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SALT LAKE CITY — After four weeks of the 2023 high school football season, the top of the KSL.com Top 20+1 rankings are looking awfully familiar.
But a handful of recent risers are providing fresh blood for the competition.
There's plenty to like about Skyridge, Corner Canyon, American Fork and Lehi, which were some of the top teams last year whose success has continued through the start of the most recent campaign.
But we're going to celebrate success in the journey, which includes some remarkable starts by Mountain Ridge, Crimson Cliffs, Box Elder and Park City, to name a few.
Here are your most recently updated rankings as most schools jump towards region play.
1. Skyridge (4-0, 6A Region 3)
The Falcons lead a loaded Region 3, which boasts four undefeated teams after Skyridge quarterback Jackson Stevens found golf partner Trent Call with a 63-yard touchdown pass to help the defending 6A champions hold off Bingham 35-28.
One day, this will all be sorted out in the SEC of Utah high school football. But it is not today.
2. Corner Canyon (3-1, 6A Region 2)
Utah commit Isaac Wilson continued his electric start to the season with four touchdowns, two each to Tate Kjar and Bryton Brady, as the Chargers handled Farmington 42-3 while playing with heavy hearts last week. Another road test on the northern portion of the Wasatch Front awaits for the Chargers, who are unbeaten against in-state competition.
3. American Fork (4-0, 6A Region 3)
Good things come in pairs for BYU, Utah and Notre Dame target Davis Andrews, who has scored two touchdowns each in three of his last four starts for the Cavemen, including in last week's 50-7 romp over Rigby (Idaho).
4. Lehi (4-0, 6A Region 3)
Last year's 5A champs are adapting to 6A and Region 3 just fine, after Jett Niu found four different receivers for touchdowns in a 37-14 win over Maple Mountain to improve to 4-0.
5. Syracuse (4-0, 6A Region 1)
Jake Hopkins showed why the Titans are the class of Region 1, throwing for four touchdowns and running for another to help Syracuse to a 59-0 shutout of Taylorsville.
The Titans get a chance to prove their ranking by welcoming Corner Canyon to campus Friday night.
6. Pleasant Grove (4-0, 6A Region 3)
We're not sure many people saw the fourth undefeated team in Region 3 coming. But after Carson Rasmussen threw for two more touchdowns in a 31-14 home win over Layton, here we are.
7. Timpview (2-2, 5A Region 7)
The Thunderbirds have faced a brutal schedule since opening with a 26-14 loss to top-rated Skyridge and dropping to .500 with a 57-35 setback at Los Alamitos (California). Construction delays on campus have also pushed any of Timpview's home games to the road for another year, but the road warriors will get a chance to prove themselves in region play Friday against league stalwart Springville.
8. Mountain Ridge (4-0, 6A Region 2)
If you like new blood, look no further than the Sentinels. After opening the school in 2019 and finishing 0-11 in its inaugural season, Mountain Ridge is 4-0 for the second straight season after Tanner Dejong scored on a 65-yard fumble rumble and a 95-yard pick six to lead the Sentinels to a 31-17 win at Lone Peak.
9. Brighton (3-1, 5A Region 6)
Region play is time for a reset, but Jack Johnson and the Bengals picked up where they left off and proved they're better together with a 29-6 win over Highland.
10. Crimson Cliffs (3-1, 4A Region 9)
A 4A team in the top 10? The Mustangs deserve it after opening the season with a 20-point rout of 3A contender Morgan, a 3-point road loss to 6A Bingham, a crushing 28-7 home victory over 5A Springville, and opening Region 9 play by thumping Cedar City 51-7 behind four touchdown passes from Crimson Cliffs quarterback and all-name team front-runner Steele Barben.
Next week should test the Mustangs when they host Desert Hills.
11. Box Elder (4-0, 5A Region 5)
The Bees are off to their best start since 2003 after Dax Sumko ran for four touchdowns, the defense forced three turnovers, and Box Elder outclassed Northridge 42-12 in a Region 5 opener that was moved to Weber High because the Bees' new turf field hasn't been finished, per the Standard-Examiner.
12. Park City (4-0, 4A Region 10)
Carson Navarro had two touchdowns as the Miners ran roughshod over Hillcrest en route to a 44-0 shutout to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2019.
13. Bingham (1-3, 6A Region 2)
It's tough to argue with results, and the Miners won't make any excuses. But Bingham could have been a quarter away from handing Skyridge its first loss of the season after Carson Sudbury rallied the Miners from a 28-14 halftime deficit before giving up the game-winner on a Stevens-Call connection.
A brutal schedule that also includes Lone Peak, Crimson Cliffs and Mater Dei (California) doesn't lighten up Friday when Bingham travels to American Fork before opening Region 2 play at Copper Hills.
14. Springville (3-1, 5A Region 7)
Tevita Valeti and Mo Finau each ran for two touchdowns as the Red Devils bounced back with a 46-0 road rout of Cyprus. But hosting Timpview this Friday won't be so easy.
15. Lone Peak (1-3, 6A Region 3)
It's been a tough start to the campaign for the Knights, who dropped their third game in a row after opening with a win over Bingham. Can they get back on track with a trip to Highland (Arizona) to earn some momentum for the start of region play?
16. Alta (3-1, 5A Region 6)
The Hawks dropped seven spots by the boot of East kicker Luca Viana, whose 37-yard field goal as time expired broke a 7-7 stalemate and handed Alta its first loss of the year.
17. West (1-2, 5A Region 6)
After losses to Santa Margarita (California) and American Fork, Isaiah SueSue rallied the Panthers with two second-half touchdowns to stun host Olympus 19-18 — West's first win over the Titans since 2008.
18. Ridgeline (4-0, 4A Region 11)
Cache Valley is well represented with three undefeated teams, including the Riverhawks, who are 4-0 for the second time in three years after Nate Dahle threw four touchdown passes in a 49-7 win at Cedar Valley.
19. Herriman (3-1, 6A Region 2)
The Mustangs haven't allowed a point at home in three weeks, returning home after a two-game road trip to blank Westlake 27-0 highlighted by Holden McKell's 35-yard interception return for a touchdown.
20. Provo (3-1, 4A Region 8)
Tagai Lesa ran for 155 yards and two scores as the Bulldogs opened region play with a 35-0 win over Salem Hills.
Plus-1. Hunter (3-1, 5A Region 4)
Kenyon Paea dazzled with four rushing touchdowns, and the Wolverines held Copper Hills to a single touchdown until the final three minutes of the game en route to a 33-15 win that handed the Grizzlies their first loss of the year.
Uluaki Taukiuvea added a rushing touchdown for Hunter, which is off to its best start since 2019.
