by James Tate
This is a part of an offseason series previewing teams in Davis and Weber County. To look at other team previews, click here
Box Elder Bees
2023 record (9-3) (5-2)
Head Coach: Carson Mund
The Bees are gearing up for an exciting new season under the leadership of new Head coach Carson Mund. After a short stint at Logan High School and his longtime Box Elder roots, Mund brings the team a fresh perspective and a promising coaching philosophy while staying true to what the team does best.
“We are going to continue to base our offense off the running game with opportunities to open it up a lot more,” Coach Mund said. “We will be implementing a running back by committee approach.”
After a remarkable start of 7-0 last season, with all those games on the road because of their stadium remodel to field turf, the Bees would close out the season with a 2-3 record. Injuries to key players played a role in the late-season downturn.
The Bees are energized, and anticipation is buzzing with the start of a new season, the new coaching staff, and the excitement of playing in front of “The Swarm”.
“The coaching staff this year is doing a great job of teaching players and helping them to make consistent progress,” senior Jae Macias said. “the team’s overall energy is at an all time high.”
Quarterbacks/running backs
Jae Macias
The quarterback position will be between senior Carter Buchanan, Kaden Wheeler, and junior Korbin Jeppesen. Carter Buchanan saw most of his playing time last season as a defensive back for the Bees, and Wheeler and Jeppesen will be in the mix for playing time.
The Bees must reload the entire running back room as all-state performer Dax Sumko has graduated. Macias is the lead candidate to be the Bees’ game-breaker out of the backfield. Macias is a track star, six feet two inches and 185 pounds, with elite speed (4.42 40, 10.86 100m) and the ability to run inside and on the edge. Macias is going to turn heads and be a problem for opponents.
The Bees will use different players, including senior Tyeson Hansen, with varying skill sets at the running back position to keep the offense moving and score first downs. The Bess led the region in rushing last season, averaging 294.1 per game.
Wide receivers/tight ends
A significant part of the Bees’ offense’s success last year was a great running game that opened up big passing plays. Look for Dillon Zito, Blake Montero, Ian Hill, Landon Harding, Malik Crozier, and Mayson Jeppsen to play critical roles as receivers.
Offensive/defensive linemen
One of the team’s strengths this season will be the returning players on the offensive line. Senior Roman Torrey is a 2023 Standard-Examiner All-Area First-team selection; Cody Kaleikini, Chance Richards, and Gabe Perez are holdovers from last season.
The defensive line will feature senior Bodee Burnham, Perez, Kaleikini, Torrey, Richards, and Macias. Burnham and Macias tied for the team lead with five sacks and will be a handful for offenses to keep out of the backfield.
Linebackers/defensive backs
Senior Caden Buchanan emerged as a future star at linebacker for the Bees last season and finished second on the team with 79 tackles. The Bees will be looking to see who else steps into the starting role as a linebacker with Caden Buchanan.
Hansen returns to lead the defensive backs, along with Carter Buchanan, who led the team with six interceptions last year. Hansen had an outstanding year at cornerback, and Carter Buchanan was a ball hawk at safety.
Special teams
Tyeson Hansen
Senior Ethan Barber capped off an excellent season last year by making 49 of 54 extra-point attempts. Macias and Hansen are set to return the kicks for the Bees.
The Bees lost talented players from last season, but this team will showcase new stars who have worked hard to keep the Bees in contention for the region championship this season.
Key games
August 30, 2024, at Bear River Bears. The Bees want to make it four straight wins over rival Bear River.
September 6, 2024, at Northridge Knights. The first region game of the year, the Bees will be looking to take down the Knights for the third straight year.
October 4, 2024, at Bountiful Redhawks. After three consecutive home games, the Bees go on the road to Bountiful. These teams played an overtime thriller last year that saw the Redhawks prevail 34-28.
October 10, 2024, vs Woods Cross Wildcats. The Bees get the Wildcats at home this season after losing on the road 17-12 in 2023.
photos courtesy of James Tate
The Hive Sports 
Leave a Reply