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American Fork quarterback Maddux Madsen (4) and tight end Noah Moeaki (30) lead the team out before the game against Skyridge High at Skyridge High School on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, in Lehi. Ari Davis, Special to the Daily Herald

Ari Davis

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Orem senior safety Kolton Brown tackles Skyridge senior Teagen Calton during the nonregion game in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Lone Peak head coach Bart Brockbank talks with his players after they were defeated by the Corner Canyon Chargers in the 6A state championship game held at Cedar Valley High School in Eagle Mountain on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

Isaac Hale Daily Herald

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With the 2021 football state season kicking off, former Provo coach Brian Preece released his midseason power poll, which ranks all the teams in the state of Utah:

Rank/School/Record/Previous Rank (Change)

1. Corner Canyon (6A) 5-0 1 (NC)

2. American Fork (6A) 4-0 2 (NC)

3. Skyridge (6A) 5-0 4 (+1)

4. Lone Peak (6A) 2-1 3 (-1)

5. Timpview (5A) 3-2 9 (+4)

6. Orem (5A) 3-2 7 (+1)

7. Ridgeline (4A) 5-0 16 (+9)

8. Bingham (6A) 2-3 6 (-2)

9. West Jordan (6A) 4-0 40 (+31)

10. Weber (6A) 3-2 8 (-2)

11. Syracuse (6A) 4-1 39 (+28)

12. Mountain Ridge (6A) 5-0 50 (+38)

13. Olympus (5A) 4-1 22 (+9)

14. Riverton (6A) 3-2 21 (+7)

15. Wasatch (5A) 4-1 23 (+8)

16. Provo (5A) 5-0 45 (+29)

17. Kearns (6A) 3-2 10 (-7)

18. Sky View (4A) 3-2 11 (-7)

19. Brighton (5A) 3-2 17 (-2)

20. Logan (4A) 4-1 66 (+46)

21. Spanish Fork (5A) 3-1 51 (+30)

22. Springville (5A) 4-1 18 (-4)

23. Herriman (6A) 2-3 15 (-8)

24. West (6A) 3-1 29 (+5)

25. Roy (6A) 3-2 24 (-1)

26. Westlake (6A) 2-3 32 (+6)

27. Alta (5A) 3-2 12 (-15)

28. Layton (6A) 4-1 63 (+35)

29. Fremont (6A) 3-2 13 (-16)

30. Desert Hills (4A) 4-1 20 (-10)

31. Green Canyon (4A) 4-1 44 (+13)

32. Lehi (5A) 3-2 27 (-5)

33. Juan Diego (3A) 3-1 54 (+21)

34. Dixie (4A) 2-2 33 (-1)

35. Pine View (4A) 4-1 14 (-21)

36. Park City (5A) 2-3 37 (+1)

37. East (5A) 0-4 5 (-32)

38. Skyline (5A) 3-2 38 (NC)

39. Bountiful (5A) 2-2 31 (-8)

40. Stansbury (5A) 3-2 34 (-6)

41. Farmington (6A) 2-3 35 (-6)

42. Davis (6A) 2-3 19 (-23)

43. Crimson Cliffs (4A) 2-3 64 (+21)

44. Beaver (2A) 5-0 43 (-1)

45. Hunter (6A) 1-4 42 (-3)

46. Bonneville (5A) 2-3 46 (NC)

47. Tooele (5A) 5-0 76 (+29)

48. Snow Canyon (4A) 3-2 41 (-7)

49. Pleasant Grove (6A) 1-4 30 (-19)

50. Timpanogos (5A) 5-0 84 (+34)

51. Morgan (3A) 3-2 49 (-2)

52. Viewmont (5A) 2-3 60 (+8)

53. Salem Hills (5A) 1-4 26 (-27)

54. Juab (3A) 4-1 52 (-2)

55. Grantsville (3A) 3-2 58 (+3)

56. Maple Mountain (5A) 1-4 25 (-31)

57. Northridge (5A) 4-1 81 (+24)

58. Cedar City (4A) 2-3 55 (-3)

59. Cedar Valley (5A) 2-3 56 (-3)

60. Highland (5A) 0-4 36 (-24)

61. San Juan (2A) 4-1 74 (+13)

62. South Summit (2A) 5-0 82 (+20)

63. Woods Cross (5A) 0-5 28 (-35)

64. Murray (5A) 2-3 77 (+13)

65. Jordan (5A) 2-3 65 (NC)

66. Payson (5A) 3-2 88 (+22)

67. Mountain Crest (4A) 1-4 59 (-8)

68. Summit Academy (2A) 2-3 62(-6)

69. Clearfield (6A) 1-4 72 (+3)

70. North Sanpete (3A) 2-3 61 (-9)

71. Box Elder (5A) 1-4 47 (-24)

72. North Sevier (1A) 5-0 102 (+30)

73. Granger (6A) 0-5 69 (-4)

74. Copper Hills (6A) 0-4 67 (-7)

75. Hurricane (4A) 2-3 78 (+3)

76. Bear River (4A) 0-5 48 (-28)

77. Duchesne (1A) 4-1 79 (+2)

78. Kanab (1A) 3-2 91 (+13)

79. Milford (1A) 3-2 86 (+7)

80. Uintah (5A) 2-3 104 (+24)

81. Canyon View (3A) 1-3 80 (-1)

82. Cyprus (6A) 1-4 83 (+1)

83. Ogden (3A) 2-3 93 (+10)

84. Mountain View (5A) 0-5 53 (-31)

85. Parowan (1A) 3-2 92 (+7)

86. Richfield (3A) 1-4 70 (-16)

87. Millard (2A) 1-4 71 (-16)

88. North Summit (1A) 2-3 98 (+10)

89. Enterprise (1A) 2-2 89 (NC)

90. Delta (2A) 1-4 57 (-23)

91. Manti (3A) 1-3 68 (-23)

92. ALA (2A) 1-4 96 (+4)

93. Hillcrest (5A) 1-4 73 (-20)

94. Taylorsville (6A) 0-5 75 (-19)

95. South Sevier (2A) 1-3 90 (-5)

96. Union (3A) 2-3 87 (-9)

97. Layton Christian (1A) 3-2 107 (+10)

98. Emery (3A) 2-3 94 (-4)

99. Carbon (3A) 2-2 101 (+2)

100. Cottonwood (Ind.) 1-4 95 (-5)

101. Providence Hall (2A) 2-3 99 (-2)

102. Gunnison (1A) 2-1 100 (-2)

103. Ben Lomond (3A) 1-4 97 (-6)

104 Monticello (1A) 1-4 105 (+1)

105. Grand County (2A) 0-4 85 (-20)

106 Rich (1A) 0-4 103 (-3)

107. Judge Memorial (2A) 0-4 106 (-1)

108. Monument Valley (Ind.) 0-2 109 (+1)

109. Whitehorse (Ind.) 0-1 108 (-1)

Utah County Rankings: 1. American Fork #2 2. Skyridge #3 3. Lone Peak #4 4. Timpview #5 5. Orem #6 6. Provo #16 7. Spanish Fork #21 8. Springville #22 9. Westlake #26 10. Lehi #32 11. Pleasant Grove #49 12. Timpanogos #50 13. Salem Hills #53 14. Maple Mountain #56 15. Cedar Valley #59 16. Payson #66 17. Mountain View #84 18. ALA #92.

For all these schools midterms are approaching. It’s the midway point through the regular season so it’s time to grade out the Utah County programs. It’s not just about wins and losses but where those wins and losses and expectations meet.

American Fork (Grade A+): American Fork’s offense has been virtually unstoppable and the defense has been more than good enough. The Cavemen have some lofty goals as they enter the rugged waters of the SEC of Utah prep football, or what we call 6A Region 4.

ALA (Grade C-): It hasn’t been a stellar season for the Eagles but a reset at the midway point of the season could prove dividends as ALA heads into its Region gridiron wars.

Cedar Valley (Grade C+): There are a lot of positive things happening in the Aviator program, though a loss to Tooele last week served as a reality check. It will be interesting to see how Cedar Valley navigates the rest of its Region 7 season with some very winnable games ahead.

Lehi (Grade B-): No shame losing to powerhouse program Corner Canyon. Lehi faces some heavy-duty challenges in Region 8 with Orem and Timpview still left to play, but those games will prepare the Pioneers well for the state tourney.

Lone Peak (Grade B): The Knights have only played three games thanks to a bye and a game canceled due to COVID-19. The faithful were probably a bit disappointed by a poor showing against national powerhouse Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, but don’t fret too much as the Knights still are a 6A contender for sure.

Maple Mountain (Grade C-): The Golden Eagles are probably better than their 1-4 record but Maple Mountain needs to win some games to improve their RPI and build confidence for the state playoffs.

Mountain View (Grade D-): There is no way to sugar coat this, the 2021 season has been a nightmare for the Bruin faithful including an OT loss at home to the moribund Uintah Utes. There are still some winnable games left for Mountain View in Region 9 and the Bruins have got some stellar individual efforts. But there must be a sense of urgency to improve play as a team.

Orem (Grade B-): With four state titles including the last two in 5A, the Tigers have to be considered the favorites to take state again. Orem is still searching for that big win against an elite 6A school but now has to focus on Timpview and other top 5A rivals.

Payson (Grade B+): Starting off the season at 3-0 created some buzz for sure for Lion fans but two straight losses show that there is still some work to do. There are still some winnable games left for Payson and finishing .500 or better is still possible and that would be huge for this program..

Pleasant Grove (Grade D+): The Vikings are 1-4 and Region 4 play awaits. Though Pleasant Grove might finish 1-9 in the regular season, because they have played such a tough schedule an upset or two in the 6A playoffs might still be in the cards. So stay hopeful Viking fans.

Provo (Grade A): Being 5-0 is rarified air for the Bulldog program even if some of the wins have been “ugly” as described by Provo head coach Kirk Chambers. Some stiff tests remain for Provo in Region 9 including this week against Springville where Provo can prove it’s a serious contender.

Salem Hills (Grade D+): After two straight trips to the 5A semifinals, the 2021 season has been rough for the Skyhawks, though they did get a quality win against Juab, the returning 3A state champs.

Skyridge (Grade A+): Giving up 14 points in five games including four shutouts is beyond impressive. The Falcons survived a scare last week against Timpview and the Skyridge faithful know some great challenges lie ahead against Region 4 competition.

Spanish Fork (Grade A-): The Dons are turning heads with a lot of quality wins including opening up Region 9 with a victory against archrival Springville. There are a lot of big games ahead but Spanish Fork has to be considered a contender for sure in Region 9.

Springville (Grade B): The Red Devils started out 4-0 and seemed to be flying high but suffered a setback opening up Region 9 play with a loss at home to Spanish Fork. Springville can show they are still a force to be reckoned with if they can get a win at undefeated Provo this week.

Timpanogos (Grade A+): From independence to 5-0 with a big win over a rival school where your offensive coordinator was once the head coach, things can’t get much better for the Timberwolf program. Though some tough region games remain, the season has to be viewed as a huge step forward.

Timpview (Grade B): The Thunderbirds are 3-2 but two defeats to Region 4 powers Lone Peak and Skyridge are certainly acceptable losses. A big Region 8 meeting with Orem looms, and it could be a preview of another state title game between these county rivals.

Westlake (Grade C): It seems like a typical season for the Thunder, a couple of decent wins in the pre-season and then Region 4 comes along and makes things really tough. But with the new RPI system, Westlake should be ready when the state tournament starts.

Notes: Utah County has sparkled this season. American Fork, Lone Peak and Skyridge hope to push Corner Canyon, while Orem and Timpview look strong again but there are many other feel-good stories in the valley.

Provo and Timpanogos are undefeated, Spanish Fork is 4-1 and Payson won its first three games of the year. Springville looks really strong as well and go through Provo Canyon to Heber City, and you will see a top quality program in Wasatch.

Outside of Utah County, Corner Canyon has staked itself out to a 5-0 record, a national ranking and now has won 45 straight games. Beaver has had some challenges in 2A but the Beavers have overcome all of them and their long winning streak of 31 games remains.

Though 4A lost a lot of teams, Ridgeline is a top caliber program and looks like the team to beat, though Sky View won’t give up its title without a fight. Region 10 looks extra topsy turvy as on any given Friday night anyone can win in St. George. It’s anyone’s guess who will prevail in Region 10.

Most regions haven’t started Region play but Region 7 and Region 9 did get underway last week.

In Region 9, Spanish Fork scored the first upset in league play by downing Springville. And Wasatch got some revenge against Salem Hills, the team that denied them an outright region title last year and then beat the Wasps in the 5A quarterfinals.

Region 7 is actually in its second week of competition. Stansbury, Timpanogos and Tooele are undefeated though Tooele has a 3-0 record in league while the other two teams are 2-0.

In Region 8, mark your calendar for Thursday September 30 when Timpview hosts Orem. The Thunderbirds want revenge as Orem has denied them two straight times in the 5A state championship game. Last year, their regular season game didn’t happen due to COVID-19. Both teams played Skyridge and Orem lost 36-0 while the Falcons defeated Timpview 21-14 in overtime. It will be interesting to see if any other 5A teams can rise up to challenge these two schools for 5A supremacy. Olympus looks good in Region 6 and actually played Orem the toughest in the state tournament when the Tigers won the 2019 state title. But Region 9 could provide some challengers as well

Who moved up the most from the pre-season poll? Logan shot up 46 spots as the Grizzlies are 4-1. Mountain Ridge gained 38 and Layton 35 spots, while Timpanogos led the county shooting up 34 positions. Spanish Fork and Provo improved 30 and 29 spots respectively from the pre-season poll.

Who declined the most? Well, it was Wood Cross (35 positions) and East was next, decreasing 32 spots. Maple Mountain and Mountain View slid 31 spots and Salem Hills skidded 27.

Preece Power Poll Rank vs. RPI (Top Ten)

6A

PPP RPI

1. Corner Canyon

2. American Fork

3. Skyridge

4. Lone Peak

5. Bingham

6. West Jordan

7. Weber

8. Syracuse

9. Mountain Ridge

10. Riverton

RPI

1. Mountain Ridge

2. Skyridge

3. Corner Canyon

4. Layton

5. Lone Peak

6. American Fork

7. Syracuse

8. Weber

9. West Jordan

10. Bingham

Other Utah County Teams: Westlake #15 in PPP, # 16 in RPI; Pleasant Grove #21 in PPP, #22 in RPI.

5A

PPP

1. Timpview

2. Orem (#15 RPI)

3. Olympus

4. Wasatch

5. Provo

6. Brighton

7. Spanish Fork

8. Springville

9. Alta

10. Lehi (#12 RPI)

RPI

1. Springville

2. Spanish Fork

3. Provo

4. Olympus

5. Tooele

6. Timpanogos (#18 in PPP)

7. Timpview

8. Wasatch

9. Alta

10. Stansbury

Other 5A Utah County Teams: Salem Hills #19 in PPP, # 22 in RPI; Maple Mountain #20 in PPP, #30 in RPI; Cedar Valley #20 in PPP, #13 in RPI, Payson #25 in PPP, #14 RPI; Mountain View #31 PPP, #32 RPI.

In 2A ALA is #7 in PPP, #9 in RPI.

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