Football
Joe Hughes, Salem Hills (Sr.)
Hughes came up big on both sides of the ball in Salem Hills’ 49-14 regular season finale victory over Uintah as the Skyhawks earned a share of the Region 8 championship.
A strong safety and receiver, Hughes was a factor on defense, and then offensively he caught four passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns.
“Joe is a playmaker, he has tremendous breakaway speed, he loves the game, works hard and finds away to turn regular plays in to big plays. He’s just a great competitor,” said Salem Hills coach Jeff Higginson.
Hughes finished the regular season with 34 catches for 478 yards and seven TDs while defensively tallying 28 tackles and a pair of interceptions.
Volleyball
Ruby Fisher, Murray (Sr.)
Murray has enjoyed a perfect 12-0 record in region play this season with two games remaining, and a big part of that success has been the leadership and play of senior Ruby Fisher.
“Ruby is an amazing captain and all-around threat who has been vital to Murray’s success, consistently working hard and achieving so much while always encouraging and uplifting her teammates,” said Murray coach Jamie Deaton.
“She is the most humble volleyball player I have ever met, always putting the team’s success ahead of her own and exemplifying what it means to be a true leader.”
For the season, Fisher has recorded 254 kills, 277 digs and 58 aces.
Girls Soccer
Brooke Downing, American Leadership (So.)
One of the biggest factors in ALA’s march into the 2A semifinals has been the contributions of sophomore defensive midfielder Brooke Downing.
“Brooke has been a dominant force on the field for ALA this year. Playing as a defensive midfielder she is a key part of strategy to control the midfield and control the pace of the game,” said ALA coach Matt Downing.
Heading into Thursday’s semifinal at Zions Bank Stadium between No. 5 ALA and No. 1 Maeser Prep, Downing has notched eight goals and 12 assists this season. Her dozen assists ranks sixth in 2A.
Boys Cross Country
River Shaw, Grand (Sr.)
River Shaw is trending in the right direction heading into the 2A state meet in two weeks.
Two weeks ago the senior won the Region 18 championship, and then last week he won the Section A race at the 2A Divisional state qualifying meet.
“River is an amazing athlete. He is a dedicated worker who shows up every day to do his best. He never complains about hard workouts and keeps a good attitude. He is a great leader on our team as one of our team captains. River is also a great friend to others regardless of what team they are on,” said Grand coach Jacob Francis.
Shaw will be one of the top contenders at the state meet at Sugar House Park on Oct. 28. He was a fourth-place finisher at the meet last year.
Girls Cross Country
Lily Knowles, Mountain Crest (Sr.)
Lily Knowles is enjoying an awesome senior season so far this year.
After finishing in 30th place at the 4A state meet a year ago as a junior, she’s taken a massive leap a year later, and it’s shown in the results in the past two weeks.
Knowles was runner-up two weeks ago at the Region 11 meet, and then last week at the 4A Divisionals, she won the Section B race with a time of 18:05.2, finishing 25 seconds ahead of the runners-up.
“Lily has seen success as a result of her amazing work ethic and consistency. She shows up and always works hard. Because of her example she makes everyone around her better,” said Mountain Crest coach Ty Rollins.
Boys Golf
Dallin Anderson, Ridgeline (Jr.)
Ridgeline’s Dallin Anderson wrapped up the fall high school golf season showing off his impressive maturity in the clutch.
In addition to leading Ridgeline to a second straight 4A state championship, the junior won the 4A individual title after finishing tied for third as a sophomore in 2025.
Anderson birdied two of the last four holes to finish with a 3-under 141 and a one-stroke victory over Desert Hills junior Luke Christensen. During region play, Anderson averaged a 67.4.
Anderson has finished top 10 at state in all three of his high school seasons, as he finished tied for ninth as a freshman.