RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesA goal line marker and football are pictured before a football game held at Timpview High School in Provo on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024.
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Isaac Hale, Deseret News
North Summit was picked as the preseason favorite in the 1A North region after finishing second in the region last season. The Braves went 6-6 overall in 2025 and reached the 1A state semifinals for the second consecutive year before falling to eventual state champion Kanab. North Summit has qualified for the playoffs in each of the past seven seasons and will look to take the next step in 2026.
The Braves’ record was somewhat deceiving. North Summit played one of the toughest schedules in the state, with every loss coming against a team that reached at least the state semifinals, including eventual 1A champion Kanab twice.
North Summit also enters the season with a new head coach as Dalton Ross takes over for longtime coach Jerre Holmes after spending the past 10 seasons as an assistant. Ross, who also played for Holmes, said he plans to continue the culture that has made the Braves one of the state’s most consistent programs.
“At North Summit, we’re fortunate to be able to build on the great culture that Coach Holmes and those before him established,” Ross said. “Our goal is simply to continue building on the foundation that has already been laid.”
The Braves return 13 starters, including six on offense and seven on defense. Senior quarterback Cru Richins returns after earning second-team All-State honors last season. Richins threw for 1,358 yards and 14 touchdowns while adding 632 rushing yards and four scores. First-team All-State receiver Knox Woolstenhulme is also back after catching 60 passes for 963 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for another 408 yards and six scores. Junior Tayton Pace, a second-team All-State selection, threw for 687 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 304 receiving yards.
Defensively, North Summit is led by first-team All-State linebacker Cael Blonquist, who recorded 118 tackles last season. Ross also expects senior Jaymon Bailey to play a key role in the trenches as the Braves look to make a third straight trip to the state semifinals.
As for Duchesne, despite winning the 1A North title and finishing 9-3 last season, it was picked second in this year’s preseason coaches poll. The Eagles reached the 1A state semifinals before falling to eventual 1A runner-up Beaver and now enter Tom Clark’s third season looking to defend their region championship.
Replacing last year’s senior class will be one of Duchesne’s biggest challenges. The Eagles graduated 1A leading rusher Kasen Crum along with several other key contributors from an offense that scored 471 points, the second-highest total in school history. Clark said Duchesne expects six or seven first-year starters on both sides of the ball.
“We will definitely have to rely on our All-State returners to lead the way while our young kids grow as the season goes on,” Clark said. “Hopefully we can gel early and have a good start.”
Those returning leaders begin with senior Brex Robinson, who is expected to take over at quarterback after earning first-team All-State honors as a defensive back last season. Robinson threw for 356 yards and four touchdowns while adding 162 rushing yards. Defensively, he recorded 36 tackles and six interceptions.
The Eagles also return one of the top offensive lines in 1A with first-team All-State selections Eli Lefler and Tucker Lefler, along with honorable mention lineman Jackson Stansfield. Tucker Lefler helped pave the way for 1A leading rusher Kasen Crum last season, while Eli Lefler earned first-team All-State honors on the defensive line. Junior kicker Alec Thomas also returns after earning first-team All-State honors.
Duchesne returns four offensive starters and six on defense, but if its experienced leaders can help the next wave of players develop quickly, the Eagles should once again be in the mix for another 1A North championship.
Millard was picked third in the preseason 1A North coaches poll after finishing 5-6 last season. The Eagles reached the 1A quarterfinals before falling to North Summit, marking their third straight quarterfinal appearance that ended one win shy of the semifinals. Their 5-6 record came against a difficult schedule that included eventual 1A champion Kanab, runner-up Beaver, semifinalists North Summit and Duchesne, along with 2A semifinalist South Sevier.
The Eagles return 18 starters, including eight on offense and 10 on defense, giving head coach Stoney Myers squad one of the most experienced rosters in the region.
“We like our team this year,” Myers said. “We do have a number of players returning that bring valuable playing experience for this season. The culture of our program seems to be improving, but we are still looking to get out of the ‘quarterfinal slump.’”
Millard is led by first-team All-State defensive lineman Deegan Leatham, who recorded 45 tackles and four sacks last season. Second-team All-State running back Kaydon Fowkes also returns after rushing for 782 yards and six touchdowns while adding 49 tackles on defense. Senior Jensen Davies is expected to take on a larger offensive role after recording 192 receiving yards last season, while Christian Briceno returns after leading the Eagles with 59 tackles and adding 14 receptions for 163 yards and four touchdowns.
Millard will also look to replace the production of graduated quarterback Connor Stevens, who accounted for nearly 1,900 total yards last season. If the Eagles’ experienced roster can build on the progress they’ve made in recent seasons, they have the pieces to contend for a deeper postseason run.
Gunnison Valley was picked fourth in the preseason 1A North coaches poll after finishing 4-7 last season. The Bulldogs took a significant step forward in 2025, improving from an 0-9 campaign the year before and advancing to the 1A quarterfinals after defeating rival North Sevier in the opening round...
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