| 9:24 AM, Nov. 22, 2011 | It was a fitting end to a fantastic Region 9 football season.
When the Hurricane Tigers hoisted the 3A state championship trophy at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday, it concluded one of the best prep football seasons in recent memory for Southern Utah programs. Region 9 was represented by three of the final four 3A semifinal spots.
Cedar (6-6 overall), Desert Hills (9-4), and Hurricane (13-0) certainly impressed many pundits and fans throughout the state, earning plenty of respect along the way.
The outcome, though, wasn't surprising for those who had watched Region 9 the entire season.
Hurricane
Calling Hurricane's football program a dynasty is not overstating what the Tigers have accomplished in their last four seasons. Coach Chris Homer's group has posted a stellar 48-7 record since 2008, putting them in the rarefied air of the state's elite programs like Bingham and Juan Diego.
This season was one of redemption for Hurricane.
After losing three consecutive 3A title games at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the criticism began trickling from up and down the state. Homer said he never looked at those losses as failures. He said he was proud of his players for putting themselves into a position to have success year to year.
Nonetheless, the Tigers played with a vengeance in 2011 after many members of the media, particularly from Northern Utah, had dismissed them in preseason rankings. Thus, Hurricane took nothing for granted, defeating its opponents by an average of 22.8 points per game, and in the process, won the school's first championship since 1948.
Desert Hills
The Thunder had outstanding triple threat with quarterback Porter Harris (1,458 yards passing and 13 touchdowns), running back Mike Needham (1,194 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns), and receiver Ty Rutledge (14.1 yards per catch and eight touchdowns). The trio helped the Thunder average 24.5 points per game. The defense was just as strong. Led by linebacker Peter Brown (100 tackles and two sacks) and defensive end Nate Brinker (nine sacks), the unit gave up just 19 points per game. Together, this year's group propelled the program to new heights and set the bar for seasons to come.
Cedar
The Reds were highly entertaining to say the least. After a 0-4 start to the season, the Reds bounced back behind the stellar play of quarterback John Ursua (31 total touchdowns) and running back Hayden Bishop (925 yards and nine touchdowns). Cedar reeled off six wins in its last eight games, ultimately losing to Desert Hills, 23-21 in the semifinals.
One highlight came when coach Todd Peacock surpassed 150 wins for his career.
Rest of the field
Dixie bounced back from a forgettable 2010 campaign to finish 7-3 overall. Coach Blaine Monkres' offensive system lit up the scoreboard, averaging 33.9 points per game, fourth best in 3A. The Flyers are expected to be competitive again in 2012 with Monkres leading the sideline and quarterback Blake Barney (2,594 yards and 23 touchdowns) running the show on the field.
Pine View (4-5 overall) stumbled after many experts had picked it to win region in preseason. After a 2-1 start, it looked like the Panthers could be a contender. Then a four-game losing streak washed away any chance of that happening. Pine View won its last two games to end the season and can potentially carry momentum into next season where junior running back Prentiss Miller (1,155 yard and five touchdowns) and highly touted freshman quarterback Kody Wilstead (1,008 yards and 10 touchdowns) will be returning starters.
Snow Canyon couldn't find a winning formula and finished a disappointing 2-7. The offense played inconsistent, averaging 21 point per game. The defense, though, wasn't much better after they allowed up 26.8 per. Coach Jay Graft will be looking for a few good players to turn things around next season and get Snow Canyon back into the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Canyon View (2-7) took positive steps forward by ending its lengthy losing streak that dated back to 2009. However, two wins won't give the Falcons any consolation prizes. Coach Alex Huxford will turn to returning quarterback Koy Huxford in 2012, which they hope will translate into the program's continued upward climb toward contention.
In 2A, Beaver had a strong showing with a 5-2 record in 2A South, which led to a quarterfinal berth. Enterprise posted another winning season, finishing 6-4 overall and a first round appearance. Kanab (5-5 overall) showed real progress after finishing one game better than the season before, and is expected to be a semifinal contender in 2012. And lastly, there's Parowan, which will look to rebuild completely after finishing 0-9.
Key number: 3
The number of interceptions Hurricane forced Desert Hills' quarterbacks into throwing in the 3A championship tilt at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Thunder were limited to 130 yards of total offense.
Top performer: Brian Scott
The Hurricane running back tallied 108 yards on 26 carries and three touchdowns in the 3A state title game against rival Desert Hills. The Tigers senior finished the season with 1,635 yards and 31 touchdowns on the year. Scott said he hasn't committed to a collegiate program yet, but hopes to do so soon.
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