GAME PREVIEW CAPSULE
Snow Canyon (2-1, 0-1) at Copper Hills (0-4, 0-0)
Previous Meeting: This the first meeting between the schools
Broadcast: None
WARRIORS
Classification: 3AA, South Region
Coach: Marcus Matua (1st year, 2-1 overall)
Offense: Single Wing/Spread
Last game: Lost to Pine View 56-28
Players to watch: The Warriors defense got roughed up by Pine View, but LB Trevor Horlacher was active and back after an injury. WR Chance Thorkleson is starting to emerge as a big-play guy. QB Warner Rigby threw the ball pretty well against PV (9-15-162). RBs Zach Kennedy and Connor Parry need to do better than the three yards per carry they had last week.
PPG: 24.7
PAPG: 20.7
Trend: SC’s defense had a great start to the season, but just couldn’t do much to slow down the Pine View passing attack. That’s got to be a confidence shaker for Matua and his players. The offense played all right against PV, but there’s no way they can keep up if the defense doesn’t do better. Confidence is a funny thing and SC can get it back with winnable games against Copper Hills and Payson next week.
GRIZZLIES
Classification: 5A, Region 3
Coach: John Teuscher (1st year, 0-4 overall)
Offense: Spread option
Last game: Lost to Venden, Calif., 41-0
Players to watch: Like many troubled teams, the Grizzlies are unsettled at QB. Last year’s starter, Sam Taylor, has struggled passing, but averages over six yards per carry on the ground. Tanner Fox is the better passer. RB John Mafi leads the team in rushing, but only averages about 40 yards a game for team that struggles to move the ball.
PPG: 6.8
PAPG: 35.8
Trend: It’s not nice to call the Grizzlies the “Canyon View of 5A.” Not nice, but true. Their 0-4 start this season is par for a school that has never had a winning season. In its 19th year, Copper Hills has two winless seasons, five 1-win seasons and is currently on an 11-game losing streak. CH has only scored a total of 27 points in four games.
GAME OUTLOOK
Copper Hills has never played a 3A (or 3AA) team, so the Grizzlies may be licking their chops at might look like an easier game. And while Copper Hills will certainly be bigger than Snow Canyon, the Warriors are athletic and pretty hungry to re-establish some defensive dominance after last week’s fiasco. There won’t be many points in this game, but when they do come, it will be the boys in green and gold who get them.
STGnews (record) PREDICTION
Andy Griffin (22-2) — Snow Canyon
Darren Cole (17-7) — Snow Canyon
Parry’s spread: Snow Canyon by 15
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