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Deseret News
High school football: Layton Christian projected as the favorite in Region 2A North
By Tommy Bailey,
3 hours ago
San Juan High School plays South Summit High School in the 2A football state championship at Southern Utah University in Cedar City on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
It is the consensus among coaches in the 2A north region that this upcoming season will be wide open and provide a number of teams with the opportunity to prove themselves to be among the best in the region.
One team that has already proven themselves is Layton Christian. After losing to South Summit by three points in the semifinals of the 2A playoffs last year, Layton Christian will once again be a favorite. The team is currently projected to finish first and win the region.
“I feel blessed to have a good group of kids that just love football and are eager to learn and grow together,” said Layton Christian head coach Ray Stowers.
Since the team returns 12 total starters from last season, five on offense and seven on defense, continuity and continued chemistry should not be much of an issue.
Stowers believes that a number of players will play a big and pivotal role on his team this year. One of those players is incoming running back Kaya Madhlazi.
“Our four team captains Iverson Report, Brayden Bott, Emili Pauni, and Jobe Tuafale will play a big role this season. I expect Kaya Madhlazi to have a big year running the football. Also Justin Sau and Daetyn Dean will be heavy contributors. A few underclassmen will have to step up to fill big roles as well,” Stowers said.
If any team is going to challenge Layton Christian for the region title this year, it’s going to be South Summit, who made it to the championship game last year only to fall to San Juan in an offensive shootout.
While South Summit is sure to still be a powerhouse in their region this season, they will have to deal with some change and plenty of turnover, as they are only returning two starters, one on offense and one on defense.
“After graduating as many starters as we did last year, we are going to need everyone to step up and do their job. We have a whole lot of guys who could have started on other teams last year. They just happened to be behind another great player. So they got great experience and are hungry to prove that they belong in the hunt,” said South Summit head coach Michael Ruf
Ruf knows that being among the favorites to win the region means nothing if they can’t go out and prove it out on the field.
“I don’t put a whole lot of stock into preseason polls. We have a tough schedule, and we play against some really great teams. Our goal is to go out each and every week focused on rising to the challenge at hand. We will be young, but we are going to be better than people think. We have a great group of underclassmen who are ready to prove that they can compete,” said Ruf.
Ruf feels that the region is wide open and it’s conceivable that any team can win the region. So who are the other teams that are going to challenge to be the best in 2A?
Summit Academy has just as good a chance as anyone.
Returning five starters on offense and two on defense, Summit Academy will have plenty of veteran leadership to lean on.
Key players returning on offense include wide receivers Kyle Lively, Beau Edmonds, running back Bronson Dixon, center Caleb Blake and offensive lineman Jake Troester. A key newcomer to the team this year that will no doubt be called on is senior quarterback Cash Whitman.
“As we approach this season, our team is looking strong and ready to compete at a high level. With a solid mix of returning starters and promising young talent, we are confident in our ability to perform well throughout the season. We have a solid schedule ahead of us this year, and we are excited to take on the competition and prove ourselves on the field. Overall, we are optimistic about our chances this season,” said Summit Academy head coach Justin Wilnur.
Judge Memorial is also bringing back quite a few starters, six on offense and five on defense. Judge knows how stacked the region is, and while it may be a tough go for them, they are embracing the challenge and looking forward to it.
“We have a good group of seniors and underclassmen who are motivated to change the culture and the perception of the Judge Memorial football program. We have a good mix of a few returning starters who will play both ways and some underclassmen ready to step in a starting role and contribute,” said first year head coach Jeff Kaufusi.
Bringing back the most starters from last season is American Leadership Academy, which brought back 18 total players. The eight returning offensive starters and 10 returning defensive players will provide some much needed consistency and continuity in what many assume will be a wide open region.
“We are very eager to kick off the season. We return so many pieces from last year’s team and there has been a lot of work put in this off season, it will be exciting to see how that translates. We have some incredibly talented football players in our program and the effort, attitude, and toughness that those guys bring to each day will determine how far this team will go,” said American Leadership head coach Lance Burrell.
Burrell feels that because his team is the only one to bring back their starting quarterback in junior Nico Marble, that could be an advantage and will be a fun storyline to watch play out over the course of the season.
Anchoring the 2A north rankings is a team that has had a rough go of it in recent memory: Providence Hall.
With a new coaching staff coming in and just two returning starters, Providence Hall is hoping some fresh blood will help propel the program to success this upcoming season.
“We have had a lot of changes this year, from a new coaching staff and a new home field being built. We are a young team, but excited for the talent that has come in,” said Providence Hall head coach Dave Smith.
Stowers is entering his fourth season as head coach at Layton Christian, and he owns a 25-13 record and a 1A state title in 2022. He’s a graduate of Iolani High School in Hawaii and the University of Utah.
Prior to taking the LCA job he was an administrative assistant at the University of Utah.
Ruf is heading into his third season as head coach at his alma mater after leading the team to a 21-4 record in his first two seasons.
Coach Mike Ruf’s general outlook
“We will be young, but we are going to be better than people think. We have a great group of underclassmen who are ready to prove that they can compete.”
The Lehi graduate is heading into his second season as head coach at Summit Academy after his 7-5 debut season in 2023. Wilbur is a graduate at the University of Utah.
Coach Justin Wilbur’s general outlook
“As we approach this season, our team is looking strong and ready to compete at a high level. With a solid mix of returning starters and promising young talent, we are confident in our ability to perform well throughout the season. We have a solid schedule ahead of us this year, and we are excited to take on the competition and prove ourselves on the field. Overall, we are optimistic about our chances this season.”
After a 20-year stint as an assistant coach, including the past eight at Alta, Kaufusi is taking over as head coach at Judge Memorial. He’s a graduate of the University of Utah.
Coach Jeff Kaufusi’s general outlook
“Looking forward to a new season with Coach Jeff Kaufusi at the helm. We have a good group of seniors and underclassmen who are motivated to change the culture and the perception of the Judge Memorial football program. We have a good mix of few returning starters who will play both ways and some underclassmen ready to step in a starting role and contribute.”
Burrell is heading into his second season at ALA after last year’s 1-10 debut season. He previously coached at Providence Hall with a 5-7 record. He’s a graduate of Cactus High School in Arizona and Southern Utah.
Coach Lance Burrell’s general outlook
“We are very eager to kick off the season. We return so many pieces from last years team and there is been a lot of work put in this off season, it will be exciting to see how that translates. We have some incredibly talented football players in our program and the effort, attitude, and toughness that those guys bring to each day will determine how far this team will go. As a staff we are proud of our players and are excited to see the things they accomplish this season.”
Smith is heading into his first season as head coach at Providence Hall. He’s a graduate of Timpview High School and Snow College. Most recently, he was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Providence Hall, and prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Pleasant Grove and Timpanogos.
Coach Dave Smith’s general outlook
“We have had a lot of changes this year, from a new coaching staff and a new home field being built. We are a young team, but excited for the talent that has come in.”
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