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Sep 01, 2023

Week 4 prep football predictions: Region 5 games begin, Ogden schools face title contenders

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner Region 5 games begin Friday, the Ogden city schools hit the road against 3A state-title contenders and the TV cameras descend on Morgan High this week in

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

Region 5 games begin Friday, the Ogden city schools hit the road against 3A state-title contenders and the TV cameras descend on Morgan High this week in area prep football.

Last week’s prediction record: 12-3 (.800)

Season prediction record: 36-12 (.750)

at Weber High School

Box Elder (3-0) looks for its first 4-0 start since 2003. The Bees’ running game is rolling with Dax Sumko (46 rushes, 313 yards, seven TDs), Mason Jeppsen (32/296/3) and Damon Rodriguez (23/125/2) splitting carries at running back.

Zach Smith’s move to linebacker for Northridge (2-1) has worked out alright, as he has 38 tackles in three games.

The Knights’ offense can get them within reach, especially given Box Elder’s shakiness with pass defense. The Bees give up a lot of pass yards but also have seven interceptions.

But Northridge’s defense needs turnovers and an inspired game against a run-heavy team, which is similar to those to have already given the Knights trouble.

This is a meet-in-the-middle “home game” for Box Elder as its new artificial turf is still being installed.

Prediction: Box Elder

Roy (2-1) had never won a game by a score of 36-14 in school history before this season, and has now won its last two by that same score.

The Royals’ running game is humming along ahead of facing a Clearfield (0-3) team that allows 152 rushing yards per game.

Roy’s defense has been good the last two games, allowing a total of 389 yards with three interceptions.

AJ Stark has been an early breakout player for the Falcons’ defense with 30 tackles in three games.

Prediction: Roy

Through three games, Woods Cross (2-1) averages 8.4 yards per carry and 340.3 rushing yards per game out of a triple-option offense.

Bonneville (1-2) lost this game by 10 points last year and the Wildcats didn’t exactly get worse since then. This is a tough game for the Lakers to open region play with.

Prediction: Woods Cross

Linebacker Nash Bailey has double-digit tackles in all three Fremont (0-3) games. The team’s top six leading tacklers are all juniors.

Sky View (3-0) scores 48.3 points per game, averages 562.3 yards of offense and looks like the Sky View teams of the late 2010s.

Prediction: Sky View

Wasatch (1-2) has rushed for 255 and 198 yards the last two games. Weber (0-3) has allowed 192, 213 and 303 on the ground in its three games. Run defense will play a huge role for the Warriors.

Weber started playing football in 1926 while Wasatch started football in 1924, but this is the first meeting between the two in the sport. Wasatch was historically in 3A or 2A until 2013 as it’s exponentially grown, while Weber has almost always been in the state’s highest classification.

Prediction: Wasatch

Ogden’s 3-0 for the first time since 2020, has shut out three straight opponents for the first time since 1962 and opened a season with three straight shutouts for the first time since 1958.

This will also be the first time since 1960 that Ogden and its Week 4 opponent are both 3-0. Olympus beat Ogden 20-6 in 1960 in a battle of 3-0 teams.

Richfield (3-0) isn’t only a huge step up in competition for the Tigers, it’s established itself as an early 3A state-title contender with double-digit wins over 4A schools Cedar and Payson.

Prediction: Richfield

The quarterbacks are the ones to watch in this game.

Ben Lomond (2-1) lefty Manase Tuatagaloa has 1,138 passing yards on a 68.5% completion rate, 13 touchdowns and three picks after throwing for 523 yards and six TDs last week at Evanston (Wyoming).

Canyon View’s (3-0) Jaxon Jensen has 917 yards on a 63.1% completion rate and nine TDs against two picks.

Canyon View’s wins are against 4A schools. The Falcons have maybe their best team ever and have vaulted into 3A title-contending status.

It’s a huge step up in competition for Ben Lomond, a huge test and the Scots’ speed advantage might be negated if it rains, as expected, and muddies up CV’s grass field.

Prediction: Canyon View

Watersprings (Idaho) is a Christian school from Idaho Falls in its fourth season of eight-player football.

The Warriors aren’t at the juggernaut level of St. Joseph’s (0-2) first two opponents, but they’re still pretty good. The game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.

Prediction: Watersprings

Broadcast on KMYU

It’s hard to put a label on Morgan (1-2), which has faced exclusively 4A teams so far, including title contenders Sky View and Crimson Cliffs.

Green Canyon (3-0) is the surprise team from Cache Valley after going 1-10 last year and changing head coaches. There’s no mystery about the Wolves’ defense, which has forced 11 turnovers and allowed 11 points so far.

This one leans toward a low-scoring battle and it’s about as toss-up as it gets.

Prediction: Morgan

Porter Cannon leads Layton (0-3) in rushing with 305 yards and receiving with 173. Pleasant Grove (3-0) does pretty much everything well and has won all its games by double digits.

Prediction: Pleasant Grove

Syracuse’s (3-0) goal for this one is to fine-tune its offense and get out healthy against Taylorsville (0-3). Keller Facer is second in the state with three interceptions.

The Titans are one of three teams with two receivers that have 300-plus yards so far, those being DJ Mayes and Shaun Blanton.

Prediction: Syracuse

This could be a tricky game for the Darts (2-1), but they have the guys to deal with it and could also win big. Kearns (1-2) runs the ball twice as much as it throws, and Davis’ defensive strength is in the box.

Kearns shut down a pass-heavy and one-dimensional Northridge offense last week, so the Darts will likely need some balance between run and pass.

Prediction: Davis

Jake Metcalfe leads Farmington (0-3) in receiving, plus he’s responsible for three of the defense’s five turnovers forced.

Corner Canyon (2-1) has three players committed to Utah, one to Baylor and one to Boise State in its senior class alone.

Prediction: Corner Canyon

at Woods Cross High

Both teams have been turnover-prone to start the year. The first one to fix that wins in Friday’s city rivalry matchup.

Bountiful (1-2) leads the all-time series 35-23. The Redhawks are 1-2 against three pretty good teams, so they appear to be somewhere in the middle. Jacob Brooks leads the state with four interceptions.

Viewmont is 2-1 with wins over winless teams and a loss against a solid Granger squad, so the Vikes are also somewhere in the middle.

This one’s being played at Woods Cross High School because Bountiful has new artificial turf still being installed.

Prediction: Bountiful

at Spence Eccles Complex in Ogden

Layton Christian (0-3) got close to a breakthrough last week against Beaver, but they face a tougher team this week.

Idaho 2A powerhouse West Side returns several starters from last year’s team that went 9-2, which included a 12-0 win over LCA.

Prediction: West Side

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