COMMENTARY– With all of Region 9 back in the same classification, the 2011-2012 school year had people buzzing about sports long before the games started.
With school getting underway in August our fall sports are underway as well. Boys and girls cross-country, football, boys golf, girls soccer, girls tennis and volleyball were the first sports teams of the year.
The fall sports period was dominated by the Hurricane Tigers football team, who went undefeated and won Region 9’s only championship of the fall.
Region 9 dominated football with three teams in the semifinals and an all Region 9 final between the Tigers and the Desert Hills Thunder. The Tigers came out on top but it wouldn’t be the last time we would see these two teams in a major sports final.
The Cedar Reds were the third Region 9 team in the semifinals but came up short against the Thunder in the semis.
In boys and girls cross-country the Pine View Panthers took third as a team on the boys side and were runners-up on the girls side. Senior Kaylee Boyer and senior Tyson Boyer both took third as individuals for the Panthers.
Boys golf came into State rolling, but playing in the snowy north the boys did not play their best. The Thunder took sixth as a team while the Panthers and the Snow Canyon Warriors were right behind them in seventh and eight, respectively.
The Warriors’ Joey Sargent took eighth in the individual state championship.
In girls tennis, Region 9 was right there but could not get over the top to win it all. The Warriors finished in second place, the Dixie Flyers took third and the Panthers took sixth.
The Warriors’ Kennedy Neilson was the runner-up in second singles as was Bergen Nelson in third singles. The Warriors also had their first doubles team of Abbey Hafen and Madi Harrison lose in the finals.
The Flyers had their first singles player Cydnee Wikinson lose in the finals. While the Flyers had their two other singles players lose in the semifinals.
The Panthers’ Lacey Hancock won first singles but could not get any help from any of her teammates and the Panthers finished in sixth place.
In girls soccer, the Reds lost in the semifinals.
To finish out the fall season the lady Warriors volleyball team lost to the state’s top team, Ogden, in the finals.
After the fall season, Region 9 had one championship, four runner-up finishes, and five third or fourth place finishes.
The winter sports season was dominated by Region 9 just like the fall if – not more so. Check back on Monday for Part II of this 3 part series.
Sports Commentator Patrick Blake is host of the Blake’s Take show, airing weekdays from 5-6 p.m. on KZNU Sports Radio Southern Utah Sports Network – 96.7 FM 1450 AM – with live stream online at http://www.KZNUsports.com.
Twitter: @BlakesTake
Copyright 2012 St. George News.