Larry H. Miller Week 6 high school star athletes of the week

Football

Robert Young, Roy (Sr.)

Robert Young is one of the top offensive weapons in 5A this season, and his versatility is a big reason the Royals are still undefeated with a 5-0 record.

Last week in Roy’s 37-10 victory over Box Elder, he carried the ball seven times for 44 yards and touchdowns while also catching five passes for 58 yards and another score. He also completed a two-point conversion pass and recorded four tackles defensively.

“Robert is so dynamic and can do it all offensively. He has a high Football IQ and beats you in more ways than one. Coach Connor Mcguire, our OC, does a great job putting Rob in positions that complements his talents and benefits our scheme offensively,” said Roy coach Chris Solomona.

For the season, Young has accounted for 14 touchdowns for the Royals — nine rushing, three receiving, one passing and kick return.

He’s also tallied 22 tackles for a defense that’s only allowing 14.5 ppg.

Girls volleyball

Audrey White, Green Canyon (So.)

Green Canyon sophomore Audrey White has been one of the catalysts to Green Canyon’s perfect start to the 2024 season.

The outside hitter has recorded 228 kills and a .328 hitting percentage in leading the Wolves to a 14-0 record. The team has dropped just 11 sets in those 14 victories.

“Audrey has been having a great season and continues to improve week to week. She continually wants to learn and grow as a player,” said Green Canyon coach Madison Larsen.

Last week in Green Canyon’s 3-0 win over Logan, she recorded 11 kills on 15 attempts to go along with her six digs. Earlier in the week against West Field, she had 10 kills and nine digs.

Girls soccer

Victoria Espinoza, Kearns (Sr.)

With senior four-year starter Victoria Espinoza leading the way defensively, reigning Region 4 champ Kearns is looking like the favorite to repeat again this year.

Kearns has opened region play with four straight victories, improving to 7-2 on the season.

“She is the anchor of our defense and communicates well with other players. She is a great leader when it comes to encouraging her teammates on and off the field. She excels in the classroom and on the field,” said Kearns coach Jennasee Robison. “She is a very intelligent player that can read the play of any given game, where she also keeps calm under intense amounts of pressure.”

Espinoza occasionally pops up into the attack when the time is right, adding three goals and three assists, including one of each in last week’s two weeks.

“Vicky is the prime example of the type of women we are trying to build in the Kearns girls soccer program, and I look forward to following her as she moves forward with her soccer goals and career ambitions,” said Robison.

Boys cross-country

Matthew Lord, Copper Hills (Jr.)

Enjoyed an outstanding race at the Border Wars meet at the Valley Softball Complex last Saturday to claim his first win of the season.

Matthew Lord edged teammate Temana Munanui by three seconds, winning with a time of 14:41.6.

“Matthew Lord is an athlete that is a joy to coach. Not only does he have talent but he is coachable and he leads the team by example. He listens to what we want to see in his running form and works on implementing them on daily basis,” said Copper Hills coach Garth Rushforth. “He communicates with us to make sure he understands the workout and how it is going to impact his races. Matthew makes sure that practice starts on time by leading out on the warm up each day and in making sure the team is ready to go.”

Prior to the Border Wars win, Lord’s best finish was eighth place in a Region 2 meet back in August.

Last season, Copper Hills didn’t qualify for state, but Lord still qualified individually as he finished in 79th place. He’s poised to make a big improvement from that finish this season.

Girls cross-country

Maddie Reeder, Highland (So.)

Maddie Reeder won her first meet of the season and set a new PR with a terrific performance at the Border Wars meet in Taylorsville last week.

The sophomore won with a time of 16:43.20, finishing 15 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.

“As a sophomore Maddie is running Division 1 recruitable times, we are very excited for her future and her potential as a distance runner for the Highland Rams,” said Highland coach Swede Robinson. “We are impressed by the continued growth of Maddie as she continues to train under the guidance of former Olympic biathlete Laurie Humbert and Highland running staff. This season, and the next two years for Maddie should be very special. She not only achieves in races, but also is an incredible 4.0 student as well, we are all excited to watch her achieve new heights.”

Reeder finished in third place in the 3,200-meter race at the 5A state track meet last spring, and she’s built on the momentum this fall with a second-place finish at Park City Twilight and third-place finish at Premier Invite at Cottonwood Complex.

Girls tennis

Tayvee Ash, Corner Canyon (Sr.)

A singles player last year for Corner Canyon, senior Tayvee Ash has shifted to doubles this year and she’s enjoyed tremendous success in the process.

Paired with fellow senior Kate Ord, the duo is 12-1 at First Doubles this season, with its lone loss a three-setter against Timpview last month.

“She and her partner are undefeated. They are playing smart and aggressive and using the tools and strategies we have taught them,” said Corner Canyon coach Allison Rideout. “Tayvee is a natural leader and a phenomenal captain for our team. She sets a great example on and off the court.”

Last season, Ash spent her time between first and second singles, earning a 9-9 record and advancing to the Round of 16 at the 6A state tournament.

Boys golf

Will Pederson, Olympus (Jr.)

Last year’s 5A runner-up is extremely motived to make amends this season.

Will Pederson’s average score is 67.9 strokes this season, which includes a school record 62 he shot back in August at Rose Park. It broke his own school record of 63.

“Will works really hard on his game. His competitive attitude makes him a very special player. Our region is really good. So he gets challenged every tourney,” said Olympus coach Matt Barnes. “He lost in a playoff last year for the individual championship so he is very motivated to try and win it this year.”

Last month, Pederson also won the UJGA Tucker Tour Championship as he shot a 66.

Last week, Pederson shot a 71 in the Region 6 match at Old Mill. In the overall Region 6 standings, his 67.9 average narrowly leads teammate Sterling Peterson (68.2) and Skyline’s Austin Shelley (68.8).

Baseball

Sam Werner, American Heritage (Sr.)

On and off the field, Sam Werner has been a great asset to American Heritage’s baseball program.

The senior has played a key role in leading the Patriots to a 10-7 overall record this year and a 6-0 record in region play.

“Sam Werner is an important part of our team. He is our No. 1 pitcher and our lead-off hitter. Sam sets the tone for each game at the plate and on the mound when he pitches. Not only has Sam been a great player on the field but he did a wonderful service to the program with his Eagle Scout project. Sam’s project was to improve a lot of the areas on the field that were in desperate need of work,” said coach Blake Jansen.

For the season, Werner is 4-2 on the mound with 39 strikeouts. At the plate, he’s batting .552 with nine doubles, five triples, 16 RBIs and 30 runs scored.