Region 6 Preview Part 2: Six Months Out

Region 6 remained mostly intact, but there were a few changes with the latest UHSAA realignment. Gone are Park City and Murry, and in our West and Alta. Region 6 was one of the best in not just the 5A classification but the state. 2023 should be no different, with numerous teams vying for the Region 6 crown. In part one, we looked at West, Alta, and East. In part two, we'll look at the other returning Region 6 teams and what they can achieve this fall.   Brighton Bengals    The Bengals season got off to a bumpy start with a Thursday night home loss in the first football game of the 2022 season. Deseret Hills upset the Bengals 28-21 in a televised game. After the disappointing game, people wondered how good Brighton could be, but the Bengals quickly silenced the doubters. Brighton finished the season 9-2 and 6-0 in Region 6 games. In those six region games, the Bengals only allowed 83 points to their opponents in the regular season. Olympus upset them in the second round of the playoffs, but Brighton is still positioned for great success in 2023. Quarterback Jace Johnson was entering his third season as the Bengals starting quarterback and was outstanding last year. He threw for nearly 2,600 yards and 28 touchdowns. Part of his success was a direct correlation to receiver [player_tooltip player_id='532695' first='Nash' last='Matheson'], who caught 71 passes for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns. Brighton also returns running back [player_tooltip player_id='1294924' first='Mason' last='Haertel'], who saw limited reps as a sophomore and should break out in 2023. Defensively the Bengals return linebackers Miles Morgan and Jarom Tapusoa, who combined 121 tackles. Defensive lineman Ami Moala was incredible in 2023 and finished sixth on the team in tackles as just a freshman. Brighton head coach Casey Sutera in his second year leading the program, could repeat as Region 6 champions and achieve even more this coming season.   Olympus Titans    The Titans were 7-6 in one of the wildest rides to follow last season. Olympus lost their first game of the season to Mountain Ridge and then won three straight games to set themselves up well going into Region 6 play. The Titans would go on to lose their first four region games, falling to 5-4 on the season. Olympus stood at a crossroads for their season's direction, but head coach Aaron Whitehead made sure his team chose the positive one. Olympus won their final two games of the regular season and would go on to win two road playoff games. The first was pure domination by the Titans when they went into Payson and won 24-8 vs. the Lions. In round two, Olympus had a rematch with Brighton after losing to them 28-17 in the regular season. In the second go-around, the Titans were the ones to emerge victorious, beating their region rivals 28-20. Olympus' magical run ended when they lost to Stansbury 42-17. This season the Titans are well-equipped to be even better in 2023. [player_tooltip player_id='406970' first='Luke' last='Bryant'] is one of the state's top athletes and can make plays lining up all over the field. Quarterback Chase Moseley is back after gaining valuable experience last season. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='491876' first='Weston' last='Olsen'] and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='406972' first='Nash' last='Taylor'] also return to lead an elite Titans defense. Region 6 is loaded, but the Titans are up for the challenge.   Skyline Eagles    The Eagles' season did not go as they had hoped in 2022. Skyline got off to a 3-2 start, and they were nearly 4-1 if a narrow loss to Bountiful, 16-14, turned out slightly differently. Region 6 was tough sledding for the Eagles as they finished 2-4 in region play. Skyline's season ended when they faced off with East in the first round of the playoffs. The Eagles finished the season 4-7, and they will have a lot to replace if they want to become one of the top teams in Region 6. Skyline lost their starting quarterback, running backs, and receivers, but there are a few players on their roster who could break out in 2023. Running back Miles J Parker made the most of his limited carries in 2022 and could lead the offense this fall. Parker was also a force on defense, and when you pair him with Jonah Slighting, you have one of the state's best-tacking duos. The Eagles, under head coach John Rowbotham always compete for a full 40 minutes, and they can get some big upsets inside and out of Region 6 play.   Highland Rams    The Rams were 3-8 in 2022, but they were a better team than their record indicated. Highland had to play Bountiful, Box Elder, and all the loaded Region 6 teams. The Rams lost four games by a touchdown or less, including their round-one playoff loss to the Box Elder Bees. However, Highland will have a chance to turn things around in 2023. The Rams return quarterback and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='406968' first='Peizge' last='Mailei'], one of the best players in the state, regardless of position. Mailei had over 1,562 all-purpose yards, over 30 tackles, and two sacks in 2022. Receivers Cooper Jones and [player_tooltip player_id='406971' first='Sefa' last='Brown'] also return to give the Rams a potent one-two punch on the outside. Defensively the Rams return nearly all of their top players from last season, including their leading tackler, linebacker Max Erickson. Defensive back Lio Eskikai leads the secondary, while Danny Tupua and Brown rerun after combining for nine sacks last season. Highland and head coach Kautai Olevao and his Rams will be a tough out for any team they face in 2023.

Region 6 remained mostly intact, but there were a few changes with the latest UHSAA realignment. Gone are Park City and Murry, and in our West and Alta. Region 6 was one of the best in not just the 5A classification but the state. 2023 should be no different, with numerous teams vying for the Region 6 crown. In part one, we looked at West, Alta, and East. In part two, we'll look at the other returning Region 6 teams and what they can achieve this fall.