4A Region 8 Preview – Dark Horse Teams

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There has been some notable player movement within Region 8, and those changes could be a key factor in shifting the balance of power this season. With several teams adding pieces and others returning players ready for bigger roles, the region could become much more competitive from top to bottom. More importantly, that added depth and talent could help Region 8 produce teams capable of making a bigger impact once the state playoffs begin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1st in Region 8 - Provo</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Record: 16-9.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Zero—that's how many major contributors Provo lost from last year's roster, putting the Bulldogs in an enviable position heading into this season. [player_tooltip player_id='873280' first='Sage' last='Yenchik'] was a stat machine, leading the team in nearly every major category outside of blocks and rebounds, and she returns to a group that already knows how to win. Provo finished first in the region last season and advanced all the way to the 4A semifinals before falling to Dixie.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now, experience could push them even further. [player_tooltip player_id='938372' first='Lydia' last='Ibarra'], [player_tooltip player_id='921388' first='Valaria' last='Martinez'], and [player_tooltip player_id='931426' first='Asha' last='Alletto'] enter their senior seasons after years of playing and developing together. That continuity gives Provo something few teams can match—a veteran core that already understands how to play as a unit and has experienced a deep postseason run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is still room for others to take a bigger role. [player_tooltip player_id='1235143' first='Ember' last='Yenchik'] showed last season that she can contribute across the stat sheet, finishing among the team's top players in several areas. If she and the rest of Provo's supporting cast take another step forward, the Bulldogs shouldn't just be looking to repeat as region champions. After coming within one game of the championship last season, this could be the group that breaks through, reaches the 4A title game, and brings home the trophy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Players of Note:</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1665014' first='Chante' last='Tuilevuka']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1800524' first='Anya' last='Crockett']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1255143' first='Langi' last='Reid']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1246445' first='Mia' last='Martinez']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1924074' first='Cooper' last='Barker']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1924075' first='Princess' last='Filimoeatu']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1924062' first='Tania' last='Lavu']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2nd in Region 8 - Uintah</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Record: 16-8.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Uintah could find itself in an uphill battle to hold onto its place in the Region 8 standings this season after losing a centerpiece who produced as much as three times the numbers of some of the players remaining on the roster. One advantage for the Utes is continuity. With fewer nearby schools and transfer options, Uintah's roster tends to remain relatively intact, giving the program an opportunity to develop its younger players from within.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How last year's supporting pieces respond to larger roles could determine just how competitive Uintah remains. [player_tooltip player_id='1924117' first='Izzie' last='Lawson'] is one of the younger players to watch after already showing she could contribute in the scoring and steals columns. [player_tooltip player_id='1924109' first='Jaevry' last='Elison'] also enters her senior season with an opportunity to take on more responsibility and prove she can help lead this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Replacing that much production won't fall on one player, and Uintah will need several returning pieces to elevate their games at the same time. If Lawson continues her development and Elison embraces a larger leadership role, the Utes could remain competitive, but holding their position in a Region 8 that appears to be getting stronger won't come easily.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players of Note:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1358697' first='Taylor' last='Smith']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1924108' first='Jana' last='Young']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1924118' first='Mila' last='Gardner']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Linzie Zufelt</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tinli Feltch</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brynadee Deets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3rd in Region 8 - Mountain View</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Record: 16-8.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mountain View lost its top two statistical leaders from last season, leaving significant production to replace. What the Bruins are gaining, however, is an infusion of talent that could help them reload rather than rebuild. [player_tooltip player_id='1308548' first='Saralynn' last='Hair'] and [player_tooltip player_id='997495' first='Liv' last='Rasmussen'] already contributed to last year's group, while [player_tooltip player_id='1161514' first='Jaya' last='White'] returns from Colorado and could be one of the biggest difference-makers added to the mix. Coming from a family with a strong Division I athletic background, White adds another intriguing piece to a roster that will look considerably different.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The additions of [player_tooltip player_id='1049025' first='Amaiya' last='Kennerley'], [player_tooltip player_id='1902253' first='Harper' last='Brown'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1865663' first='Layla' last='Seastrand'] give Mountain View even more talent and depth to help offset those losses, although [player_tooltip player_id='873277' first='Tasi' last='Galeai'] being sidelined by injury removes another piece the Bruins certainly could have used. There will be plenty of new faces and roles to sort out, but the talent is there. If Mountain View can establish chemistry quickly, the Bruins could do more than recover from their roster losses—they could become one of the biggest threats to shake up the Region 8 standings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players of Note:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1924282' first='Taylor' last='Bankhead']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Emmah Tautali</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Savannah Jett</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4th in Region 8 - Timpanogos</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Record: 17-8.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last season was a turnaround year for Timpanogos, as the Timberwolves nearly doubled their win total from the previous season. An influx of talent helped push the program forward, and that could be the story once again this year. [player_tooltip player_id='796475' first='Makayla' last='Boyer'], [player_tooltip player_id='873756' first='Ellie' last='Adams'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1050170' first='Kenzie' last='Boyer'] all made an impact last season and give Timpanogos a solid returning foundation with experience already in place.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now add [player_tooltip player_id='1246467' first='Ruby' last='Mosman'] to the mix, and the Timberwolves gain another piece who could help elevate the roster. Her addition gives Timpanogos more length and another option to work into a group that already showed significant improvement. If the returning core continues to develop and Mosman fits in quickly, the Timberwolves could take another step forward and become a bigger factor in the Region 8 standings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players of Note:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1358700' first='Sadie' last='Anderson']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1575721' first='Holly' last='Fisher']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1924300' first='Kimball' last='Peterson']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5th in Region 8 - Orem</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Record: 5-18.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Once again, Orem found itself struggling to gain traction last season, finishing with a difficult record. Making the climb even tougher this year is the loss of much of the supporting production the Tigers did have, with graduation leaving another round of holes to fill.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reyna Davis and Cumorah Aiono are two of the few returning players who showed up in last year's production, giving Orem at least a couple of familiar pieces to build around. Beyond them, there are plenty of unanswered questions. The Tigers will need younger or less experienced players to emerge quickly if they hope to turn things around, making this a season that could be focused as much on developing the next group as it is on climbing the Region 8 standings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6th in Region 8 - Summit Academy</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Record: 2-18.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Summit Academy is another program that could eventually benefit from the realignment proposal currently being considered by the UHSAA. The Bears have struggled to consistently compete against bigger, more physical programs, while being a charter school can also make it more difficult to attract the size and depth needed to match up with those teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":1} --> <h1 class="wp-block-heading">New to Region 8</h1> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wasatch and Deer Creek</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the opening of the new high school in Heber, Wasatch makes the move from 5A to 4A this season while also facing a major roster rebuild after graduating ten seniors. The biggest returning piece from last year's stat sheet would have been [player_tooltip player_id='796470' first='Mahala' last='Speredon'], but with Speredon instead heading to Deer Creek, Wasatch will be looking for an almost entirely new group of players to step forward. That move could become one of the biggest factors in determining how quickly both programs find their footing this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Deer Creek, meanwhile, gets an immediate building block in Speredon for its inaugural season. Add [player_tooltip player_id='1273654' first='McKinley' last='Komaromy'] to the roster, and the new program already has a couple of pieces capable of giving it some early stability. How quickly Deer Creek builds around that foundation—and how Wasatch responds to losing so much experience at once—could make the split between the two Heber programs one of the more interesting storylines to follow this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Players of Note:</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kara Sargent</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Danielle Howard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region Predictions:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item {"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size">Provo</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item {"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size">Mountain View</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item {"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size">Timpanogos</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item {"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size">Deer Creek</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item {"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size">Uintah</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item {"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size">Wasatch</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item {"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size">Orem</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item {"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size">Summit Academy<br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->