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2A Stars
1. Maddox Kirkland (Kendrick)
In a game full of stars, the Kendrick triggerman did a masterful job of spreading the ball around. The junior threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns and finished the season with just under, 3,000 yards and 46 touchdowns passing in a season when he rarely played anything close to a full game.
2. Baxter Covington (Logos)
The junior two-way star had a two-way impact in the game. On offense, he had nearly 70 total yards, including a rushing touchdown. On defense, he had a pivotal interception in the third quarter that got the Knights off the mat and into the game.
1A Stars
1. Stockton Sears (Carey)
He came into the 1A title game with 2,058 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground but saved his best for last - rushing for 291 yards and five scores (39, 6, 60, 77, 48) and was in on 17 tackles on defense in his final high school game.
2. Gage George (Tri-Valley)
With the team's powerful run game largely contained, the junior running back caught his first three touchdown passes of the season to keep the Titans in the game. In fact, George only had two receptions of any kind all season coming into the contest.
What's Next
In a weird coincidence, three of the four state finalists will be in a different classification next year. While Carey will be back to defend its 1A title, Kendrick (2A to 1A), Logos (2A to 3A), and Tri-Valley (1A to 2A) will all be in different classifications for the 2026 season.
Repeat?
While a repeat championship is never a given, it seems very possible in 1A - especially since both of the 2025 champs will be in the 1A classification next season. Though both lose truckloads of talent, both will return good rosters. Kendrick will return QB Maddox Kirkland, RB/LB Orion Stewart, RB/LB Blake Morgan, WR/DB Jerry Anderson, TE/DE Hunter Kirkland, and OL/DL Nathan Kimberling, among a slew of others. Meanwhile, Carey will return QB/LB Jonah Saili, RB/LB Madden Perkes, WR/DE Johnathan Rojas, OL/DL Tripp Bailey, OL/DL Caden Clark, and RB/DB Tayton Sears, also among a slew of others.
Keep An Eye On...
Forecasting ahead to 2026, an obvious team to watch is Wallace from District 1. The Miners are moving up from 1A to 2A, and they'll be bringing uber-dynamic QB Cooper Miller, their top two receivers (Hank Larson and Lennox Radford), a dynamic DE tandem (Reece Williams and Ashton Holbert), and linebacker Marley Pearce, the heart and soul of the team's defense. That's an easy one. But a couple of potentially under-the-radar teams to watch in 1A - the Mackay Miners will return their team leaders in the following categories: passing, rushing, receiving, total touchdowns, tackles, sacks, interceptions, fumbles caused, and fumbles recovered. Another one could be the Richfield Tigers. Of the 30 players listed on the team's initial roster, 24 are slated to return - including QB Brooks Kent and two-way playmakers Devin Scott, Jace Oliver, Kooper Torgerson, Jose Alvarado, Calvin Webb, and Ian Lopez.
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