ST. GEORGE — Change will be the theme at the first 3AA South (Region 9) Media Day today.
Coaches and players from the seven teams in the newly created 3AA South Region will address members of the state’s media this afternoon. The four-hour event, beginning at 2 p.m., will be broadcast live on ESPN SportsRadio 106.1 FM and online HERE.
In a joint effort between ESPN SportsRadio and STGNews.com, the coaches and players will come together for the first time in this landmark event.
The hot topic will be the new classification in the state for football only, division 3AA. The former Region 9 is now the 3AA South Region. Six of the teams from Region 9 were moved to the new classification: Hurricane, Pine View, Dixie, Snow Canyon, Desert Hills and Cedar City. Additionally, Payson will join the new South Region. The Lions finished second in Region 12 last season.
Canyon View, which has the smallest student body in the former region, remains in the original 3A class and will compete in its new 3A South Region, along with Delta, Juab, Manti, Richfield and North Sanpete. The 3A class has just 12 teams, while the new 3AA has 14 teams. For the full chart, click here.
Coach Chris Homer, of the Hurricane Tigers, will begin the media event at 2 p.m. Hurricane is coming off a co-Region 9 championship. The Tigers failed to make the state championship game for the first time in half a decade last season when they were ousted in the second round of the playoffs by Juan Diego.
Following Homer and his players will be Pine View head coach Ray Hosner at 2:30 p.m. The Panthers were 7-4 last season, but were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by finalist Spanish Fork.
At 3 p.m., second-year head coach Carl Franke will speak to the media about his Desert Hills Thunder team. Desert Hills was co-Region 9 champs last season and made it to the state semifinals before falling in a classic game to Spanish Fork, 35-28.
Region newcomer Payson will be represented by head coach Jeremy Chapman. The Lions, who have not had a winning season in more than a decade, may face the toughest road, literally. Payson will have to travel to St. George three times during region play, including consecutive games Oct. 11 and Oct. 16. Chapman is slated to speak at 3:30 p.m.
Replacing Mr. Football, quarterback Blake Barney, will probably be a hot for Blaine Monkres, the head coach of the defending state champion Dixie Flyers. Dixie defeated Spanish Fork 49-21 the state championship game last November. Monkres will address the media at 4 p.m.
Another newcomer is Marcus Matua. He’s the new head coach at Snow Canyon, replacing Jay Graft. Matua will try and guide the Warriors into the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Matua will speak at 4:30 p.m.
Cedar coach Todd Peacock, who has been the head man at Cedar since the early 1990s, will not be in attendance, but his pre-recorded press conference will be at 5 p.m. The media event will wrap up with pre-season vote tallies and final thoughts from the media panel at 5:30 p.m.
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