Preston Johnson and Brad Nye are part of the reason that Davis comes in as favorites in 5A boys, but only part of the reason. Photos by Alan Versaw.
You may not get a lot of argument over naming Davis as the preseason favorite in 5A boys, but you will find a lot of folks with a deep-seated desire to take down the perennial powerhouse.
It won't be easy. There isn't much of a soft underbelly to this monster.
Davis is nowhere more formidable than in the distance events. If it's not Brady Nye, it's Brayden Cromar. If it's not Brayden Cromar, it's Preston Johnson. If it's not Preston Johnson, it's Jackson Sagers. It it's not...
You get the idea. Brad Nye figures to dominate whatever events he runs at state (unless one of the American Fork guys can possibly make a run at him, but Nye tends to run shorter events than the AF guys love to go), and there are a lot of other guys on this team who can score from 800 meters and up. Moreover, they all got better between last spring and this, as the winter indoor results will attest.
Jacob Ferrell, Van Demille, and Jeff Whittaker are three of the best javelin throwers in the state (and this after Davis graduated two state javelin throwers from last year!). Ben Bracken adds muscle in the shot and discus. Sam Matina's shot put has been improving.
Seth Fortin and Kyle Green add sprint strength. Marcus Daley figures to score big in the high jump.
So many ways they can hurt you...
Syracuse brings pole vaulters Jake Zaugg and Zach Watson, quite possibly the two best vaulters in the state, to the table. Shane Russell was solid in the hurdles last spring and will be counted on for more this year.
Riverton should be able to pile up some points behind sprinter Cole Lambourse (Simplot Games 400 meter champion) and shot putter Miller Crawford.
American Fork will score mostly in distance events. While the Cavemen are known far and wide for their cross country program, they lack Davis's track and field depth.
It would be an enormous reach for anyone else to contend for the team title.
2011 UT HS M Outdoor Track Team Scores (Returners Only)
Calculated as of February 25, 2012
These rankings were calculated by scoring the rankings as a meet. We took the individual rankings and scored them as a normal meet: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Athletes whose graduation years are unknown were left out of the list.
| 1. | Davis High School | 88.75 |
| Alex Hedquist (3200m 1 = 1) | ||
| Ben Bracken (D 5 = 5) | ||
| Brad Nye (1600m 10 + 800m 10 = 20) | ||
| Brayden Cromar (1600m 5 + 3200m 6 = 11) | ||
| Isaac Mckean (PV 0.75 = 0.75) | ||
| Jackson Sagers (800m 1 = 1) | ||
| Jacob Ferrell (J 10 = 10) | ||
| Jeff Whittaker (J 3 = 3) | ||
| Kyle Green (100m 1.5 + 200m 1 + 400m 3 = 5.5) | ||
| Marcus Daley (HJ 10 = 10) | ||
| Preston Johnson (1600m 2 + 3200m 4 + 800m 3 = 9) | ||
| Ryan Lee (800m 2 = 2) | ||
| Seth Fortin (100m 3 + 200m 2.5 = 5.5) | ||
| Skylar Williams (3200m 3 = 3) | ||
| Van Demille (J 2 = 2) | ||
| 2. | Syracuse | 51.95 |
| A.j. Wilcox (S 5 = 5) | ||
| Hunter Dimick (S 6 = 6) | ||
| Jacob Zaugg (PV 10 = 10) | ||
| Jaxon Hansen (800m 5 = 5) | ||
| Jaxon Worthen (HJ 1.2 = 1.2) | ||
| Kyle Arigot (PV 0.75 = 0.75) | ||
| Shane Russell (110H 10 + 300H 4 = 14) | ||
| Spencer Hull (S 2 = 2) | ||
| Zach Watson (PV 8 = 8) | ||
| 3. | American Fork | 40.5 |
| Clayton Young (1600m 8 + 3200m 10 + 800m 6 = 24) | ||
| Cole Odle (400m 6 = 6) | ||
| Mackenzie Morrison (1600m 1 + 3200m 8 = 9) | ||
| Tanner Lee (110H 1 + 300H 0.5 = 1.5) | ||
| 4. | Bingham | 39.7 |
| Aaron Richardson (300H 2 = 2) | ||
| Cody Bohin (PV 3 = 3) | ||
| Hayden Weichers (HJ 1.2 = 1.2) | ||
| Jacob Asay (D 10 = 10) | ||
| Mitch Kalinin (PV 6 = 6) | ||
| Mitch Robinson (PV 4 = 4) | ||
| Paul Langi (110H 4.5 + 300H 8 = 12.5) | ||
| Russell Haight (400m 1 = 1) | ||
| 5. | Riverton | 39.5 |
| Cole Lambourne (100m 10 + 200m 8 + 400m 10 = 28) | ||
| Collin James (PV 0.75 = 0.75) | ||
| Josh King (PV 0.75 = 0.75) | ||
| Miller Crawford (S 10 = 10) | ||
| 6. | Fremont | 39.33 |
| Jaz Johnston (300H 10 + HJ 6.33 = 16.33) | ||
| Jordan Cash (D 6 = 6) | ||
| Kelten Thomas (D 8 = 8) | ||
| Kiefer Mogemsem (D 3 = 3) | ||
| Logan Leavitt (LJ 6 = 6) | ||
| 7. | Alta | 36.7 |
| Austin Baker (HJ 1.2 = 1.2) | ||
| Carson Taylor (J 1 = 1) | ||
| Christopher Crane (S 3 = 3) | ||
| David Mcnamara (100m 4 + 200m 5 = 9) | ||
| Jake Forsling (J 5 = 5) | ||
| Ryan Jensen (110H 8 + 300H 0.5 = 8.5) | ||
| Spencer Wheeler (PV 5 = 5) | ||
| Zack Ormond (LJ 4 = 4) | ||
| 8. | Jordan | 25 |
| Blake Miller (LJ 10 = 10) | ||
| Mason Gajkowski (100m 5 + 200m 10 = 15) | ||
| 9. | Weber | 23.83 |
| Andrew Debose (D 1.5 + S 8 = 9.5) | ||
| Cameron Call (HJ 6.33 + LJ 0.5 = 6.83) | ||
| Chase Chanon (400m 5 = 5) | ||
| Drew Ouderkik (LJ 0.5 = 0.5) | ||
| Jake Vondrus (400m 2 = 2) | ||
| 10. | Pleasant Grove | 22 |
| Haven Shelton (1600m 6 + 800m 8 = 14) | ||
| Skyler Munson (LJ 8 = 8) | ||
| 11. | Cottonwood | 20 |
| Alex Walton (100m 6 + 200m 6 = 12) | ||
| Garrett Peck (100m 8 = 8) | ||
| 12. | West Jordan | 19.2 |
| Chase Hawker (110H 2 + HJ 1.2 = 3.2) | ||
| Collin Butterfield (J 6 = 6) | ||
| Pierce Garner (D 4 = 4) | ||
| Zach Smith (1600m 4 + 3200m 2 = 6) | ||
| 13. | Viewmont | 18.5 |
| Braden Waiters (110H 4.5 + 300H 6 = 10.5) | ||
| Tyler Huffaker (J 8 = 8) | ||
| 14. | Kearns | 16 |
| Cody Glad (1600m 3 + 3200m 5 = 8) | ||
| David Bass (800m 4 = 4) | ||
| Jarvis Andrews (200m 4 = 4) | ||
| 15. | West | 13 |
| Colton Fox (400m 4 = 4) | ||
| Nathan Lewis (110H 6 + 300H 3 = 9) | ||
| 16. | Copper Hills | 12.2 |
| Aaron Price (HJ 1.2 = 1.2) | ||
| Derek Farley (LJ 3 = 3) | ||
| Tyrone Michaelis (110H 3 + 300H 5 = 8) | ||
| 17. | Granger | 9 |
| Ilir Aliji (LJ 5 = 5) | ||
| Taylor Swedin (J 4 = 4) | ||
| 18. | Brighton | 8.83 |
| Parker Langren (200m 2.5 = 2.5) | ||
| Skyler Duke (HJ 6.33 = 6.33) | ||
| 19. | Lone Peak | 8 |
| Blake Ellis (400m 8 = 8) | ||
| 20. | Hunter | 5.5 |
| Mose Folauhola (D 1.5 + S 4 = 5.5) | ||
| 20. | Lehi | 5.5 |
| Bradley Barton (HJ 4 = 4) | ||
| Jordan Peterson (100m 1.5 = 1.5) | ||
| 22. | Layton | 2 |
| Brandon Diez (LJ 2 = 2) | ||
| 23. | Northridge | 1 |
| Nathaniel Barker (S 1 = 1) |