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Prep football picks still on right track
Published: October 04. 2010 4:55AM
With just a few weeks left in the prep football regular season, it's becoming obvious who the contenders and pretenders are in Region 9. At the start of the season, I was more than willing to pick Hurricane to successfully reclaim its region crown. And that claim looks to be spot-on entering this week's games.
Yes, Cedar and Desert Hills have legitimate shots to dethrone the Tigers, but my money¹s still on the 3A state runner-up in each of the last two seasons.
Simply, coach Chris Homer is running the best program from top to bottom, a notion that could've been hard pressed to believe a decade ago. Yet, it's true: Hurricane (3-0 region, 7-0 overall) is top dog in Southern Utah prep football.
In seven games, the Tigers are scoring 34.7 points per game while allowing an outstanding 12 per game, a 3A differential best of 22.9 per.
Homer's been able to change the football landscape in Hurricane. Despite being a small population, the sideline leader manages to get many kids to sign up for football, which means he's a great salesman and also the players like him. But to win, one needs talent. And this year's Tigers could be its most talented team in history.
Hurricane's running attack is a monstrous one led by Jarom Healey (8.3 yards per carry) and Robert Reeve (8.8 yards). Even quarterback Adam Long has racked up nearly 200 yards rushing this season. The senior isn't the most dangerous passer in region, but he'll deliver when he has to.
The offensive line is led by future Utah Ute Daniel Nielson. The big guy deserves a lot of credit for Hurricane's rushing success. Defensively, it's simply a team effort led by Taylor Frost and Taylor Parker.
The Tigers' matchup with Desert Hills (2-1, 5-1) Friday will most likely decide the region champion. While the Thunder have played well this season, the Tigers' depth and versatility should be too much for them, particularly with the game being played in Hurricane.
Both teams love to run the ball. What separates Hurricane, though, is their cleverness to fool defenses on who the actual ball carrier is.
Desert Hills, on the other hand, is a real vanilla offense with Mike Needham running lead left, right, and up the middle. If one can stop the veteran, then one can contain the Thunder offense.
Assuming the Tigers get by the newest program to region, then they should cruise past a struggling Canyon View team to setup the season finale showdown with Cedar.
The Reds (2-1, 6-1) have a legitimate shot at beating Hurricane.
Their option running attack is dangerous and defense is solid as well. Entering the week, Cedar is scoring 31.7 points per game and giving up 14 per, second best in 3A behind who else? Hurricane.
Cedar's lone loss came at home against Snow Canyon (2-2, 2-5) in disappointing fashion.
The Tigers dominated the Warriors in their Sept. 17 meeting, 35-6. If one wants to use that game as a barometer, than obviously the edge goes to Hurricane over Cedar. But I've never been a believer in judging a matchup on teams they've played against because every game offers different scenarios and situations.
There's a very good chance that Hurricane vs. Cedar will decide who the region champion will be. Now talking to constituents and fans before the season started, not everyone would've been on board with that.
I heard Snow Canyon would be the big successful surprise this season. While the Warriors have had moments, their inconsistency has doomed any overall title aspirations. Dixie (1-3, 2-5) was also in the topic of conversation back in August, but a lackluster defense will have the Flyers sitting home in November. And last but not least, Pine View.
Many people were drinking the Panthers Kool-Aid before the season, explaining their offense would be explosive and the defense a drastic improvement from a year ago. But like Snow Canyon, Pine View has shown brilliance at times, yet, has sputtered in others, missing big opportunities with losses to Cedar and Hurricane.
With all that said, I didn't buy into any preseason hype because I covered Hurricane for the majority of the 2009 season. And what I saw was the best program going in region. And until someone proves otherwise, it'll be difficult to go against Homer and his defending region champion group.
E-mail John Renshaw at
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