SMQB: Week 9
Nine down, one to go, and still a lot to settle.
Week 10 is going to be like a playoff round for several teams and should be very interesting. But let's first wrap up Week 9.
I usually check in with other Tribune reporters at halftime of our games to see what's going on around the state. A night of high school football doesn't go by without me speaking to my friend, Jay Drew. When I asked him who was leading at his game, Alta-Jordan, he said, "the defensive coordinators."
He was joking.
I never would have guessed that Alta would ring up 42 points in a half and 59 total against the Beetdiggers. A few weeks ago I wrote that the Hawks were resembling their 2005 team (slow start, came on strong late in the year). However, Alta could top last year's team by winning the outright Region 2 championship. The Hawks will have their hands full at Skyline, which might remember a certain special teams call that Alta made late in its blowout victory over the Eagles last season.
It should be a great one.
More thoughts from Week 9:
-Congratulations are in order for Taylorsville. The Warriors snapped a 24-game losing streak with a win over Hillcrest. I wish we would have been there for it. Taylorsville is deserving of some positive press. We aren't supposed to root for teams in this business, but how can you not be happy for the Warriors?
Now, Taylorsville has a shot at the playoffs. The winner of next week's Brighton-Taylorsville game earns Region 2's fourth seed.
-Tribune reporter John Coon has seen Sky View, Highland, East, Cottonwood and Olympus play this year. Here's his analysis of how the teams stack up:
4-A -- I've covered on Friday nights this season.
1. Highland
2. Sky View
3. East
4. Cottonwood
5. Olympus
6. Bountiful
"Highland stands out to me as 4-A's top team because the Rams' option offense is among the hottest in the state at the moment. RB Liam McNally has shown he can churn out 200 yard games and QB Sean Swenson has a strong enough arm to provide some balance to the run game. Defense is a bit of question mark, but when you're averaging 46.5 points in your last four games, it only needs to be adequate.
Sky View does have the state's top quarterback in Jace Hill, but I'm not impressed with the level of competition the Bobcats have faced so far. Aside from Logan (who was missing its starting quarterback at the time) and Box Elder, who have they beaten?
I rate East in my top three because the Leopards seem to have found a rhythm offensively. Jake Cook has already rushed for more than 1,100 yards and the Masiva twins are both brusing runners who bring an added depth to the East run attack. Turnovers are an issue though, and the Leopards do seem to struggle against teams with tough defenses, which keeps them from the top spot."
John Coon
-By the way, I'll be picking against John next week. After taking on the equivalent of Florida International Atlantic, Los Angeles Community College and Eastern Northern Michigan A&W the last few weeks, it's time for Notre Dame to take on Michigan. If you don't read this blog regularly, you have no idea what I'm talking about. I'm just saying that John will provide some good competition.
-What an impressive way for North Summit to end the season. The Braves were written off from contending in 2-A North when they lost to South Summit earlier this season. Then North Summit had to cope with the death of junior football player Justen Hale.
The Braves defied the odds and beat Juab and Grand in back-to-back weeks. Good job, North Summit.
TRIBUNE TOP 10
1. Bingham
2. Fremont
3. Sky View
4. Highland
5. Alta
6. Skyline
7. Timpview
8. Pleasant Grove
9. Jordan
10. Davis
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dallin Cutler, Alta
The Hawks' rushing attack was led by their slippery quarterback. Cutler had 293 rushing yards on 20 carries in Alta's 59-21 win over Jordan.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
(Tie) Shawn Holbrook, Stephen Leeds, Taylorsville
Both players were big contributors in the Warriors' 20-19 win over Hillcrest. Holbrook blocked an extra point and Leeds set up the Warriors' go-ahead score with an interception in the fourth quarter.
STAT OF THE WEEK
59 - Alta's 59 points had to be the stunner of the week. After the game, Jordan coach Alex Jacobson made sure that reporters knew that the Beetdiggers' 1998 team, which advanced to the state championship game, also allowed 59 points in a game that season. If that's not looking for a silver lining, I don't know what is.
COACH OF THE WEEK
Scott Henderson, Taylorsville
Some people thought Henderson should schedule a patsy in the preseason to help end Taylorsville's long losing streak. But the coach didn't believe it, as he kept playing tough teams to prepare the Warriors for league play. Henderson's philosophy paid off on Wednesday, as Taylorsville beat Hillcrest to end its 24-game losing skid.
LOOKING AHEAD
It would be easier to list the games that don't have any bearing on seedings in Week 10. Instead, here's a look at how next week's games will impact playoff positioning.
Thursday
Region 3
Copper Hills at Riverton - The Silverwolves are in the playoffs with a win. The Grizzlies are in with a win and a loss by Kearns.
Hunter at Kearns - The Cougars need to win and have Copper Hills win to force a play-in game.
West Jordan at Bingham - The Miners need to win to claim the outright league championship.
Region 6
Cottonwood at Granger - The Colts need to win to hold on to the league's third seed and the chance to play at home in the first round of the playoffs.
Cyprus at East - The Pirates need to win to force a play-in game with West. The Leopards need to win to hold on to the league's second seed.
Olympus at Murray - They're basically playing for the league's fourth seed.
West at Highland - The Rams can clinch their fifth straight league title.
Region 8
Juan Diego at Delta - Playing for the Region 8 championship.
North Sanpete at Carbon - Winner qualifies for the playoffs, loser stays home.
Region 10
Morgan at Judge Memorial - The Bulldogs need to win to play host to a tournament game in their new stadium. A Morgan win would help it avoid a play-in game.
Uintah at Wasatch - The Utes need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Wasps are trying to avoid a play-in game.
Union at Park City - The top-ranked Miners are hoping to win the outright league title. Union is eliminated from playoff contention.
Friday
Region 1
Clearfield at Weber - The Falcons are in with a win. A Weber victory would force a play-in game.
Layton at Viewmont - The Lancers need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings are playing for seeding.
Northridge at Davis - The Knights could move all the way up to second with a win. The Darts are trying to stay in Kaysville next week.
Region 2
Alta at Skyline - The Eagles are hoping to earn a share of the league title. The Hawks can win it outright.
Brighton at Taylorsville - Winner plays on, loser doesn't.
Jordan at Hillcrest - The Beetdiggers need to win and an Alta loss to share the league title.
Region 4
Lone Peak at American Fork - The Knights are still hoping to share the league crown. A loss for the Cavemen will likely eliminate them from playoff contention.
Pleasant Grove at Spanish Fork - The Vikings can win the outright league championship with a win. The Dons can earn a share with a victory.
Timpanogos at Mountain View - The Timberwolves are likely in the playoffs with a victory. That would change if AF upsets Lone Peak. Mountain is eliminated.
Region 5
Bountiful at Roy - Playing for positioning.
Box Elder at Woods Cross - Bees need a win and a Sky View loss to share the league title. The Wildcats are eliminated.
Mountain Crest at Sky View - The Bobcats need a win to earn the outright region championship.
Region 7
Payson at Lehi - Winner is in, loser goes home.
Provo at Springville - The Bulldogs need a win and a Timpview loss to share the league title.
Timpview at Orem - The Tigers could force a tie at the top of the league standings.
Region 9
Cedar City at Canyon View - The Falcons are eliminated, while Cedar is hoping to win the league championship.
Dixie at Snow Canyon - The Flyers can play spoiler for the Warriors. Snow Canyon can play eliminator for Dixie.
Hurricane at Pine View - Winner is in. Loser is either eliminated or will have to participate in a play-in game.
Region 11
Ben Lomond at Ogden - Both teams are eliminated.
Grantsville at Tooele - Winner gets the third seed, loser gets fourth.
Logan at Bear River - Winner is the league champion, loser is second.
Class 1-A
Altamont at Layton Christian - Long Horns are eliminated. LCA can't change playoff fate.
Kanab at Enterprise - Playing for the 1-A South title.
Parowan at Milford - Playing for seeding.
Rich at Monticello - Playing for seeding.
Whitehorse at Duchesne - No change for either team.
Class 2-A - Playoff games on Friday and Saturday.
Week 10 is going to be like a playoff round for several teams and should be very interesting. But let's first wrap up Week 9.
I usually check in with other Tribune reporters at halftime of our games to see what's going on around the state. A night of high school football doesn't go by without me speaking to my friend, Jay Drew. When I asked him who was leading at his game, Alta-Jordan, he said, "the defensive coordinators."
He was joking.
I never would have guessed that Alta would ring up 42 points in a half and 59 total against the Beetdiggers. A few weeks ago I wrote that the Hawks were resembling their 2005 team (slow start, came on strong late in the year). However, Alta could top last year's team by winning the outright Region 2 championship. The Hawks will have their hands full at Skyline, which might remember a certain special teams call that Alta made late in its blowout victory over the Eagles last season.
It should be a great one.
More thoughts from Week 9:
-Congratulations are in order for Taylorsville. The Warriors snapped a 24-game losing streak with a win over Hillcrest. I wish we would have been there for it. Taylorsville is deserving of some positive press. We aren't supposed to root for teams in this business, but how can you not be happy for the Warriors?
Now, Taylorsville has a shot at the playoffs. The winner of next week's Brighton-Taylorsville game earns Region 2's fourth seed.
-Tribune reporter John Coon has seen Sky View, Highland, East, Cottonwood and Olympus play this year. Here's his analysis of how the teams stack up:
4-A -- I've covered on Friday nights this season.
1. Highland
2. Sky View
3. East
4. Cottonwood
5. Olympus
6. Bountiful
"Highland stands out to me as 4-A's top team because the Rams' option offense is among the hottest in the state at the moment. RB Liam McNally has shown he can churn out 200 yard games and QB Sean Swenson has a strong enough arm to provide some balance to the run game. Defense is a bit of question mark, but when you're averaging 46.5 points in your last four games, it only needs to be adequate.
Sky View does have the state's top quarterback in Jace Hill, but I'm not impressed with the level of competition the Bobcats have faced so far. Aside from Logan (who was missing its starting quarterback at the time) and Box Elder, who have they beaten?
I rate East in my top three because the Leopards seem to have found a rhythm offensively. Jake Cook has already rushed for more than 1,100 yards and the Masiva twins are both brusing runners who bring an added depth to the East run attack. Turnovers are an issue though, and the Leopards do seem to struggle against teams with tough defenses, which keeps them from the top spot."
John Coon
-By the way, I'll be picking against John next week. After taking on the equivalent of Florida International Atlantic, Los Angeles Community College and Eastern Northern Michigan A&W the last few weeks, it's time for Notre Dame to take on Michigan. If you don't read this blog regularly, you have no idea what I'm talking about. I'm just saying that John will provide some good competition.
-What an impressive way for North Summit to end the season. The Braves were written off from contending in 2-A North when they lost to South Summit earlier this season. Then North Summit had to cope with the death of junior football player Justen Hale.
The Braves defied the odds and beat Juab and Grand in back-to-back weeks. Good job, North Summit.
TRIBUNE TOP 10
1. Bingham
2. Fremont
3. Sky View
4. Highland
5. Alta
6. Skyline
7. Timpview
8. Pleasant Grove
9. Jordan
10. Davis
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dallin Cutler, Alta
The Hawks' rushing attack was led by their slippery quarterback. Cutler had 293 rushing yards on 20 carries in Alta's 59-21 win over Jordan.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
(Tie) Shawn Holbrook, Stephen Leeds, Taylorsville
Both players were big contributors in the Warriors' 20-19 win over Hillcrest. Holbrook blocked an extra point and Leeds set up the Warriors' go-ahead score with an interception in the fourth quarter.
STAT OF THE WEEK
59 - Alta's 59 points had to be the stunner of the week. After the game, Jordan coach Alex Jacobson made sure that reporters knew that the Beetdiggers' 1998 team, which advanced to the state championship game, also allowed 59 points in a game that season. If that's not looking for a silver lining, I don't know what is.
COACH OF THE WEEK
Scott Henderson, Taylorsville
Some people thought Henderson should schedule a patsy in the preseason to help end Taylorsville's long losing streak. But the coach didn't believe it, as he kept playing tough teams to prepare the Warriors for league play. Henderson's philosophy paid off on Wednesday, as Taylorsville beat Hillcrest to end its 24-game losing skid.
LOOKING AHEAD
It would be easier to list the games that don't have any bearing on seedings in Week 10. Instead, here's a look at how next week's games will impact playoff positioning.
Thursday
Region 3
Copper Hills at Riverton - The Silverwolves are in the playoffs with a win. The Grizzlies are in with a win and a loss by Kearns.
Hunter at Kearns - The Cougars need to win and have Copper Hills win to force a play-in game.
West Jordan at Bingham - The Miners need to win to claim the outright league championship.
Region 6
Cottonwood at Granger - The Colts need to win to hold on to the league's third seed and the chance to play at home in the first round of the playoffs.
Cyprus at East - The Pirates need to win to force a play-in game with West. The Leopards need to win to hold on to the league's second seed.
Olympus at Murray - They're basically playing for the league's fourth seed.
West at Highland - The Rams can clinch their fifth straight league title.
Region 8
Juan Diego at Delta - Playing for the Region 8 championship.
North Sanpete at Carbon - Winner qualifies for the playoffs, loser stays home.
Region 10
Morgan at Judge Memorial - The Bulldogs need to win to play host to a tournament game in their new stadium. A Morgan win would help it avoid a play-in game.
Uintah at Wasatch - The Utes need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Wasps are trying to avoid a play-in game.
Union at Park City - The top-ranked Miners are hoping to win the outright league title. Union is eliminated from playoff contention.
Friday
Region 1
Clearfield at Weber - The Falcons are in with a win. A Weber victory would force a play-in game.
Layton at Viewmont - The Lancers need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings are playing for seeding.
Northridge at Davis - The Knights could move all the way up to second with a win. The Darts are trying to stay in Kaysville next week.
Region 2
Alta at Skyline - The Eagles are hoping to earn a share of the league title. The Hawks can win it outright.
Brighton at Taylorsville - Winner plays on, loser doesn't.
Jordan at Hillcrest - The Beetdiggers need to win and an Alta loss to share the league title.
Region 4
Lone Peak at American Fork - The Knights are still hoping to share the league crown. A loss for the Cavemen will likely eliminate them from playoff contention.
Pleasant Grove at Spanish Fork - The Vikings can win the outright league championship with a win. The Dons can earn a share with a victory.
Timpanogos at Mountain View - The Timberwolves are likely in the playoffs with a victory. That would change if AF upsets Lone Peak. Mountain is eliminated.
Region 5
Bountiful at Roy - Playing for positioning.
Box Elder at Woods Cross - Bees need a win and a Sky View loss to share the league title. The Wildcats are eliminated.
Mountain Crest at Sky View - The Bobcats need a win to earn the outright region championship.
Region 7
Payson at Lehi - Winner is in, loser goes home.
Provo at Springville - The Bulldogs need a win and a Timpview loss to share the league title.
Timpview at Orem - The Tigers could force a tie at the top of the league standings.
Region 9
Cedar City at Canyon View - The Falcons are eliminated, while Cedar is hoping to win the league championship.
Dixie at Snow Canyon - The Flyers can play spoiler for the Warriors. Snow Canyon can play eliminator for Dixie.
Hurricane at Pine View - Winner is in. Loser is either eliminated or will have to participate in a play-in game.
Region 11
Ben Lomond at Ogden - Both teams are eliminated.
Grantsville at Tooele - Winner gets the third seed, loser gets fourth.
Logan at Bear River - Winner is the league champion, loser is second.
Class 1-A
Altamont at Layton Christian - Long Horns are eliminated. LCA can't change playoff fate.
Kanab at Enterprise - Playing for the 1-A South title.
Parowan at Milford - Playing for seeding.
Rich at Monticello - Playing for seeding.
Whitehorse at Duchesne - No change for either team.
Class 2-A - Playoff games on Friday and Saturday.
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GO JUDGE BULLDOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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