ST. GEORGE — Welcome back to Region 9 football.
As reported previously in St. George News, the 4A sports classification in Utah high school athletics was realigned this year.
All of the local teams in Region 10 last year are now in Region 9, which was their original region three years ago. So it’s a homecoming for teams in southwest Utah.
The Fan Sports Network and St. George News hosted its Region 9 media day at Reach Higher Athletics Wednesday morning.
Energy was high among players, coaches and media members as the season kicks off in less than two weeks.
According to a poll of media members, Crimson Cliffs just edged defending 4A state champion Desert Hills and the Mustangs are the preseason favorite to win the region.
Teams finished in this order in the poll: Crimson Cliffs, Desert Hills, Dixie, Snow Canyon, Cedar, Pine View and Hurricane.
A player from each squad spoke wit St. George News about the upcoming season. Their responses follow.
Still fresh in mind was last year’s 4A state championship game at Greater Zion Stadium, which ended when Desert Hills beat Crimson Cliffs 30-14.
Senior defensive lineman Parker Andrus said on the defensive side of the ball, the Mustangs expect to be every bit as good as they were last year.
“I feel like we got a lot of dudes returning, and I feel like that’s going to be our strength,” Andrus said. “We got a tough D-line, with Scott (Nisson) and Kaden (Hawes). We got some tough backers, tough DBs. All around, super tough defense.”
At Desert Hills, where head coach Rick Berry stepped down and was replaced on the sideline by Solomona Tapasa, the defending champion Thunder are highly motivated to win state again.
“Last year we wanted it, and this year, we want it,” senior lineman Jarom Wilkins said. “The thing that I think is different, we’re more determined because we know what it’s like to win a title.
“And I think, you know, we’ve just got to stay confident and we can’t be cocky and we’ve just got to be hardworking and play good football,” he added.
Dixie saw its season end last year in a gut-wrenching 28-21 playoff loss to Mountain Crest.
The Flyers return another strong team this year, but no matter what changes, one thing will always be the same at Dixie: veteran head coach Blaine Monkres will be in command.
“He is a legend,” senior receiver Jaxon Barben said. “He’s probably one of the best coaches I’ve played with. He’s taught us well, he works us hard and it’s been a great experience playing for him.”
Snow Canyon lost a lot of talent to graduation last year, but the Warriors expect to compete behind senior quarterback Talan “Tank” Kelly.
“I think I bring a lot of energy to the table that a lot of people can’t bring,” Kelly said. “I’m that guy that just puts his head down and gets to work. I trust all my guys, especially my O-line. I just think I’ll do what I can for my team, take them to the state championship and win it.”
The surprise of media day might have been the Cedar Reds, who return eight starters on defense and seven on offense along with a couple of standout players who moved to Cedar.
“I think we could have a great season and we have the lineup to do it,” senior quarterback Koden Lunt said. “I’m just really excited to see how things go, going out and competing week in and week out.”
The Pine View Panthers didn’t win a game last year, a shocking result for a program that is built on winning and has a foundation of victory laid by previous teams.
“It’s super, super motivating because obviously we’re all competitive and we want to win, and we’ve been winning,” tackle Camden Smith said, noting that before last season the Panthers went to the state title game and to the semifinals in back-to-back years.
“So not winning any games is really going to put a fire under us and we’re ready to come out there and compete,” he added.
The Hurricane Tigers finished 2-9 in each of the last two seasons but continued to take small steps toward building a culture of winning
Senior Kellen Pledger said that this year’s team is definitely capable of getting some more Ws. That will depend on being more aggressive and better conditioned, he said, since so my Tigers play on both sides of the ball.
“That’s two of the biggest things, and then just going out and executing,” Pledger said. “And when we get down when something goes bad, don’t just give up. We’ve got to keep going, keep going, it doesn’t matter.”
The complete Region 9 football media day interviews can be watched here.
St. George News will have ongoing preseason coverage with daily team previews. The first games of the season are on August 11.
Preseason media poll player rankings
MVP: Cyrus Polu, Desert Hills
All Region 9 first team: Steele Barben (Crimson Cliffs), Stewart Taufa (Desert Hills), Parker Andrus (Crimson Cliffs), Jace Sweeten (Crimson Cliffs), Jaxon Barben (Dixie), Brock Harris (Pine View), TreDyn Elliott (Cedar), Mason Toplaian (Crimson Cliffs), Ocean Taufa (Desert Hills), Talan Kelly (Snow Canyon), Koden Lunt (Cedar), Boston Adamson (Crimson Cliffs).
Honorable Mention: Adam Moore (Pine View), Ammon York (Cedar), Beau Wall (Desert Hills), Brock Kesterson (Dixie), Devin Crenshaw (Cedar), Ethan Staples (Hurricane), Garrett Grondel (Desert Hills), Hudson Bundy (Desert Hills), Jacob Dombrowski (Dixie), Jacob Zarate (Crimson Cliffs), Javiyen Cummings (Desert Hills), Jonathan Bibiano (Dixie), Joseph Smith (Snow Canyon), JT Jeter (Cedar), Junior Coughlin (Dixie), Kaden Hawes (Crimson Cliffs), Kellen Pledger (Hurricane), Luke Hirschi (Hurricane), Max Reynolds (Snow Canyon), Scott Nisson (Crimson Cliffs), Semaj Thompson (Snow Canyon), Tag Gubler (Snow Canyon), Tegan Whitehead (Snow Canyon), Tovia Tuinea (Hurricane), Tytan Mason (Desert Hills), Xander Jones (Desert Hills).
Photo Gallery
The Pine View contingent at Region 9 football media day (L-R): Camden Smith, Caden Nelson, Benson Meier, Quincy Jones, coach K.J. Boyer, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The Cedar contingent at Region 9 football media day (L to R): Jourden Raftery, Koden Lunt, TreDyn Elliott, Spencer Bell, coach Josh Bennett, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The Crimson Cliffs contingent at Region 9 football media day (L-R): Parker Andrus, Luke Childs, Jace Sweeten, Boston Adamson, Steele Barben, coach Andy Stokes, coach Wayne Alofipo, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
(R to L) Mark Musgrave, Kaden Foremaster and Devin Dixon from The Fan Sports Network interview the Crimson Cliffs contingent at Region 9 football media day, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The Desert Hills contingent at Region 9 football media day (L to R): Jarom Wilkins, Davis Olsen, Bridger Flemming, Hudson Bundy, coach John Stokes, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The Hurricane contingent at Region 9 football media day (L-R): Tovia Tunei, Alex Stubbs, Ethan Staples, Kellen Pledger, coach Corey Ashby, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The Dixie contingent at the Region 9 football media day (L-R): KC Faaootoa, Junior Coughlin, Jaxon Barben, coach Blaine Monkres, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The Snow Canyon contingent at Region 9 football media day (L to R): Tegun Whitehead, Semaj Thompson, Talan Kelly, Tag Gubler, coach Mike Esplin, St. George, Utah, Aug. 2, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
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