2023 Record: 9-3 overall, 4-1 5A Region 7

Playoffs: Lost in 5A quarterfinals to Bountiful 36-35

Players to Watch: Tua Naufahu (TE/DE), Reed Deede (WR/DB), Lisiate Valeti (QB/DB), Drake Peterson (WR/DB), Jack Pickering (WR/DB), Easton Leavitt (QB).

Outlook: The 2023 season was a very good one for Springville, but it ended in heartbreak when the Red Devils were upset at home by Bountiful 36-35. Bountiful then beat Alta in its next game to make the championship game showing that the Springville program is right there among the 5A elite and this season should be no different.

Though head coach Dave Valeti is in just his third year as a head coach, he’s been in the Red Devil program a long time as both a player and a coach. And he has two former head coaches on his staff with Doug Bills calling the offense and Willy Child coordinating the special teams.

“I rely on these guys a lot,” Valeti said.

Though Springville lost a lot of talent to graduation — including Valeti’s nephew Tevita Valeti who led the state in rushing and rushing touchdowns — the Red Devils do have some key pieces returning.

“We have a good number of returning talent,” Dave Valeti said, “We graduated some studs as every team did, but we’re excited about the guys that are going to fill their spots.”

Valeti thinks the secondary will be one of the strengths of the team.

Seniors Reed Deede (6-0, 175), who will also play a lot on offense, will man the free safety position while fellow seniors Drake Peterson (6-5, 145) and Jack Pickering (5-11, 145) are the corners with Lisiate Valeti (5-10, 200) at strong safety.

“We really like our back end on defense,” said Dave Valeti.

Junior Tua Naufahu (6-1, 250) will be looked upon to terrorize the other team’s quarterback from his defensive end position, while also playing tight end on offense.

While Lisiate Valeti was the starting quarterback last year, Coach Valeti expects to use two quarterbacks. Junior Lisiate Valeti, much like his brother Tevita, is a bruising rusher, while senior Easton Leavitt (6-1,175) will perhaps be more of a threat throwing the ball.

Dave Valeti believes Region 7 is tough from top to bottom, though Timpview remains the team to beat.

“The T’Birds are locked and loaded and they have some new players on campus, so we know they will always be tough,” said Dave Valeti. The Springville head coach also expects Orem, Maple Mountain and Wasatch to also have strong teams.

Building Culture: “The landscape of high school football is changing. The thing that makes us good is that our guys have played together for four years. 95 percent of our roster was here as freshmen and they formed that mold for four years. We really, really emphasize Springville guys doing it the Springville way.” – Dave Valeti