GAME PREVIEW CAPSULE
Canyon View (1-8, 0-5) at Hurricane (7-1, 4-1)
Previous Meeting – Hurricane 44, Canyon View 7 (Oct. 20, 2011 at CV)
FALCONS
Classification: 3A, Region 9
Coach: Alex Huxford (fifth year, 7-37 overall)
Offense: Spread, pro-set
Last week: Lost to Cedar 42-8
Players to watch: RBs Stetsen Dearden and Dallin Dastrup have combined for 809 yards rushing this year. QB Koy Huxford has 1,437 passing yards and 15 TDs, with nine interceptions. His favorite target is McCoy Johnson, who has 31 catches for 412 yards and two touchdowns.
PPG: 13.1
PAPG: 39.8
Trend: Unless a miracle happens tonight, it will make six straight years without a region win for the Falcons. None of the games this year have even been close in region, unless you consider 42-8 last week at Cedar close. Canyon View has scored just 28 total points in five region games this year.
TIGERS
Classification: 3A, Region 9
Coach: Chris Homer (11th year, 83-43 overall)
Offense: Wing-T
Last week: Lost to Desert Hills 46-38 in 3 OTs
Players to watch: FB Jared Edwards has 1,033 yards and a region-best 21 touchdowns this season. He is averaging 5.4 yards per carry. This should be a great warm-up/scrimmage for QB Adlai Elison, who takes over as signal-caller due to the hand injury to starter Zac Prince. Elison was just 1 for 7 last week, though his receivers did drop two passes in overtime.
PPG: 32.8
PAPG: 22.0
Team stats: http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/high-school-sports/mens-football/hurricane-stats
Trend: Though it’s not a bye week, it should be an easy win for the Tigers and the starters should get plenty of rest. It’s that time of year when everyone is banged up, so any rest is good rest. HHS has played in two straight OT games, winning one and losing one. What does that mean? Well, not much except that ending a long unbeaten streak may actually be good for the Tigers in relieving some pressure.
GAME OUTLOOK
Hurricane will win easily tonight and hope that Cedar plays well enough to beat Desert Hills, an unlikely result, though possible. As it is, the Tigers will probably be stuck at second seed, which likely means a quarterfinal trip to Juan Diego. Of course, the Tigers have a bone to pick with the Soaring Eagle and a little revenge on JD’s home field would be extra sweet.
STGnews PREDICTION
Andy Griffin (34-7) — Hurricane
J.A./Keric Seegmiller (34-7) — Hurricane
Region 9 standings: http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/high-school-sports/mens-football-standings
Region 9 leaders: http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/high-school-sports/mens-football-leaders