2022 record: 6-6 overall, 1-4 Region 4

Playoffs: No. 14 seed, lost to No. 3 Bingham 28-20 in 6A second round

Players to Watch: Mataira Brown, Sr. TE/DL (6-3, 212), Bronco Winterton, Sr. (6-0, 170), Shawn Cottle, St. WR (6-1, 190), Tualau Wolfgramm, Sr. (5-9, 170), Tanner Blake, Sr. WR/DB (6-2, 160).

Outlook: Just like every team in Region 3, Pleasant Grove heads into 2023 with big dreams. The Vikings would love to see this team be the one to turn the corner.

“We want to be a special team this year,” head coach Taylor Walkenhorst said. “And to be a special team, you have got to do special things. You have to have a special focus in practice and in the game you have to have a special intensity. You have to have attention to detail, mental and physical toughness. These things are things that we’re trying to build.”

Pleasant Grove has one other key intangible this year, according to Walkenhorst: passion.

“You have to be passionate about it, or you’re not going to do it well,” he said . “We do things well that we obsess over, that we’re passionate about. I think the players have that.”

He also embraces the hardships that come with being in a tough league because he believes that will get his squad prepared for state.

Program Hero: “Makai Peterson understands that this is about more than football. We have a couple of kids on the team with autism, and he has done a great job being there to help those players and making them feel welcome. We also have some amazing assistant coaches on our team who do a great job.” – Taylor Walkenhorst