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AROUND THE BEEHIVE — Through a half-dozen weeks and an invitation from all challengers, Skyridge held to the No. 1 spot in the KSL.com high school football Top 20+1 and never let go.
The Falcons were forced to relinquish it Friday after Corner Canyon charged into Lehi and emerged with a 21-17 win over their Region 4 rivals.
Drew Patterson broke through the line for a 3-yard touchdown — his second of the night — with 10:13 left in regulation to lift the Chargers to the win and a 2-0 record in Region 4 play.
"(Skyridge) is fun," Corner Canyon coach Eric Kjar told KSL.com after the win. "Like as much stress as they are, they're fun, too; and we needed one. We've had a couple where we've really kind of had some tough games at times and we haven't played super well. It's fun to have one where we played better in the fourth quarter and finished stuff off the right way."
Corner Canyon (5-2) is a 25-point, fourth-quarter comeback loss to Lehi away from being undefeated against in-state competition. But four-star quarterback recruit Isaac Wilson and the Chargers now own the biggest win in 6A to assume the No. 1 spot in the Utah High School Activities Association's official RPI ratings.
Is it enough to assume the top spot in the poll? Corner Canyon rose to No. 2 in the Deseret News coaches poll — and a familiar foe stands in their way at the top of the Top 20+1, as well.
1. Lehi (7-0)
The Pioneers are one of three undefeated teams in the state's top two classifications, and since rallying with 25-unanswered points for a 25-24 win over Corner Canyon on Sept. 9, Colorado State quarterback commit Jackson Brousseau and the Pioneers have not allowed a point.
Carson Gonzalez ran for three touchdowns in Lehi's 77-0 rout of Jordan to open region play, and the Pioneers have outscored Fremont and the Beetdiggers 123-0 in back-to-back weeks.
How much longer will it last? After visiting Alta this week, Lehi hosts Timpview on Thursday, Oct. 6 in a game that will have huge stakes for the 5A playoffs.
2. Corner Canyon (5-2)
Since that loss, the Chargers are 2-0 in Region 4 play and the presumptive favorites to win the "SEC of Utah high school football" before setting up a deep postseason run. Things are setting up well for Corner Canyon, which now boasts two wins over teams ranked in the top five of the 6A RPI computer ratings.
3. Skyridge (6-1)
The Falcons didn't fall far after their first loss of the season, which came with Trent Call filling in admirably for an injured McCae Hillstead. How will they respond Friday at Lone Peak?
4. Farmington (7-0)
Dayton Runyan's 25-yard pick six capped a 35-0 run through the middle two quarters as the Phoenix kept their undefeated season alive with a 45-15 rout of Roy. A rivalry game at Davis remains on deck.
5. Timpview (5-1)
The Thunderbirds had the week off after cruising to a 42-14 win over Alta to open Region 8 play.
6. Stansbury (7-0)
All-Name Team frontrunner Ezra Harris scored five touchdowns, including three with his legs, to help the Stallions motor past Cedar Valley 46-7. Stansbury is in the driver's seat for a Region 7 title with a 4-0 record, and everyone else is stalling into neutral.
2 minute drill? Stansbury O only needs 30 seconds 🤷🏽♂️@trentjonesyy@dylan_ham20@WilsonBrock_8pic.twitter.com/kQ9Xcethl0
— Ezra Harris (@ezharrls) September 24, 2022
7. Bingham (5-2)
Dallen Martinez ran for 121 yards and a touchdown, and Carson Sudbury added 59 yards and two scores on the ground as the Miners assumed control of Region 3 with a 24-13 win over Mountain Ridge.
8. American Fork (5-2)
The final score came in past our bedtime, but Brooks Wilde ran wild for 101 yards and a touchdown and the Cavemen kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime to stun rival Lone Peak 17-14 and jump back into the Top 10.
9. West (5-2)
Isaiah SueSue scored a touchdown with his arm and his legs, then said the closing prayer after Ryder Masina and Taimane Brown each returned an interception for a touchdown in the Panthers' 35-0 victory at Taylorsville in a penalty-plagued road win.
10. Lone Peak (4-2)
Oh, don't worry, we're sure the Knights can bounce back with ... </checks notes> ... No. 3 Skyridge coming off its first loss of the season, followed by the new top team in 6A.
11. Pleasant Grove (5-2)
The Vikings did most of their damage through Wade Christiansen and Jaeden Wright on the ground while Mason Jensen found Shawn Cottle for the only touchdown of the game on a 32-yard pass midway through the second quarter of a 7-0 win at Westlake.
12. Springville (6-1)
Tevita Valeti ran for four touchdowns, BYU quarterback commit Ryder Burton threw for another, and the Red Devils led by as much as 24 points heading into the fourth quarter before holding off a late rally to clip Wasatch 48-40.
13. West Jordan (5-1)
Dameon Crosby and Daitrez Johnson each scored in the third quarter to help the Jaguars turn a 10-7 halftime deficit into a 21-15 win at Herriman and set up the two most important weeks of the regular season, beginning Friday against Mountain Ridge.
14. Mountain Ridge (5-2)
Jaxson Reiser threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 60 yards and another score for the Sentinels in the loss to Bingham.
15. Brighton (6-1)
Kace Gurr went supernova with a 142-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 14-3 win over East for the Bengals' sixth-straight win to stay undefeated in Region 6 play.
16. Grantsville (7-0)
Three teams are undefeated in 3A, and two of them will meet Friday night at Morgan after Hunter Bell tossed three touchdown passes in a 49-0 shutout of Ogden.
17. Bountiful (5-2)
Owen Geilman totaled 163 yards of offense and two total touchdowns as the Redhawks handed Box Elder its first loss in region play and assume control of the Region 5 title race with two games to play.
18. Crimson Cliffs (6-1)
The top-rated team in 4A kept rolling with a 48-17 rout of Hurricane for the Mustangs' fourth-straight win.
19. Box Elder (5-2)
The Bees will try to buzz, errr ... bounce back Friday against Woods Cross.
20. Riverton (4-3)
The Silverwolves overcame a 147-yard, two-touchdown effort from Nate Kitchen to hold off Copper Hills 34-14.
Plus-1. Morgan (7-0)
The Trojans did all their scoring in the first half, including 28 points in the first quarter, to cruise past Ben Lomond 49-7 for their seventh-straight win.
Quarterback Nick Despain threw for 114 yards and two touchdowns, and Gunnar Lish ran for 65 yards and a score in a balanced effort to set up Friday's critical 3A North matchup at home with Grantsville. The two schools, along with No. 2 and fellow unbeaten Juab, are among the top-three in 3A as the regular season begins to wind down.
