Five on the rise

This week I’m going to focus on teams, rather than individuals. It seems only fitting because football is the ultimate team sport. Let’s go with one per classification.

1) Monticello: I came away from Monticello’s 56-28 loss to Layton Christian feeling impressed by the Buckaroos. They lost the game, but they traveled just 17 players to it. They gave a great effort, and had Layton Christian on the ropes before wearing down in the second half.

2) Richfield: The Wildcats haven’t been talked about or had much written about them because of the undefeated teams ahead of them in 2A. But you’ve got to watch out for this team. Richfield beat South Sevier 21-14 on Friday night, earning its third win in its last four games. Zach Cropper led the way, rushing for 235 yards.

3) Ben Lomond: I’m sure people thought the Scots were going to be terrible after they allowed Woods Cross to score 65 points in their opener. Ben Lomond has rebounded, winning three of its last four games. Shay Kaleikini is a tough runner, and the Scots will battle for a playoff berth.

4) Springville: Don’t look now, but the Red Devils have reeled off four straight victories. The tough part of Springville’s schedule is now up with games against Orem, Mountain View and Timpview on tap. You can bet the Red Devils have gained some confidence to take on those teams with the wins they’ve earned.

5) Weber: The Warriors pulled off the upset of the year by beating Davis 9-7 on Friday night. It’s good to see Weber heading in the right direction. I’m guessing kicker Keaton Scherer was a popular kid at school this week. He kicked three field goals for the Warriors, including the game-winner in the fourth quarter.