2022 Utah High School Boys Awards Announced
2022 Utah High School Boys Awards Announced
Issue 102 - All-American, Academic All-American, Bob Scott, Blake Strebel & Coach of the Year
Congrats to those who were nominated, those who won and everyone on a great season!
And of course, don’t forget to visit our sponsors: Tribal West Lacrosse (website) & MinersTown Strength and Conditioning (website).
All-American
Zach Bezzant, American Fork, Midfield, 2022
Bezzant finished the season with 336 faceoff wins while maintaining an 81.2% faceoff win percentage while also scoring 11 goals and dishing 9 assists.
“Every Coach deserves to have a Zach Bezzant on their team,” said American Fork Head Coach Tyson Poole. “What I admire most about Zach is his never-ending GRIT. The kid has worked his tail off to become one of the most dominating faceoff guys Utah has ever seen. Zach was adaptable and resilient in finding ways to stay dominant at the X. We will greatly miss Zach's skill next season.”
Blaze DeGracie, Corner Canyon, Midfield, 2022
DeGracie had 44 goals and 34 assists on one of the most dominant teams in Utah lacrosse history.
“Blaze is the epitome of a team guy,” said Corner Canyon Head Coach Aaron Ika. “He excels wherever he is on the lacrosse field and we have used him almost everywhere over the last 3 years. His quiet demeanor lets his play do the talking for him and all he does is deliver in big moments. We can all rest easy knowing that a young man of Blaze’s caliber is going to not only be playing lacrosse at the United States Air Force Academy but is poised to become a leader amongst others in our armed forces.”
Berkley Horoba, Alta, Attack, 2023
Horoba is the lone Junior on the list and finished with 61 goals and led the state with 86 assists, helping to lead Alta to the 5A semifinals.
“Berkley is the ultimate team player,” said Alta Head Coach Brandon Horoba (and proud father). “He provides so many things as a player, teammate and captain. His physical talents and ball skills are represented all over the field with his ability to quickly dodge past defenders, get open off-ball and beat players to ground balls. He has an incredibly accurate and fast shot both on the run and stepping down.”
Jon King, Corner Canyon, Attack, 2022
King led the Chargers in goal-scoring with 92 on the season. He also tallied 31 assists for 123 points.
“Since Jon stepped on the Varsity field for Corner Canyon in 2019 we got immediately better,” said Ika. “His grit, toughness and East Coast attitude was infectious to the rest of the team and they had to raise their game to keep up. Jon has been big for us in so many games over the years and always delivers. He can do it all. I cant wait to watch Jon as he moves on to playing lacrosse at Penn St. He immediately makes Penn St. a better team with him on it.”
McKay Lock, American Fork, Defense, 2022
Lock, whose full name is Mckay Moroni Seth Ikapono’Onalani Kaiwiahuula Lock, finished with 27 groundballs and 22 takeaways, leading the American Fork defense to a 16-3 record and a second-place 6A trophy.
“I can go on and on about McKay,” said Poole. “This kid was born to lead. McKay cares so much about his team. He would go out of his way to make sure they all felt welcomed. He has put a ton of work into his game and it shows. McKay plays at such a high level. He’s one of Utah’s top lockdown defenders. To be honest his game has no flaws. I loved watching McKay play this season. McKay will go onto the next level and make an immediate impact at Westminster.”
Hutton Murphy, Olympus, Attack, 2022
Murphy led the Titans to its first championship appearance with 79 goals and 71 assists, totaling 150 points (the most in the state) while averaging 7.5 points per game.
“Hutton has been one of the most special players we have had the pleasure of coaching,” said Olympus Head Coach Nick Merrell. “He was a 4-year starter and produced every year while he was at Olympus. Tough. Smart. Gritty. Competitive. Hard-working and incredibly skilled are just some of the adjectives to describe Hutt.”
Mason Quick, Corner Canyon, Midfield, 2022
Quick led the Chargers in total points with 125 which game from 80 goals and 45 assists.
“Mason Quick could go down as the best midfielder the state of Utah has ever seen,” said Ika. “His vision, quickness and speed are elite. He is a sniper with the ball in his stick. What is even more impressive is the way he goes to work every single day. 100%, 100% of the time. Mason chose to stay home and represent the University of Utah over many other options and he is going to make this state proud. He is going to be a phenomenal college lacrosse player and the state of Utah will be proud to call him one of their own.”
Rhett Rice, Davis, Midfield, 2022
Rice finished with 79 goals and 31 assists, leading the Darts in both categories which helped get Davis to the 6A semifinals.
“Rhett has an unmistakable presence on the lacrosse field; standing out not only in stature but in his demeanor as well,” said Davis Head Coach Dillon Yocom. “When Rhett steps on the field, he brings calmness and stability to the team. Rhett has learned to be a very physical offensive threat as well as a solid defensive player. For such a large guy, Rhett’s speed and footwork are unmatched, making transitions up and down the field look effortless.”
Ayden Santi, Corner Canyon, Goalie, 2022
Santi led one of the best defenses the state has ever seen, registering 150 saves and 63% save percentage.
“Ayden has been a member of Corner Canyon Lacrosse since 2019,” said Ika. “His growth has been meteoric. A backup in 2019, Ayden worked his way into a starting spot and never looked back. The bigger the game, the bigger Ayden played. Continuing his great 2020 and 2021 seasons, Ayden led the charge for one of the best defenses Utah has seen at the high school level. 41 wins and one double OT loss in the last two years shows you how hard it was to score on him. Ayden chose to forgo some D1 lacrosse offers to go to a NESCAC-D3 powerhouse in Amherst (12% acceptance rate) to pursue a degree in the medical field. He excels not only on the lacrosse field but in the classroom as well.”
Trace White, Corner Canyon, Defense, 2022
Along with Santi, White was a huge reason why the Corner Canyon defense was so good this year.
“Trace has been a staple of Corner Canyon Lacrosse since 2019,” said Ika. “He is a guy that will do whatever you ask of him and will do it well and quietly. Defenseman usually only gets recognized when they get scored on and that may be why Trace was a forgotten man in the All-American voting last year. Not only did he continue his stellar play from 2020 and 2021 but he added new elements as well. Trace helped anchor an all-time defense by shutting down the best attackman or midfielder on any team we played. It wasn’t just in Utah. He did it in Colorado against No. 1 Cherry Creek and he did it in California when we knocked off No. 1 in MaxPreps Mater Dei.”
See past winners here.
Here’s the all-time All-American distribution by school:
Corner Canyon - 11
Alta - 10
Juan Diego - 9
Park City - 8
Brighton - 7
Lone Peak - 6
Bountiful, Waterford - 5
American Fork - 6
Olympus - 5
Skyline - 4
Bingham, Jordan, Judge - 3
Oakley, Riverton - 2
Bonneville, Davis, Fremont, Highland, Logan, Northridge, Pleasant Grove, Sky View, Syracuse, Viewmont, Mountain Ridge, Westlake, Weber - 1
Pictures courtesy of Cbreeze, Ben Haslam and me!
Academic All-American
Chase Beyer, Park City, Attack, 2023
Weighted GPA: 4.176, ACT: 27, 38 goals, 16 assists
Owen Erker, Wasatch, Midfield, 2022
Unweighted GPA: 4.0, ACT: 33, 35 goals, 12 assists. College: Naval Academy
Ethan Hartsfield, Olympus, Midfield, 2023
Unweighted GPA: 3.94, 48 goals, 14 assists.
Jack McHenry, Park City, Midfield, 2023
Weighted GPA: 4.293, ACT: 33, 17 goals, 6 assists, 73% faceoff win percentage.
Hutton Murphy, Olympus, Attack, 2022
Weighted GPA: 3.99, ACT: 27, 79 goals, 71 assists. College: BYU
Anders Neuenschwander, Lone Peak, Midfield, 2022
Unweighted GPA: 4.0, ACT: 35, 54 goals, 35 assists. College: BYU
Rhett Rice, Davis, Midfield, 2022
Unweighted GPA: 3.91, ACT: 24, 79 goals, 31 assists. College: Westminster
Ayden Santi, Corner Canyon, Goalie, 2022
Unweighted GPA: 3.91, ACT: 32, 150 saves, 63% save percentage. College: Amherst
John Trahan, Park City, Midfield, 2022
Weighted GPA: 4.725, ACT: 34, 51 goals, 11 assists. College: University of Texas
Jude Trahan, Park City, Midfield, 2022
Weighted GPA: 4.725, ACT: 34, 28 goals, 20 assists. College: University of Texas
See past winners here.
Bob Scott Award
The Bob Scott Award is given to high school seniors who go above and beyond in service to their team, school, and community. These athletes, who truly honor the game of lacrosse, are invested in the development of the game in their town and are exemplary teammates. In addition, they must be outstanding students with high academic achievement and serve as role models within their school community.
Anders Neuenschwander, Lone Peak, Midfield, 2022
Achievements and Activities
Alpine City Youth Mayor
Jordan Humanitarian Experiences For Youth, Volunteer
Peer to Peer Connect (P2PC), Founder
Lone Peak Captain
Pioneer Academics, Research Scholar
Co-Founder and Current President of the Pickleball Club
Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America
Sterling Scholar Award Winner - Lone Peak High School
Sterling Scholar Award Finalist - Western Region
National Honor Society Member
AP Scholar With Honor Award Winner
4x Honor Roll
Neuenschwander has served his community and school while organizing multiple causes and campaigns.
See past winners here.
Blake Strebel Award
The Blake Strebel Memorial Award is given by the Utah High School Boys Head Coaches to a deserving senior who has demonstrated academic excellence in the classroom, leadership abilities, school and community involvement over and above the lacrosse field and overall superior personal characteristics.
Jude Trahan, Park City, Midfield, 2022
Achievements and Activities
National Honor Society, Park City - President of the Board
National Ability Center, Park City - Adaptive Ski Instructor
National Ability Center Volunteer of the Year 2019
Team Flyers Volunteer - A team of special needs freestyle skiers
Park City Lacrosse, Youth Lacrosse Assistant Coach
Guatemala Service Trip
Park City Food Drive 2021
4x High Honors
Salutatorian
Region Champion of Future Business Leaders of America; Business Calculations in 2019, Securities in 2021
See past winners here.
Coach of the Year
Aaron Ika, Corner Canyon
I am honored to receive this award from USA Lacrosse and my fellow coaches in the state of Utah.
First off, I would like to thank the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation for allowing us to be a part of their tribe and sharing their culture with us this year. The experience the players and coaches had was invaluable and will always be treasured and their support meant the world to us and the players. The support throughout the playoffs meant the world to the players and staff and we carried you with us when we stepped on the field.
Second, Thank You to the Corner Canyon administration and staff. We have great support from Principle Jensen, VP Dave Barrett and the entire office and admins. Kathy Hilton, Thank You for helping us organize and execute 3 fantastic games out of state. To the man behind the curtain, our AD, Pat Thurman, thanks for always having our back and all the support and countless hours you spend with our athletes on their behalf. McKenna Boothe is the best in the business. She spends countless hours working on our players and making sure they are game ready, even if they are just using it to try to get out of class to go sit in an ice bath. She understands a players mentally and does a phenomenal job keeping everyone going. With all the injuries we have had the last few years she is always ready and finds a way to get them back out there.
To me, this is a program award, not an individual one. Corner Canyon Lacrosse isn’t just a team, it’s a PROGRAM and there are so many people involved that I hope I don’t miss anyone. My lacrosse staff is the best in the state. There is so much knowledge and experience on our sideline and everyone puts the boys first and leaves their egos behind. If I could transfer this award to them, I would do so in a heartbeat. They are the lifeblood of our team and boy do we have fun at practice. If any one of these guys were in my position, this award would be theirs. (Dave Michaeli, Walker Bateman, Jeff King, John Holmes, Jeff Brzoska, Garrett Michaeli, Hayden Webb, Parker Tolman, Tallyn Goldman and Bray Hallman)
Corner Canyon Lacrosse isn’t a model program without Alyssa Mallory. She spends countless hours behind the scenes organizing things and making us coaches look good. Chandra Tillotson has upped our social media game to new levels. That made the rest of the state take notice and try to keep up.
Our Corner Canyon parents take tremendous pride in our program and without their help, our game day experience wouldn’t be the same. Thank you CC parents for the support and all the little things you guys do for the team.
And finally, to the phenomenal young men who I have had the pleasure to coach since coming to Corner Canyon. Thank you for bringing it every day. Thank you for pushing me to be a better coach and person. You guys have given me memories that will last a lifetime. I can’t wait to see your “next play” in life no matter what you choose to do next! Thank you for leaving things better than you found them.
Kwinawen Nangkwatün Nümü/We are One
— Aaron Ika
See past winners here.