KSL.com Top 20+1: Embrace the chaos of Region 5 — and beyond

SALT LAKE CITY — Eight games into the 2023 Utah high school football season, and order is slowly forming across the Wasatch Front.

And then there's Region 5.

The league that stretches from Brigham City in the north to Bountiful in the south is a mix of good to very good teams, but it's been entertaining as heck.

Take, for example, Bountiful. The Redhawks are 5-3 overall and 4-1 in region play, but stormed into Box Elder, punched the previously unbeaten Bees in the mouth, and left with a 34-28 win on the back of Emerson Geilman's three scores.

Now three teams are tied atop Region 5 with a 4-1 record, including Box Elder, Bountiful, Roy and Bonneville with two games remaining.

Things stayed crazy in the north, where Weber's two-game win streak (by a total of 4 points) over Syracuse and Farmington has left five of the region's six teams (sorry, Layton) within two games of the region title with two games remaining.

Davis is in the drivers' seat at 3-0 (7-1 overall), but Syracuse and Weber are just a game back at 2-1, followed by Fremont and Farmington at 1-2. The Warriors (4-4) also end the season with Fremont (2-6, 1-2 Region 1) and Layton (0-7, 0-3 Region 1), so things could get interesting as the Darts and Titans lumber toward a regular season finale against each other.

Elsewhere, Corner Canyon (7-1, 3-0 Region 2) and Bingham (4-4, 3-0) may be hosting the Region 2 title game Friday in Draper, while Skyridge will look to all-but wrap up a Region 3 title Friday against Pleasant Grove after the Vikings' first loss of the year.

Here's how the rest of the Top 20 played out. But you already know this week's Plus-1.

1. Corner Canyon (7-1, 3-0 6A Region 2)

No one from the state has taken down the Chargers, who improved to 7-0 against Utah schools after Isaac Wilson threw for four touchdowns in a 49-7 win over Copper Hills. Could that change Friday night?

2. Skyridge (8-0, 3-0 6A Region 3)

If Region 3 is the SEC of Utah high school football, then the Falcons are its Georgia after Jackson Stevens threw for another five touchdowns in handing Lone Peak a casual 41-15 loss.

3. Timpview (6-2, 4-0 5A Region 7)

After a loaded non-region schedule, the Thunderbirds are picking on teams their own size and dismantling Wasatch 44-7 behind a hat trick from quarterback Helaman Casuga.

4. American Fork (7-1, 2-1 6A Region 3)

Dylan Story threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns as the Cavemen bounced back from their first loss of the season by handing Pleasant Grove its own first setback 31-10.

5. Lehi (6-2, 1-2 6A Region 3)

Mays Madsen helped the Pioneers take a breath with a 31-6 win over Westlake, but host Lone Peak in Lehi's regular season home finale Friday night.

6. Pleasant Grove (7-1, 2-1 6A Region 3)

No time to pout over an undefeated season busted; the Vikings travel to No. 2 Skyridge this weekend.

7. Mountain Ridge (6-1, 2-1 6A Region 2)

Brody Laga had four field goals and three PATs — including a 59-yard boomer — to help the Sentinels bounce back from a loss with a 33-24 win over Herriman. But all eyes seem to be on that Oct. 13 trip to Bingham, if Mountain Ridge can get by Riverton first.

8. Crimson Cliffs (7-1, 4-0 4A Region 9)

Like Steele Barben's touchdown count (25 touchdowns, four interceptions), the Mustangs are going to keep climbing until someone knocks them off. Will that come Friday against Pine View or (more likely) Oct. 11 against Dixie, which has beaten four straight in-state opponents after opening 1-4?

9. Davis (7-1, 3-0 Region 1)

Owen Talbot and the Darts hold the inside track in Region 1 after a 31-21 win at Layton, but everything to play for against Farmington and Syracuse.

10. Syracuse (6-2, 2-1 Region 1)

The Titans bounced back from a 1-point stunner to Weber with a 42-7 rout over Fremont.

11. Park City (8-0, 5-0 4A Region 10)

Elijah Warner and the Miners have outscored their last two opponents 77-7, including a 35-0 shutout of Jordan. But Tooele (4-4, 4-0) will put the region title at stake this weekend.

12. West (4-3, 4-0 5A Region 6)

After a 1-2 start that included a 1-point win at Olympus, the Panthers have won three of their last four heading into Thursday's Directional Bowl against historic rival East — the oldest high school football rivalry in state history.

13. Bingham (4-4, 3-0 6A Region 2)

The Miners have seemingly figured things out after a 31-6 win over Riverton, their third win in a row. But Corner Canyon is a different beast.

14. Lone Peak (3-5, 1-2 6A Region 3)

Why is a three-win team still among the top 20 after a 41-15 loss to Skyridge? Those five losses are to teams ranked No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 6 and No. 7.

At least the Knights get to take a break this week by traveling to ... No. 5 Lehi.

15. Sky View (8-0, 4-0 4A Region 11)

Cache Valley's team to beat dismantled Green Canyon 21-7, setting up a regular season finale in Hyrum against Mountain Crest (5-3).

16. Box Elder (7-1, 4-1 5A Region 5)

The Bees' loss to Bountiful set Region 5 into a lurch. Can they rebound at Woods Cross?

17. Brighton (6-2, 4-1 5A Region 6)

The Bengals' stunning 24-10 loss to Alta sets West on the inside track for a region title. But Brighton can take it back Oct. 11 in the regular season finale, after hosting Queen Creek (Arizona) Thursday.

18. Roy (6-2, 4-1 5A Region 5)

DaeQwan Snider ran for 100 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-16 win over Viewmont that vaulted the Royals back into the region title picture with games against Bountiful and Northridge remaining.

19. Springville (6-2, 3-1 5A Region 7)

Everybody's chasing Timpview in Region 7 (and 5A, really). But the Red Devils proved to be among the best of the rest with a 31-23 win over rival Maple Mountain.

20. Ridgeline (7-1, 2-1 4A Region 11)

Jackson Lindsay threw three touchdown passes to Nate Dahle en route to a 52-14 win over Logan to keep pace in the Region 11 race.

Plus-1. Bountiful (5-3, 4-1 5A Region 5)

Chaos reigned as Emerson Geilman and Faletau Satuala led the Redhawks to a 14-0 lead over Box Elder before the Bees stormed back. Box Elder overcame a 7-point halftime deficit and outscored Bountiful 14-7 in the second half to force overtime.

That set up Jacob Brooks' walkoff game-winner on a 2-yard run in overtime, and the Redhawks can make another big statement Friday on Senior Night against fellow region contender Roy.

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