2024 Record: 8-3 overall, 3-2 5A Region 7 (third place)

Playoffs: No.7 seed, lost to No. 2 seed Bountiful 42-35 in the 5A quarterfinals

Players to Watch: DE/TE Uhila Wolfgramm, WR/DB Brooks Ross, FR QB Cole Allred, Sr. QB Hayden Hiatt.

Outlook: The only losses for Maple Mountain (8-3) in 2024 were to stalwart region rivals Orem and Timpview and then to eventual state champion Bountiful in the 5A quarterfinals. the Golden Eagles pushed Bountiful to the limit, losing by just a touchdown. So with all that said, the decision by the Maple Mountain administration to release head coach Kalin Hall in late February was truly enigmatic.

The school turned to Harry Schwenke, which should give the program some stability. Schwenke has been on the staff for several years and he had a successful tenure as a head coach at Salem Hills.

“I wasn’t trying to be a head coach anymore,” Schwenke said. “I was loving the assistant coach gig, but Kalin and I had a good talk after all that stuff went down, we just felt we needed someone to step in with that consistency that knows the boys and knows the program. He (Hall) definitely set the expectations  and right culture here, and we’re just carrying it on.”

Schwenke has seen some positive things with his program this summer, especially from the players on the offensive and defensive lines.

“In some of the summer competitions we’ve played some really good teams and our boys hung in there and in some cases dominated in the trenches,” said Schwenke.

The defense will be anchored by end Uhila Wolgramm, a blue chip player getting a lot of attention from college programs. Wolgramm will also play some on offense as tight end.

Schwenke expects a big season from Brooks Ross, perhaps on both sides of the ball, as the speedster is a definite threat to the opposition.

Schwenke also identified the running backs as a team strength. Michael Davis leads the way but the Golden Eagle head coach says there are five or six running backs vying for playing time in what he says is a “deep running back room.” Two of these players are move-ins from California.

The big question mark will be at quarterback as freshman Cole Allred and senior Hayden Hiatt vie for the position. Both are excellent athletes who Schwenke called “fierce competitors.”

The Golden Eagles lost a lot of talent from last year and play in a very tough region. But the competition should toughen up the Golden Eagles for the playoffs where winning at least a game there is very realistic.

What is the best way to motivate today’s high school athletes? “As coaches we talk about connecting with the players and building relationships,” Schwenke said. “Everyone knows X’s and O’s but not everyone knows how to connect with kids. This means you got to get to know them, their personalities, their home life even at times. When you start to know that, you will start to get an idea on how to get across. There’s not a one-size fits all approach. There’s just not anymore. Every kid is dealing with certain things and mental health (issues) are real with our younger population. We got to be mindful of that.”

– Brian E. Preece