This week’s marquee prep football matchups are between the only two teams to have won Region 1 in the last six years, and a critical game near the top of the Region 5 standings.

Last week’s prediction record: 11-2 (.846)

Season prediction record: 67-22 (.753)

Roy at Woods Cross, Game of the Week

The blueprint on how to beat Woods Cross (4-2, 2-1 Region 5) lies in the film of the Bonneville-WX game, where the Lakers took away the fullback dive play of the flexbone triple option.

It’s 10 times easier said than done to stop the Wildcats’ ground game, but Roy (4-2, 2-1) has enough to make it happen and also score some points for itself.

Royals quarterback Dru Gardner quietly had his best game of the year last week against Bonneville, completing 10 of 11 passes for 229 yards and one score.

The stakes for this game are big. The winner stays within a game of Box Elder at the top (should Box Elder win), and the loser could fall two games back of first place with three games left.

Prediction: Roy

Weber at Syracuse

Syracuse and Weber are the only two teams still in Region 1 to have won a region title in the last six seasons (Syracuse in 2019 and 2022, Weber in 2017-18, 20-21).

This year, the game pits the region’s best defensive team, Syracuse (5-1, 1-0 Region 1), against the region’s worst defensive team, Weber (2-4, 0-1). The Titans allow 12 points per game and the Warriors allow 34.2.

Through quarterback Crew Cacciacarne and receivers Salesi Moa and Ian Elmore, the Warriors have the talent to possibly get some breakthroughs against the Titans’ defense.

The thing is, Syracuse has quieted better offenses than Weber’s. Six different players have an interception, and on offense, the receiving duo of DJ Mayes and Shaun Blanton has a combined 17 touchdown catches despite the amount of attention they get.

Prediction: Syracuse

Grantsville at Ogden

Ogden (4-2, 1-0 3A North) changed things up last week, putting Kale Adams in at quarterback, and he rushed for two touchdowns in the 21-12 win at Union.

Grantsville’s (3-3, 1-0) reaping the benefits of a tough non-region schedule, and the Cowboys have won three straight.

Prediction: Grantsville

Ben Lomond at Morgan

Morgan (3-3, 1-0 3A North) is 3-0 when it scores 30-plus points and Ben Lomond’s (3-3, 0-1) defense gives up 26 per game.

The Scots have to forge long drives to keep the Trojans’ offense off the field in order to have a chance.

Prediction: Morgan

Fremont at Davis

Davis (5-1, 1-0 Region 1) has won five in a row and looks for its first six-game win streak since 2015. Sophomore quarterback Tradon Bessinger has 19 touchdown passes, with 18 going to the trio of Kash Gates, Bode Sparrow and Tyson Baggett.

After four games against very tough teams, Fremont (2-4, 1-0 Region 1) has a two-game win streak by a combined score of 61-22. Brigg Grange had 101 yards and two touchdowns on the ground last week.

Prediction: Davis

Northridge at Bonneville

Bonneville’s (3-3, 2-1 Region 5) offense was down the first two games of the year, then way up in the next two games, and has gone back down the most recent two games.

If you believe in patterns, the Lakers are poised for a better offensive game. If not, consider Northridge (3-3, 1-2) has allowed 350-plus yards the last three games.

The Knights recently got a big boost on offense as their best player, Zach Smith, has resumed playing tight end/receiver after a right hand injury at the start of the year limited him just to linebacker (granted, he has 81 tackles at LB).

Prediction: Bonneville

USDB at St. Joseph, 5 p.m.

It’s hard to gauge eight-player football at the moment. St. Joseph is 0-5, but against teams that are a combined 13-8. The Jayhawks scored 30 points their first four games, then 66 (!) last week in a 68-66 loss, even as they struggle with numbers.

They host Utah School for the Deaf and Blind this week, which is 1-2 (the win was against a non-varsity opponent and won’t count in the RPI ranking). Last year, the Eagles started a football team with kids from the school’s Ogden and Salt Lake City campuses.

Prediction: St. Joseph

Farmington at Layton

Farmington’s (0-5, 0-1 Region 1) beaten Layton (0-5, 0-1) in both meetings, but by one possession each time. Layton’s Porter Cannon leads the team in rushing yards (497) and receiving (305).

Farmington is one of two teams in the region to have an interception return and kickoff return for touchdown. This one should be close. The Phoenix’s better strength of schedule should pay off this week.

Prediction: Farmington

Box Elder at Viewmont

As a team, Box Elder (6-0, 3-0 Region 5) averages 341.7 rushing yards per game on 7.3 yards per carry and is about to face a team that gave up 386 on the ground last week.

The run game gets all the attention, but so far, quarterback Ryan Griffin has 10 TD passes with no interceptions and is a combined 13 of 15 passing the last two games.

Viewmont (2-4, 0-3) averages 25.7 points per game and can exploit the Bees’ defense, which gives up 22.7 per game, but the Vikings must do it early.

Prediction: Box Elder

Clearfield at Bountiful

Bountiful (3-3, 2-1 Region 5) running back Siaki Fekitoa has 25 carries for 228 yards in the last three games. The Redhawks have been without star safety Faletau Satuala the last two weeks due to a left knee injury.

Clearfield (0-6, 0-3) jumped on Box Elder last week for a 10-0 lead and was within 20-17 at one point, a brief stretch of play that was significantly better than what the Falcons put out the previous few games.

Prediction: Bountiful

Bear River at Green Canyon

Green Canyon’s defense gave up a season-high 31 points to Ridgeline last week and though it was a tough 31, there’s now a blueprint on how to score against the Wolves for Bear River (3-3, 1-1 Region 11) to study.

The Bears were a botched 2-point conversion away from pulling off an epic comeback upset win at Sky View last week. They’re much more game for Region 11 than many thought.

Despite extra defensive attention, BR receiver Jace Roberts keeps hauling in passes and is now up to 38 catches for 839 yards and eight touchdowns.

Prediction: Green Canyon

Judge Memorial at Layton Christian

The transitive property usually isn’t the best way to compare two teams, but in this case it makes sense when looking at Layton Christian (1-4, 0-1 2A North) and Judge Memorial.

LCA lost to San Juan 66-43 in the opener and gained 545 yards of offense. Judge lost to San Juan 67-7 and gained 257 yards.

LCA’s Elijah Elliss verbally committed to the University of Idaho on Tuesday. He leads the team in tackles (52), tackles for loss (five) and receiving touchdowns (nine).

Prediction: Layton Christian

Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports.

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