The Hive Sports

by Daniel Olsen

With the non-region slate out of the way, the division with the most regions and teams in the state has some seriously talented athletes that will look to play for larger stakes at the region and state level. It’s time to look at the top five running backs currently in 5A.

Daxton Sumko

With ten rushing touchdowns and 842 rushing yards, Daxton Sumko of Box Elder High School is one of three running backs that can say they are in the top five in the division in both categories.

The Bees only have lost one game this season which was a single possession loss to the Provo Bulldogs. With Sumko terrorizing opposing defenses, the future is bright in Brigham City.

Mateaki Helu

The Stansbury Stallions have a University of Utah commit in Mateaki Helu. He is a talented athlete who is an amazing goal line running back. He leads 5A with 13 rushing touchdowns so far this season. Not only does he lead his division, but he has two more rushing touchdowns than the second place running back in the state of Utah.

Helu transferred from rival Tooele Buffaloes this season.

“Playing against my old school, Tooele High, definitely was something that really hit me personally,” said Helu. “It toughened how I play the game mentally.”

It will be interesting to see how his senior season ends up. The Stallions are one of just nine remaining undefeated teams in the state of Utah, and the only remaining perfect team in 5A.

“I’m hoping to win region with the team this year, and that we’ll find ourselves playing at Rice-Eccles stadium,” said Helu.

Tevita Valeti

The Springville Red Devils have had an impressive start to their season so far, and that is largely because of Tevita Valeti. He is a junior from the class of 2024 so the jury is still out on where he will end up after high school.

With 743 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns, Valeti is one of the top running backs in the state at the 5A division.

“The most impactful moment of the season for me so far was getting a 64 yard touchdown to regain the lead in the 4th quarter at the Spanish Fork game,” Valeti said. “We had a loss the week before so that moment was a big one for me.”

He will help the Springville Red Devils as they look to build off their runner up season last year.

“As for the rest of the season, I’m going to continue to work hard, play hard, and enjoy the game,” Valeti said. “Hopefully we’ll make our way back to the Rice-Eccles stadium this year.”

Clayson Jakins

Cedar Valley is coming off an impressive 45-23 win over the Timpanogos Timberwolves. Clayson Jakins is an important piece for Cedar Valley’s team. He is currently tied for third in 5A with 743 yards. He has seven rushing touchdowns so far as well.

Despite a slow start, the Aviators have a chance to make some noise if Jakins keeps this up. He will be tested considerably when the Aviators travel to Stansbury to face the undefeated Falcons this week.

Micah Beckstead

One of the best teams in 5A is the Timpview Thunderbirds. Prior to the narrow loss to the Skyridge Falcons, the top ranked team in the state, the Thunderbirds were the second ranked team in Utah. One of the main reasons for that is Micah Beckstead.

Beckstead leads 5A with 971 yards and is currently third in the state in rushing yards this year. He is also tied for 11th in 5A with six rushing touchdowns so far on the season.

As a member of the 2023 class, the jury is still out on what Beckstead will do with football after high school. For now, he will help Timpview in their quest for a 5A state title.

Featured image via Deseret News