The Hive Sports

by James Tate

1. Roy Royals

The Royal’s special teams unit will be strong, with returners at every position. Returning kicker Aidan Hart converted on seven of ten field goals and made 37 of 38 extra points attempts last season. Hart has a strong leg and made a career-long 47-yard field goal against the West Panthers in 2022.

Junior Colby Frokjer will be back handling punt and kickoff duties for the Royals. Frokjer averaged 39.3 yards per punt last year and had a long of 52 yards. Easton Choate also will get looks at handling kickoffs for the Royals.

Seniors Daeqwan Snider, Cole West, and junior Robert Young will bring experience and talent on kickoff and punt returns for the Royals this season. Snider has a career average of 26 yards per return on 11 kickoff returns. Young averaged 14.6 yards on seven punt returns last season.

2. Bountiful Redhawks

The Redhawks bring back senior Ben Smith and junior Landon Zayas to handle the kicking position in 2023. Last year, the duo combined to make seven out of 14 field goal attempts and 20 of 22 extra points. Junior Brigham Black will share time on kicking off with Smith and Zayas.

Junior Britton Tidwell is back to punt for the Redhawks after averaging 32.5 yards per punt on 25 total punts last season. Seniors Faletua Satuala and Jacob Brooks provide a dangerous combination as kick returners for the Redhawks. Both have experience and the ability to change a game with the ball in their hands.

3. Bonneville Lakers

Senior Ashton Archuleta returns for the Lakers as a kicker and is one of the most accurate kickers in the region. Archuleta converted 18 of 20 on field goals and extra points last season. Archuleta will once again be kicking off for the Lakers when the season starts.

Replacing their graduated punter will be a vital special teams process for the Lakers. Junior Isaac Mansaray will be back as a kick and punt returner. Senior Maximus Diaz and junior Hunter Davis will also get looks at kick returners for the Lakers.

4. Northridge Knights

The Knights return seniors Jack Lowe and Dawson Auger after they combined to make 11 out of 14 total kicks in the 2022 season. Senior Porter Olsen will see action as the kickoff specialist and punter for the Knights. Olsen had a 43.4 average on 28 punts last season.

Seniors Braxton Barber, Jaxon Fresques, and junior RJ Tillman are leading players to be kick returners for the Knights.

5. Clearfield Falcons

The Falcons will use senior Trace Hansen in multiple situations on special teams, starting with kickoff duties. Hansen has a strong leg and will use the excellent placement of his kicks to pin opponents back. Extra points, field goals, and punts may also fall onto Hansen when the season begins.

Seniors Beau Miller, Cade Barton, Cody Clark, and Tayvian Singletary will be names to watch for as kick and punt returners for the Falcons.

6. Woods Cross Wildcats

The Wildcats have senior Jacob Howes back as their starting kicker. Howes converted on six of ten field goal attempts and 26 of 27 extra points last year. Scoring 11 touchdowns on offense added with his 44 kick points, Howes accounted for 110 total points for the Wildcats in 2022. Howes will also return kicks along with seniors Isaac Johnson and Ryan Moss.

7. Viewmont Vikings

Junior Kingston Mickens returns as the kick returner for the Vikings. Mickens is electric when he has the ball and is a game-changer on special teams. Mickens averaged 21.5 yards on kickoff returns and had an 89-yard touchdown return against the Hillcrest Huskies last season.

The Vikings will be looking to replace their punter and kicker from last year, Britton Christensen.

8. Box Elder Bees

The Bees must replace the leading scorer from last season, Cole Mortensen. Mortensen scored 60 kick points as the field goal kicker in 2022. Junior AJ Bushnell was three for three on extra points and will get the first look at being the full-time kicker. Bushnell returns as the punter after averaging 34.5 per punt. Damon Rodriguez and a group of newcomers for the Bees will lead kick returners.

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