Region 9 week 2 predictions: Cedar's chances to keep winning; Dixie continues to play up
The opening week of high school football in Southern Utah was lackluster, save for one game.
Seven of the eight teams in Region 9 lost, but Cedar was the lone bright spot with its upset over 5A Spanish Fork.
Furthermore, there's still much we can anticipate. We have two more weeks until the first UHSAA RPI poll is released, and one more week until Region 9 play begins.
Looking back on week one, The Spectrum's first picks were about average at best. We picked nine games correctly, and have a better idea of how teams play on the road and at home.
MORE:Region 9 high school football previews
Here are our predictions for week 2:
Roy (1-0) @ Dixie (0-1)
Roy comes to town as the Flyers try to avoid a two-game skid. The Royals aren't a slouch either as a 6A team, as Dixie continues to play against higher classes. Roy has a potent rushing attack, but its passing game leaves much to be desired. The Flyers can get the upper hand with an early lead, forcing the Royals to pass.
- Kwiecinski: Dixie
- Wilkins: Roy
Hurricane (0-1) @ Murray (1-0)
The Tigers played an inspired second half last Friday, but they just ran out of time. This is a team that's still figuring it out, but isn't as far off as last year's record might suggest. However, Hurricane's next opponent is a 5A Murray team with a good passing offense.
- Kwiecinski: Murray
- Wilkins: Murray
Moapa Valley @ Canyon View (0-1)
There's no shame in Canyon View losing to a good Beaver team, but losing by 53 is a tough pill to swallow. A young Moapa Valley squad could provide an opportunity for the Falcons to build some confidence and improve on both sides of the ball.
- Kwiecinski: Moapa Valley
- Wilkins: Moapa Valley
Crimson Cliffs (0-1) @ Lehi (0-1)
The Mustangs' first-ever game had Crimson leading at halftime, but they couldn't finish the job against Manti. They'll now have a tougher challenge in week two against Lehi, but could pull off an upset if they can force some turnovers.
- Kwiecinski: Lehi
- Wilkins: Lehi
Pine View (0-1) @ Highlands (1-0)
Macloud Crowton threw six touchdowns total in 2018. He threw seven in one game last Friday. Highlands had trouble defending Desert Hills' Logan Wilstead last week, so Crowton could have another big game on the horizon. The question is, as it will be for the majority of the season, is can the Panthers' defense hold enough?
- Kwiecinski: Pine View
- Wilkins: Highlands
Shadow Ridge @ Snow Canyon (0-1)
The second of three triple-option teams Snow Canyon will face will be different in the sense of size. Shadow Ridge has an enrollment of 3,000 students, but the Mustangs team has a roster of fewer than 50 players. After getting game experience against the triple-option last week, the Warriors should have a better sense of defending it this week.
- Kwiecinski: Snow Canyon
- Wilkins: Snow Canyon
Cedar (1-0) @ Juab (1-0)
Cedar's upset over Spanish Fork was a test of grit and skill, as the Reds rallied in the fourth quarter to win in overtime. Juab gave up some big plays against Hurricane last Friday, and the Reds could see some long scores with their potent offense.
- Kwiecinski: Cedar
- Wilkins: Cedar
Desert Hills (0-1) @ Alta (0-1)
The Thunder dropped a home game to 5A Highlands last week, and get a shot at redemption on the road against another 5A school. Alta, however, has a great pass rush that recorded four sacks in its season opener. Desert Hills will need some help from its running backs, specifically blocking and in the passing game, if they want to steal on in Sandy.
- Kwiecinski: Alta
- Wilkins: Alta
Overall records: Kwiecinski (5-3), Wilkins (4-4)
Contact Chris at CKwiecinsk@thespectrum.com, Terell at twilkins@thespectrum.com, or call the sports desk at (435) 414-3261.