The Hive Sports

by James Tate

Part 1 -sprints, hurdles, and throws shape a new era in a rebuilt region

Region 5 enters the 2026 season with a new look and a deeper competitive landscape than any year in recent memory. The arrival of the West Field Longhorns and Fremont Silverwolves adds fresh talent and new rivalries to a region already anchored by Roy, Box Elder, Northridge, Bonneville, and Clearfield.

Box Elder captured the 2025 Boys’ Region 5 championship with a balanced, disciplined roster, and the path to this year’s title looks to have a similar feel, starting with the sprints, an area loaded with returning stars, rising seniors, and athletes eager to make their mark in a reshaped field.

At the center of the sprint conversation stands Bonneville senior Davis DeGroot, a University of Kentucky commit and one of the most decorated sprinters in Utah high school history. DeGroot finished second in the 100 meters at last year’s region championship meet before powering to titles in both the 200 and 400, and he returns with personal bests of 10.69 in the 100, 21.16 in the 200, and 46.11 in the 400. Those marks alone make him the defining figure in the state, but his offseason development has elevated expectations even further.

Sprints

The 100 meters has become one of the most intriguing events of the season, especially with DeGroot’s ability to span multiple events. DeGroot has run an early-season 10.72, which has him geared for a special season. West Field senior Jenner Fulton arrives with a 10.85 personal best and immediately positions himself as one of the fastest athletes in the region.

Northridge senior Makai So’o brings a steady, experienced presence with his 11.16 best, and Box Elder senior Malik Crozier adds another reliable scorer to a Bees squad with an 11.25 personal best. Depending on DeGroot’s schedule with the 200m and 400m, the 100m could open the door for a tightly contested final that could swing early momentum in the team region championship race.

The 200 meters still runs through DeGroot, whose combination of top‑end speed and strength makes him the clear favorite. Fulton and So’o give both athletes a chance to challenge for top‑three positions, and several underclassmen across the region have shown the potential to break into the scoring mix. With West Field and Fremont now in the fold, the event gains even more competitive depth, and the points earned here could prove decisive for teams trying to keep pace with Box Elder’s balanced roster.

The 400 meters remains DeGroot’s signature event, and everything about his trajectory points toward a historic senior season. His personal best of 46.11, set last summer on the national stage at the Great Southwest Track & Field Classic at the University of New Mexico, already places him among the fastest quarter‑milers Utah has ever produced. That performance established him as a legitimate national‑level threat, and his offseason training with Gold Medal Athletics has only strengthened that momentum.

Months of focused work on speed endurance and race mechanics have positioned DeGroot not only to repeat as a double state champion in the 200 and 400, but to challenge the all‑time UHSAA 400‑meter record. This mark has stood as one of the state’s most difficult barriers.

Within Region 5, look for Fremont senior Slade Parker to challenge for a top-three spot in the 400m along with teammate Kasen Richter. Roy junior Luke Pebley (50.39) and Clearfield junior Bryson Ridge (51.64) were finalists in last year’s region championships and are runners to watch as they climb the 400m rankings this year. So’o, a Utah State University football commit, will also be a factor for team points.

Hurdles

A new region champion will be standing on top of the podium this year for the boys’ 110m hurdle event. Clearfield placed four runners in last year’s finals, and three of them return this season, seniors Caleb and Corbin Miyamoto and Seiya Peatross.

The region’s top returning hurdler is Northridge senior Andrew Ortiz, who finished tied for second at the region championship meet and holds a personal-best time of 15.17. Caleb Miyamoto has the next best returning time of 15.60, and Ortiz’s teammate Tys Conley has the third best returning time of 16.01.

The Knights will look to dominate the 300m hurdle event, having the top three returning times with Ortiz (39.47), senior Joseph Carl (41.50), and Conley (41.64). Clearfield will counter with Corbin Miyamoto (41.70) and Caleb Miyamoto (41.83). One to watch to break through the Knights and Falcons hurdle dominance will be West Field senior Austin Flint.

Throws

Shot put

Box Elder senior Chance Richards enters 2026 as the clear No. 1 returner and the defending Region 5 champion everyone else is chasing. His personal best of 54’8.5″ puts him in elite territory statewide and makes him the early favorite to control the event from the opening meet through the region championships.

Bonneville junior Hudson Smith sits next in line with a strong returning mark of 47’9.25″, giving the Lakers a reliable scorer and a legitimate contender for a top‑three finish. Box Elder adds more depth with junior Caleb Cefalo, who threw 45’6.75″ last season and has the potential to close the gap on Smith as the spring progresses.

The combination of a dominant frontrunner and multiple mid‑40s throwers gives this event one of the most entertaining events each week.

Discus

Richards’ impact is just as strong in the discus, where he returns as the defending region champion and the 2025 state runner‑up after launching a personal best of 154’5″. His 2025 in-season improvement, a massive 25’5″ jump, was one of the most dramatic progressions in Utah last season.

It positions him as a heavy favorite to repeat as region champion.

Box Elder’s depth continues with junior Ammon Findlay, who posted a personal best of 143’8″ and gives the Bees a powerful one‑two punch capable of sweeping the top spots at multiple meets.

Bonneville’s Smith again factors into the scoring picture with a best of 135’8″. At the same time, Clearfield junior Kadyn Irish enters the season with a recent PR of 133’5″, putting him firmly in the mix for a top‑five finish and potential podium breakthrough.

This event shapes up as one of the strongest for Box Elder, with Richards’ top‑end ability and Findlay’s consistency creating a significant scoring advantage.

Javelin

The javelin brings the most uncertainty and the most opportunity for new faces to emerge. Box Elder junior Ammon Findlay is the most established returner and already owns an early‑season state‑qualifying mark of 156’3″, giving him the inside track as the event’s early favorite.

Roy senior Jesse Jones has also opened the year well, hitting 141′ and positioning himself as a reliable scorer with room to climb as the season develops.

With several top throwers from last year having graduated, this event is wide open behind Findlay. Expect a rotating cast of newcomers to challenge for podium spots throughout the spring, making javelin one of the most fluid and unpredictable events in Region 5.

all times and marks courtesy of sporttrax.com and athletic.net

photos courtesy of James Tate