athlete in many respects. His outstanding performance at the Region 4 meet on Friday was preceded by years of dedication to the sport of swimming, especially these last 12 months,” said Hillcrest coach Elizabeth Drake.
“Benny exemplifies what it means to be ‘all in’ as a high school athlete. His competitive and humorous nature make him a joy to coach, but more important to his success is his understanding that greatness does not happen in a single moment but rather in a culmination of all our good habits and hard work.”
A year ago Bridge’s best time in the 100 breaststroke was 1:04.23, and he finished 16th at state. At the region meet last week he posted time of 59.08, which is a stunning five seconds faster than his best time just 12 months ago.
Girls Swimming
Aulia Leauanae, Springville (So.)
Springville’ Aulia Leauanae has followed up a strong freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign.
Leauanae won the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke at last week’s Region 7 championships, which included posting a time of 57.58 in the 100 back — the best 5A time all year and second-best in the entire state.
The sophomore finished third in that event at state last year, and she’ll be the favorite to win the 5A this year.
“Aulia is wonderful asset to the Springville Red Devils team,” said Springville coach Kim Green. “She is very dedicated to swimming and is a consistent, hard worker and seeks criticism to improve. She inspires others to want to get faster by being a driven, positive role model. She puts on a serious game face when she races, but on the deck sidelines, she’s all smiles and has a good, carefree time with her friends.”
In addition to winning her two individual events at the Region 7 meet, Leauanae also led Springville to the title in the 200 freestyle relay, setting a new school record in the process.
Boys Wrestling
Tucker Roybal, Union (Sr.)
Tucker Roybal put the finishing touches on a remarkable career at the 3A state tournament last week.
Roybal cruised to the 165-pound title, finishing the season with a sparking 47-1 record and the coveted fourth individual state title.
“Tucker isn’t just an amazing wrestler, he’s an outstanding young man always giving back to our local wrestling community and taking time to coach/teach our youth wrestlers and step in wherever he is needed,” said Union coach Billy Daniels.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to coach Tucker for the last 10 years and have the privilege of being in the chairs while he accomplishes his goals. A great wrestler and an even better human being. We will miss him in the room but can’t wait to see where the future takes him.”
Roybal, who is committed to wrestling in college at the University of Wyoming, finishes his high school career with a 127-4 record with the Cougars.
Girls Wrestling
Gemma Carter, Canyon View (Sr.)
From statistician to state champ, that about sums up the high school journey of Canyon View senior Gemma carter, who won her second straight 3A individual title last week.
“What makes Gemma’s journey even more remarkable is how it began. She first joined the program as the team’s stats girl before deciding to step onto the mat herself as a freshman. From the start, her work ethic and determination were undeniable. By her sophomore year, she had already reached the state finals, finishing as the runner-up. Since then, she hasn’t looked back,” said Canyon View coach Travis Carter, also her father.
Carter finished her senior season with a 31-13 record after winning a 10-4 decision in the 135-pound final.
Carter is a 4.0 student at Canyon View and also the school’s Business Sterling Scholar recipient. Her younger sister Nellie Carter also won a state title at the 3A state meet.
“As a captain, Gemma embraced her leadership role wholeheartedly, guiding and motivating her teammates throughout the season. Her leadership played a key role in Canyon View securing its third consecutive 3A team state championship, a testament to the culture and commitment of this program,” said coach Carter.