2023 Standard-Examiner All-Area Football First Team
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JAKE EAST, BEN LOMOND, POY. Defensive/Offensive Line • Senior ... East had 55 total tackles with 22 for loss, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception return for touchdown on defense. He’s signed with Idaho State.
BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner
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JORDAN TAULA, DAVIS. Defensive line • Senior … Taula had 76 tackles, 13 for loss, six sacks, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal. He helped Davis hold its foes to an average of 86.8 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per rush.
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MAXX JOHNSON, ROY. Defensive line • Senior … Johnson had 43 tackles with nine sacks, seven tackles for loss and was named the Region 5 Defensive MVP, helping Roy’s defense allow a region-best 16.5 points per game.
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TYLER PAYNE, WEBER. Linebacker/Tight end • Junior … Payne totaled 123 tackles with 14.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions, along with two receiving touchdowns on offense.
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ZACH SMITH, NORTHRIDGE. Linebacker • Senior … In 10 games, Smith totaled 148 tackles with 11 for loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles in his first year playing defense. He’s signed with Weber State.
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ZAK SARGENT, MORGAN. Linebacker/Running back • Senior … Sargent had 92 tackles with 13 for loss, one sack and one interception on defense, along with 797 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on offense.
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ELIJAH ELLISS, LAYTON CHRISTIAN. Linebacker/Tight end • Senior … Elliss made 102 tackles with 13 for loss and four sacks on defense, and caught 35 passes for 704 yards and 14 touchdowns on offense, averaging 20.1 yards per catch. He’s signed with Utah.
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BRIGHAM MORRISON, BOUNTIFUL. Linebacker/Running back • Senior … Morrison had 158 tackles, including 14 for loss, six sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery on defense, plus 527 rushing yards and five touchdowns on offense.
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JAKE VIERS, ROY. Safety • Senior … Viers intercepted eight passes, third-most in the state, along with 30 tackles, three pass defenses, two fumble recoveries and one interception return for touchdown.
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TATE NELSON, MORGAN. Safety/Receiver • Senior … Nelson had 90 tackles with two interceptions and two forced fumbles on defense, along with 534 receiving yards and five TDs on offense.
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FALETAU SATUALA, BOUNTIFUL. Safety/Receiver • Senior … Satuala had 86 tackles, six interceptions and two interception returns for touchdown on defense, plus 54 catches for 799 yards and 13 touchdowns on offense. The Region 5 co-MVP is signed with BYU.
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RHETT THOMPSON, SYRACUSE. Kicker • Senior … Thompson went 42 of 43 on extra points and 11 of 14 on field goals with a long of 43 yards, plus 18 touchbacks on kickoffs and 291 receiving yards on offense.
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TRADON BESSINGER, DAVIS. Quarterback • Sophomore ... Bessinger completed 67.4% of his passes for 2,925 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions along with two rushing scores and one TD reception.
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DAX SUMKO, BOX ELDER. Running back/Linebacker • Senior … Sumko rushed for 1,896 yards on 7.5 yards per rush with 22 touchdowns on offense, and had 60 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception on defense. Sumko was named Region 5 Overall Co-MVP.
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RODERICK RICHARDS III, ST. JOSEPH. Running back/Secondary • Senior … In nine games, Richards rushed for 1,335 yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per rush, caught two TDs, and totaled 404 return yards with three scores and an average of 28.9 yards per return.
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ROBERT YOUNG, ROY. All-Purpose • Junior … Young had 600 receiving yards with four touchdowns, 373 rushing yards with four TDs, 527 total return yards with two TDs and an average of 22 yards per return, plus 20 tackles and three interceptions on defense.
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DJ MAYES, SYRACUSE. Receiver/Returner • Senior … Mayes had 85 catches for 1,086 yards and 15 touchdowns as part of 1,390 all-purpose yards and 18 TDs. Mayes co-holds the state record for single-game catches with 20.
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JACE ROBERTS, BEAR RIVER. Receiver • Senior … Roberts made 75 catches for 1,326 yards and 13 touchdowns, and was the first 1,000-yard receiver from Bear River since 2014.
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KIRE THOMPSON, OGDEN. All-Purpose • Senior … Among 2,016 all-purpose yards, Thompson had 75 catches for 1,133 yards with nine touchdowns and 840 total return yards, plus 40 tackles with one interception.
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CADE DRAPER, ROY. Offensive line • Junior … Draper was the top lineman for an offense that rushed for 2,561 yards and 32 touchdowns on 7.1 yards per carry, helping the offense average 35.1 points per game.
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MIGUEL SANTOS, BEN LOMOND. Offensive/Defensive line • Senior … Santos started all over the offensive line and didn’t allow a sack. On defense, he had 43 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, three sacks, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal.
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ROMAN TORREY, BOX ELDER. Offensive line • Junior … Torrey was a pulling guard in a run-first offense that racked up 3,529 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns on 6.5 yards per carry, 4,786 total yards of offense and an average of 34.3 points per game in 12 games.
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COOPER MCGIVEN, MORGAN. Offensive/Defensive line • Senior … McGiven blocked for a balanced offense that had 4,468 yards of total offense in 12 games with an average of 35.5 points per game. On defense, he had 47 tackles with three sacks.
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LONDON WOOD, BOUNTIFUL. Offensive line • Senior … Wood blocked for an offense that accumulated 5,224 yards of total offense and scored 55 touchdowns in 15 games en route to the 5A state title game.
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- JAKE EAST, BEN LOMOND, POY. Defensive/Offensive Line • Senior … East had 55 total tackles with 22 for loss, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception return for touchdown on defense. He’s signed with Idaho State.
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- JORDAN TAULA, DAVIS. Defensive line • Senior … Taula had 76 tackles, 13 for loss, six sacks, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal. He helped Davis hold its foes to an average of 86.8 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per rush.
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- MAXX JOHNSON, ROY. Defensive line • Senior … Johnson had 43 tackles with nine sacks, seven tackles for loss and was named the Region 5 Defensive MVP, helping Roy’s defense allow a region-best 16.5 points per game.
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- TYLER PAYNE, WEBER. Linebacker/Tight end • Junior … Payne totaled 123 tackles with 14.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions, along with two receiving touchdowns on offense.
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- ZACH SMITH, NORTHRIDGE. Linebacker • Senior … In 10 games, Smith totaled 148 tackles with 11 for loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles in his first year playing defense. He’s signed with Weber State.
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- ZAK SARGENT, MORGAN. Linebacker/Running back • Senior … Sargent had 92 tackles with 13 for loss, one sack and one interception on defense, along with 797 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on offense.
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- ELIJAH ELLISS, LAYTON CHRISTIAN. Linebacker/Tight end • Senior … Elliss made 102 tackles with 13 for loss and four sacks on defense, and caught 35 passes for 704 yards and 14 touchdowns on offense, averaging 20.1 yards per catch. He’s signed with Utah.
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- BRIGHAM MORRISON, BOUNTIFUL. Linebacker/Running back • Senior … Morrison had 158 tackles, including 14 for loss, six sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery on defense, plus 527 rushing yards and five touchdowns on offense.
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- JAKE VIERS, ROY. Safety • Senior … Viers intercepted eight passes, third-most in the state, along with 30 tackles, three pass defenses, two fumble recoveries and one interception return for touchdown.
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- TATE NELSON, MORGAN. Safety/Receiver • Senior … Nelson had 90 tackles with two interceptions and two forced fumbles on defense, along with 534 receiving yards and five TDs on offense.
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- FALETAU SATUALA, BOUNTIFUL. Safety/Receiver • Senior … Satuala had 86 tackles, six interceptions and two interception returns for touchdown on defense, plus 54 catches for 799 yards and 13 touchdowns on offense. The Region 5 co-MVP is signed with BYU.
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- RHETT THOMPSON, SYRACUSE. Kicker • Senior … Thompson went 42 of 43 on extra points and 11 of 14 on field goals with a long of 43 yards, plus 18 touchbacks on kickoffs and 291 receiving yards on offense.
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- TRADON BESSINGER, DAVIS. Quarterback • Sophomore … Bessinger completed 67.4% of his passes for 2,925 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions along with two rushing scores and one TD reception.
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- DAX SUMKO, BOX ELDER. Running back/Linebacker • Senior … Sumko rushed for 1,896 yards on 7.5 yards per rush with 22 touchdowns on offense, and had 60 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception on defense. Sumko was named Region 5 Overall Co-MVP.
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- RODERICK RICHARDS III, ST. JOSEPH. Running back/Secondary • Senior … In nine games, Richards rushed for 1,335 yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per rush, caught two TDs, and totaled 404 return yards with three scores and an average of 28.9 yards per return.
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- ROBERT YOUNG, ROY. All-Purpose • Junior … Young had 600 receiving yards with four touchdowns, 373 rushing yards with four TDs, 527 total return yards with two TDs and an average of 22 yards per return, plus 20 tackles and three interceptions on defense.
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- DJ MAYES, SYRACUSE. Receiver/Returner • Senior … Mayes had 85 catches for 1,086 yards and 15 touchdowns as part of 1,390 all-purpose yards and 18 TDs. Mayes co-holds the state record for single-game catches with 20.
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- JACE ROBERTS, BEAR RIVER. Receiver • Senior … Roberts made 75 catches for 1,326 yards and 13 touchdowns, and was the first 1,000-yard receiver from Bear River since 2014.
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- KIRE THOMPSON, OGDEN. All-Purpose • Senior … Among 2,016 all-purpose yards, Thompson had 75 catches for 1,133 yards with nine touchdowns and 840 total return yards, plus 40 tackles with one interception.
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- CADE DRAPER, ROY. Offensive line • Junior … Draper was the top lineman for an offense that rushed for 2,561 yards and 32 touchdowns on 7.1 yards per carry, helping the offense average 35.1 points per game.
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- MIGUEL SANTOS, BEN LOMOND. Offensive/Defensive line • Senior … Santos started all over the offensive line and didn’t allow a sack. On defense, he had 43 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, three sacks, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal.
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- ROMAN TORREY, BOX ELDER. Offensive line • Junior … Torrey was a pulling guard in a run-first offense that racked up 3,529 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns on 6.5 yards per carry, 4,786 total yards of offense and an average of 34.3 points per game in 12 games.
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- COOPER MCGIVEN, MORGAN. Offensive/Defensive line • Senior … McGiven blocked for a balanced offense that had 4,468 yards of total offense in 12 games with an average of 35.5 points per game. On defense, he had 47 tackles with three sacks.
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- LONDON WOOD, BOUNTIFUL. Offensive line • Senior … Wood blocked for an offense that accumulated 5,224 yards of total offense and scored 55 touchdowns in 15 games en route to the 5A state title game.
Click through the photos above to see the selections for the Standard-Examiner’s 2023 All-Area Football First Team.