High school football: Felt’s Facts 6A/5A/4A semifinal playoff notes, 3A/2A/1A championship notes

This season, only two the top-four seeds across all six 11-player classifications didn’t advance to the semifinal round – No. 2 Provo in 5A and No. 3 South Sevier in 2A. In other words, 22 of the 24 semifinal berths – nearly 92-percent – were filled by top-four seeded teams. That’s the highest number – by one – since the UHSAA began seeding in 2019. In 2022, 21 of 24 made the semis. Last year, just 17 did.
Three semifinalists in 6A, Corner Canyon, Lehi and Skyridge, are all back at Rice-Eccles for the fourth year in a row. The fourth, Lone Peak, replaces American Fork in this year’s lineup. LP also appeared in 2021 and Bingham in ‘22.
No. 1 Corner Canyon (11-1) vs. No. 4 Lehi (9-2)
Series: CC leads 2-1 since 2021. Last meeting: CC, 63-24, 2023 6A semifinals.
Corner Canyon makes its eighth straight semifinal appearance since 2017, the year Eric Kjar assumed command of the program. The Chargers have advanced to the finals the past seven seasons, winning four state titles (2018, ‘19, ‘20 and ‘23).
Lehi competes in its fourth consecutive semifinal and sixth in eight years (missed in 2018 and ‘20).
The Pioneers played football for 103 seasons with seven title-game appearances and five crowns (1924, 1980, 2000, ‘17, ‘21 and ‘22).
Since 2017, when Kjar took over, Corner Canyon is 96-8. Lehi is 77-25.
Ed Larson’s record at Lehi since 2014 (11th season): 88-45 and three state championships.
Historically, CC’s eight-year semifinal streak ties for the eighth longest all-time. Record-holder Skyline appeared in 13 straight semis from 1993-2005.
CC hopes to advance to the finals for the seventh straight season. Only two teams have as many consecutive championship-game appearances: Skyline (nine from 1995-2003) and Kanab (eight from 1981-88).
Corner Canyon has won at least three playoff games the past six seasons. That streak ties for the second longest longest all-time – with Orem (2017-22). Only Skyline won at least three postseason contests over more consecutive years – nine seasons (1995-2003).
The Chargers have scored in 128 consecutive games going back to 2015. CC’s streak is the second longest current streak, to Lone Peak’s 226. It’s the 11th longest all-time.
Corner Canyon has a .833 winning percentage in the playoffs all-time, tops in the state. CC is 30-6 in postseason action.
Eric Kjar is 26-3 in the playoffs at Corner Canyon (since 2017) and 38-10 overall with four state titles at CC (2018, ‘19, ‘20 and ‘23) and another at Jordan (2012). This is his 12th semifinal in 15 seasons since 2010 (missed in 2014, ‘15 and ‘16 at Jordan). (Roger DuPaix went to the semis 13 straight times from 1993-2005 and 15 times in 16 years at one point.)
Ed Larson is 21-5 in postseason action at Lehi.
Pioneer kicker Gavin Fenn has booted 25 field goals over his three-year career, tying him for eighth-most all-time.
No. 2 Skyridge (10-2) vs. No. 3 Lone Peak (10-2)
Although they’re neighboring schools, these two didn’t meet the first two years of Skyridge’s existence, 2016 and ‘17. Since 2018, Skyridge has won six of the 10 meetings. That includes a 21-16 Skyridge win on Oct. 4 (Week 8).
Skyridge competes in its fifth straight semifinal and seventh in eight years (missed in 2019). The Falcons advanced to the finals in 2017, ‘18 and ‘22. Skyridge is in its ninth season, with four title-game appearances and its sole gridiron championship in 2022.
Previous to missing the semis in ‘22 and ‘23, Lone Peak had appeared in seven straight going back to 2015.
Lone Peak has scored in 226 consecutive games going back to August 2007. That’s the longest current streak and third longest all-time. Skyline scored in 262 straight from 1987-2007 and Bingham in 239 from 2005-2023.
Skyridge has the second-best playoff winning percentage all-time, .760, with a 19-6 record. Lone Peak is eighth, .694, with a 50-22 mark.
Since Skyridge opened, the Falcons record is 91-23 (.798) while Lone Peak is 86-29 (.747) but owns two championship trophies.
In 5A, Bountiful and Timpview are repeaters from the 2023 semifinal round. Roy last made it in 2018 and Brighton in 2014.
No. 1 Roy (11-1) vs. No. 4 Timpview (8-2)
Series: Timpview leads 2-1 since 2007. Last meeting: Roy, 20-14 in a 2018 Class 5A quarterfinal bout. They also met in the 2014 Class 4A championship game, which the T-birds won, 28-7.
Timpview makes its third straight semifinal appearance and fifth in six years (missed in 2021). The T-birds have advanced to the semis 21 times since 1996 – a span of 29 seasons. In their 20 semifinal games since ‘96, Timpview has prevailed 15 times.
Roy hasn’t been to the semis since 2018 and to the finals since 2014. The Royals’ only state title came in 1981. And no, Jim McMahon wasn’t Roy’s QB. He played in 1975 and ‘76 and lost in the semis and quarters, respectively. Roy’s QB in ‘81 was Wade Jacklin, the son of Royal coach Ernest Jacklin, who also won a state title at North Summit.
With a win, Roy matches its most victories in a season, 12, set in 2014.
Timpview has its fewest victories since going 7-5 in 2021. Meanwhile, Roy enjoys its first double-digit win season since going 12-1 in 2014. In fact, this is just the fourth double-digit win season in Roy’s 60-year history. The Royals have advanced to the finals just three times, in 1980, ‘81 and 2014.
Timpview is in its 48th season, has 17 championship-game appearances and 12 titles (1986, ‘91, ‘97, 2004, ‘06 through ‘09, ‘12 through ‘14 and 2023.
Both coaches are in their third seasons. Donny Atuaia has guided Timpview to the title game twice, winning trophy last year. He’s 9-1 in postseason play. At Roy, Chris Solomona has taken the Royals from a first-round appearance to the quarterfinals and, now, to the semis as the No. 1 seed. In the playoffs, he’s 3-2.
No. 2 Bountiful (11-1) vs. No. 3 Brighton (11-1)
Series: Bountiful leads 6-5 since 1972, Brighton’s fourth season. The Redhawks won the first six from 1972 to 1981, but Brighton has taken the last five, starting in 1987. That includes a 36-17 win in 2020, the last time these programs met.
Brighton has its most wins since 2013 (12-2) and can match its school-record victories – 12 – set in 1982, 2004 and ‘13. Bountiful enjoys its most wins since 2003 (12-2), the last time the Redhawks took “state.” Brighton hasn’t advanced to the finals since 2013.
Jason Freckleton is 8-4 in the postseason at Bountiful (fifth season) and 43-17 overall; Casey Sutera is 3-2 in the playoffs at Brighton (third year) and 28-7 overall.
Bountiful competes in its 69th season (opened 1956) with 11 championship-game appearances and five titles (1979, ‘90, ‘91, 2002 and ‘03).
Brighton is in its 56th year (opened 1969) and has advanced to the finals five times, taking it all just once, in 1982.
Crimson Cliffs, Ridgeline is back in the semis for the fifth year in row and Crimson Cliffs for the fourth. Sky View makes its first appearance since 2020 and Spanish Fork, its first since 2012.
No. 1 Ridgeline (12-0) vs. No. 4 Spanish Fork (10-2)
Series: Ridgeline leads 3-1. Ridgeline’s third-ever game was against the Dons in 2016. The Riverhawks shutout SF, 17-0, for their second-ever win. Ridgeline also prevailed the last time they met, 18-10, in the 2018 season opener.
Ridgeline seeks to match its 13-0 start of 2021. That season also marked the most victories and longest winning streak by the Riverhawks and their first state championship. The last two years, Ridgeline has been ousted by Crimson Cliffs in the semifinal round.
Ridgeline’s all-time playoff winning percentage – .700 – ranks seventh all-time, sandwiched between Skyline and Lone Peak.
Spanish Fork has achieved just its second-ever double-digit winning campaign in 105 seasons of football. The first came in 2012 when the Dons went 12-2. Incidentally, SF started its program in 1916, but took a hiatus from 1922 through 1925.
Spanish Fork has gone to the championship game just once, in 2012, where the Dons fell to Dixie. Only Park City (117 seasons) and North Sanpete (109 seasons) have played more seasons without winning a championship.
Both coaches are in their fifth season. At Ridgeline, Travis Cox is 11-3 in postseason and 52-10 overall. At Spanish Fork, Dustin Smith is 3-4 in the playoffs and 31-23 overall.
Three Ridgeline players rank in the top-25 in several all-time career categories.
Nate Dahle (2022-24) ranks:
Graham Livingston (2022-24):
Aaron Young (2021-24):
No. 3 Crimson Cliffs (10-2) vs. No. 7 Sky View (8-4)
First meeting between these programs.
Defending champ Crimson Cliffs aims for its third consecutive state title game – and the school is just six-years-old. Its current 10-game win streak is the second best in school history to a 12-game streak set last year.
Crimson Cliffs has the third-best all-time playoff winning percentage, .733, with an 11-4 record.
Sky View last made the semifinals in 2020 – and in 2019 – and the Bobcats went on to capture the state title both years.
Now in his third season at Crimson Cliffs, Wayne Alofipo is 8-1 in the playoffs and 33-6 overall. At Sky View, Eric Alder is in his first year, but including coaching stints at Ben Lomond (2014-18) and Stansbury (2019-23), he’s 9-6 in postseason and 63-61 overall.
No. 1 Morgan (12-0) vs. No. 2 Richfield (12-0)
Series: Morgan leads 8-3 since 1940. All but two meetings have come in the playoffs. Richfield hasn’t defeated Morgan since 1988, but they’ve only clashed three time since. Morgan won the last meeting, 27-13 in a 2017 Class 3A quarterfinal.
The 3A final marks just the 21st time undefeated, untied teams have met in a championship contest – out of the 336 title games played since 1919 through this year. Morgan was a participant in the last one. In 2022, the Trojans prevailed 55-3 over previously unbeaten Juab.
Both squads seek become the 122nd team to celebrate an undefeated, untied campaign. Richfield’s first unbeaten season was last year, while Morgan has gone undefeated four times, in 1979, 1993, 1997 and 2022.
Richfield also hopes to extend its 25-game winning streak, the 11th longest in state history. A victory ties the Wildcats in 10th.
Meanwhile, Morgan’s longest winning skein is 16 games, set across the 1997 and ‘98 seasons. However, with a victory, the Trojans match their best ever start and most wins – 13 – set in 1977 and 2022.
And both teams would love nothing better than to win a championship and spoil each other’s perfect season. The winner becomes the 63rd team to accomplish that feat and first since Morgan in ‘22.
Morgan is 8-8 in championship games, winning in 1940, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1993, 1997, 2019 and 2022. Richfield is 2-5, winning in 1984 and last year.
Morgan has shut out six opponents this season, tying the school record first set in 1979.
At Morgan, Jared Barlow, in his fifth year, is 10-2 in postseason and 50-11 overall.
At Richfield, Eric Thorson, in his sixth season – and second stint – is 6-1 in the playoffs and 41-26 overall. Thorson directed the Wildcats from 2014-17 and since last year.
No. 1 San Juan (10-2) vs. No. 2 Emery (9-2)
Series: San Juan leads 22-7 since 1975. SJ has taken seven straight going back to 1999 when the Spartans last defeated the Broncos. Last meeting: San Juan won, 61-20, on Sept. 20 (Week 6).
San Juan’s 11-game post-season winning streak ties for the ninth longest in Utah prep history.
San Juan appears in its 17th championship game. That ranks tied with Timpview for the seventh-most all-time, (top-5: Beaver, 27; Millard, 21; Skyline, 20; Kanab, 19; East and South Summit, 18). A Bronco victory puts San Juan in rarefied territory: just six programs have won at least four consecutive championship games. East and Skyline won five in a row, while Duchesne, Millard, Orem and Timpview captured four straight.
San Juan (69th season) is 9-7 in title games; championship seasons: 1989, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Emery (63rd season) is 1-1 winning in 1987 and falling in 1999, the Spartans’ last title-contest appearance.
At San Juan, Barkley Christensen is in his eighth season with a 13-4 postseason record and is 73-21 overall.
In his ninth season at Emery, Jon Faimalo is 4-8 in the playoffs and 40-55 overall.
No. 1 Beaver (11-1) vs. No. 3 Kanab (9-3)
Series: Beaver leads 59-39 since 1950 – 98 games. The series isn’t uninterrupted, but since 1956, they’ve battled at least once a year, meeting 94 times. This season, Beaver defeated Kanab, 20-7, on Sept. 20 (Week 6) at Beaver. The Beavers have taken 16 of the last 17 over the Cowboys with Kanab’s sole win since 2010 coming in 2022.
Beaver, the defending champ, makes its state-record 27th appearance in a title contest. Kanab makes its 19th, the fourth-most, and first since 2022.
The Beavers are in the championship for the ninth time in 10 seasons (missing only in 2018) – and for the sixth straight year. Only two teams have more consecutive championship-game appearances: Skyline (nine from 1995-2003) and Kanab (eight from 1981-88). The title game marks Beaver’s 129th postseason contest – second only to Millard’s 144.
Beaver has blanked five foes this season, the 13th time the Beavers have posted at least five shutouts and the most since 1992 – also five. The school record is 10 in 1973.
This matchup marks the eighth time these two have clashed in the championship game. No other pairs of teams have met more often. Kanab won five of the previous seven, the last in 1987.
Beaver (85th season) is 14-12 in championship games. Only East (17 wins) has won more championship battles. Skyline also won 14.
Beaver’s championship seasons: 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1990, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2024.
Kanab is 9-9 in title games; championship seasons: 1974, 1976, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1986, 1987, 1994, 2005 and 2007.
At Beaver, Jon Marshall, in his eighth season, is 23-3 in postseason and 86-15 overall.
At Kanab, JR Quarnberg, in his fifth year, is 6-4 in the playoffs and 43-17 overall.