ST. GEORGE — Tyden Morris, Brooks Esplin and Cyrus Polu were the three Region 10 football MVPs in The Fan Sports Network and St. George News Sports All-Region Team announced Tuesday morning.
Local sports expert and The Drive host Devin Dixon talked to St. George News about his selection process in determining the teams.
“I’m just looking at the best players, and I’m counting the playoff games,” Dixon said. “I know some people will just look at the regular season, but I’m looking at the whole thing.”
Desert Hills captured the 4A state championship after beating Crimson Cliffs 30-14 last Friday night at Greater Zion Stadium.
“You’re going to see a lot of Desert Hills and Crimson players on the list, but I felt like they have a lot of stars on those teams,” Dixon added.
Dixon discussed the three MVPs. Morris from Desert Hills won the offensive award, Esplin from Snow Canyon won defensive recognition and Desert Hills sophomore Cyrus Polu was named the specialist MVP.
“I think Tyden Morris was just a beast. It took five, six guys to tackle him. The only running back to go over 1,000 yards, he went way over,” Dixon said. “He was the obvious choice, although (Crimson junior quarterback) Steele Barben was in the conversation there.”
Dixon said it was difficult to choose the defensive MVP between Esplin and Dixie linebacker Treven Alldrege.
“I think if you ask coach (Blaine) Monkres, Treven Alldrege was his MVP of his team,” Dixon said. “When it came down to it, I just felt like Brooks Esplin, nobody threw his way, he locked down the best player on the best teams they played.
“He was a playmaker, and it was close,” Dixon added. “I gave the slight edge there to Brooks.”
Specialist MVP was an easy choice, Dixon said.
Polu made the game-clinching plays for the Thunder in the semifinals against Mountain Crest (back-to-back interceptions, the first a pick-six) and in the championship against Crimson (a 95-yard kick return for a touchdown).
Polu was the best punter in Region 10 and he excelled in all three phases of the game. In some games, he went long stretches on the field for every single play.
“Cyrus Polu is the Swiss Army knife, man,” Dixon said. “I mean, punts it, kickoff return, plays offense, plays defense. Just a sophomore, but if you watch the films, he just pops.”
The All-Region 10 list includes first, second and honorable mention teams. The fact that so many players made the list, Dixon said, indicates the overall depth of the football talent in Region 10.
“The bulk of the kids, you’re going to see a lot of guys,” Dixon said. “I thought there were some great, great players. It’s always tough to make a list like this. I think it’s a pretty fair list, just based on calling the games all season long. There’s a lot of deserving guys on the list.”
The Fan Sports Network and St. George News Sports All Region Team
- Offense MVP: Tyden Morris, Desert Hills
- Defense MVP: Brooks Esplin, Snow Canyon
- Specialist MVP: Cyrus Polu, Desert Hills
1st Team Offense
- QB Steele Barben, Crimson Cliffs
- RB Devin Crenshaw, Cedar
- RB Mason Topalian, Crimson Cliffs
- WR Will Warner, Snow Canyon
- WR Boston Adamson, Crimson Cliffs
- WR RJ Wright, Hurricane
- WR Jake Hill, Snow Canyon
- OL Stu Taufa, Desert Hills
- OL Stone Hansen, Crimson Cliffs
- OL Paka Akau, Desert Hills
- OL Traceson Jessop, Crimson Cliffs
- OL Abram Gardner, Snow Canyon
1st Team Defense
- DT Kaden Hawes, Crimson Cliffs
- DT Tasi Sauta, Desert Hills
- DT Scott Nisson, Crimson Cliffs
- DT Parker Andrus, Crimson Cliffs
- LB Cyrus Polu, Desert Hills
- LB Rockwell Jones, Snow Canyon
- LB Treven Alldrege, Dixie
- LB Bryson Bennett, Cedar
- DB Jace Sweeten Crimson Cliffs
- DB Will Warner, Snow Canyon
- DB Jacob Sersansie, Pine View
- DB Lincoln Holmes, Desert Hills
- Kicker Jonathan Bibiano-Vargas, Dixie
2nd Team Offense
- QB Hunter Johnson, Snow Canyon
- RB Kona Crowell, Desert Hills
- RB Jeffery Christian, Dixie
- WR Will Warner, Snow Canyon
- WR Jordan Eaton, Crimson Cliffs
- WR Brock Harris, Pine View
- WR Lincoln Holmes, Desert Hills
- OL Hudson Bundy, Desert Hills
- OL Jordan Semmons, Dixie
- OL Camden Smith, Pine View
- OL Colin Brooks, Desert Hills
- OL Connely Ulrich, Crimson Cliffs
- Kicker Parker Kucifer, Cedar
2nd Team Defense
- DT Bridger Fleming, Desert Hills
- DT Mathew Villa-Rowe, Cedar
- DT Ocean Taufa, Desert Hills
- LB Kona Crowell, Desert Hills
- LB Mckay Wright, Crimson Cliffs
- LB Jacob Dombroski, Dixie
- LB Brayson Phillips, Crimson Cliffs
- DB Brandon Gough, Snow Canyon
- DB Blake Watson, Dixie
- DB Tayven Mortensen, Desert Hills
- DB Ayzen Cummings, Desert Hills
- Specialist Tyler West, Crimson Cliffs
Honorable Mention Offense
- QB Noah Fuailutolo, Desert Hills
- RB Seth Takua, Dixie
- RB McCord Christiansen, Crimson Cliffs
- TE Mason Kesterson, Dixie
- WR Jaxon Barben, Dixie
- WR Luke Childs, Crimson Cliffs
- WR Tayven Mortensen, Desert Hills
- OL Mahonri Tonumaipea, Hurricane
- OL Tag Gubler, Snow Canyon
- OL Alex Alldrege, Dixie
- OL Ashton Flaukner, Crimson Cliffs
- Kicker Xander Jones, Desert Hills
Honorable Mention Defense
- DT Adrix Clegg, Hurricane
- DT Aisa Lapoti, Dixie
- DT Caden Nelson, Pine View
- LB Jake Ellis, Cedar
- LB Jordan Phillips, Crimson Cliffs
- LB Teagan Whitehead, Snow Canyon
- LB Jagger Shotwell, Desert Hills
- LB Teancum Jensen, Pine View
- LB Kolter Stuart, Snow Canyon
- DB Preston Christensen, Pine View
- DB Carson Nowatzske, Snow Canyon
- DB Tyson Marshall, Crimson Cliffs
- DB Brayden Wilson, Dixie
- DB Hunter Clark, Desert Hills
- Specialist: Jaxon Barben, Dixie
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.