High school football: Felt’s Facts Playoff Edition — Week 1

(Disclaimer: While not ignoring the importance of eight-player football, Felt’s Facts’ resources limit coverage to the 11-player game.)
Just four teams – all 10-0 – remain unbeaten going into the playoffs.
Richfield (10-0) enjoys its sixth undefeated regular season and second straight. The Wildcats’ current 23-game winning streak ranks tied for the 16th longest in state history. Morgan completed its 10th unbeaten regular season and third in five years. North Summit celebrated its sixth and first since 2007. Ridgeline, just nine years old, enjoyed its second in four seasons.
In the 130 seasons of Utah prep football through 2023, of the 324 teams that had perfect regular season records, 121 went on to finish the entire season undefeated — that’s about 37%.
The 2024 postseason features 97 teams and 91 games to determine the champs in classes 1A through 6A. Just nine schools aren’t in the playoffs — Clearfield, Cyprus and Kearns in the 5A ranks, Cottonwood, Hillcrest, Logan and Payson in 4A, Ben Lomond in 3A and Layton Christian in 2A. Although Layton Christian won the Region 2A North title, the Eagles played foreign athletes using F-1 visas which made LCA ineligible for the postseason.
Meanwhile, Millard appears in its state-record 72nd postseason tournament overall. San Juan has advanced to the postseason since 1977, for a state-record 48 consecutive times.
Westlake hosts a playoff game for the first time since 2010, the school’s second season. The Thunder lost that contest. Northridge last hosted in 2012, Hurricane in 2015, South Sevier in 2016 and Viewmont in 2017.
Meanwhile, 44 squads host for the second straight year – that’s 72% of the teams playing at home.
Eight active teams have never lost a home playoff game. Six of those are slotted to host this year (by home playoff wins):
(Not hosting: Parowan — 7 and Providence Hall — 3)
Eighteen schools have won their opening-round game for at least the past five seasons:
Although Ridgeline missed the playoffs in 2018, the Riverhawks have never lost an opening-round game in the school’s seven appearances.
Gunnison Valley (0-8) and Providence Hall (0-10) join 19 other schools that made the playoffs all-time with no wins. Fifty-one more “qualified” with just one victory, including four teams that went 1-9 this year: Grand County, Pleasant Grove, Skyline and West Field.
Last year, Layton became the first winless team to capture a first-round victory, defeating Copper Hills. Two one-loss teams have: Parowan in 2009 and Hurricane in 2013. All lost in the next round.
West Field is the 19th team to make the playoffs in its first season. Of the previous 18, four won their first-ever postseason game, all on their home field (Mountain View, 1980, Corner Canyon, 2013, Ridgeline, 2016 and Cedar Valley, 2019). West Field plays at Mountain Crest.
* – Vacated two state playoff wins in 2011
Last Playoff Win Losses
Here are this year’s 21 region champions, the league crowns won by each and the last time each won.
Farmington and Fremont share the Region 1 title, Roy and Bountiful are co-champs in Region 5 and Brighton, Olympus and West are tri-champs in Region 6. All the rest were undefeated in region competition.
Corner Canyon now has the longest current streak, eight years. That ties the Chargers with North Summit (1971-78) for the fifth longest streak all-time.
Historically, Millard won a state-record 12 consecutive championships from 1949-60. Three schools won 11 in a row: Bingham (2012-2022), Dixie (1966-76) and Juan Diego (2003-13).
(teams that have secured winning seasons in 2024)
Skyline holds the state record – 23 straight winning seasons from 1989 through 2011.
For the first time since 2021, out-of-state opponents compiled a winning record against Beehive state teams – with an 18-13 mark this year.
Several gridders have climbed into the top-30 in various categories. Four of the top-20 career passers – by yardage – played this season: Helaman Casuga (Timpview ‘22-’23 and Corner Canyon in ‘24) ranks 15th (8,074 yards); Ridgline’s Nate Dahle, just a junior, ranks 16th (8,043 yards), Milford’s Kilo Tsosie ranks 17th (7,961 yards) (likely the player on this list you’ve never heard of); and Manti’s Maison Starkweather ranks 19th (7,844 yards).
In other categories – by school and player: (note that Felt’s Facts numbers may differ from those reported by the Deseret News and MaxPreps because of missing or erroneous game stats in both those sources. Felt’s Facts has reconciled differences and is solely responsible for those listed below.)
Corner Canyon’s Helaman Casuga (Timpview 2022-23, CC 2024):
Granger’s La’auli Figiel:
Layton’s Teiyon Halbasch
Lehi’s Gavin Fenn (2022-24):
Manti’s Maison Starkweather:
Milford’s Kilo Tsosie:
Murray’s Dillon Curtis (2023-24):
Olympus’ Asher Gubler (2023-24):
Provo’s Gehrig Orchard:
Ridgeline’s Nate Dahle:
Ridgeline’s Graham Livingston (2022-24):
Ridgeline’s Aaron Young (2021-24):
Roy’s Zay Morris:
Sky View’s Liam Guthrie:
Skyline’s Jay Tupua:
West’s Izaiah Holley:
West’s Kamden Lopati:
See you on the sidelines.