Soaring Eagle football falls to Summit Academy in state 3A semi-finals

Courtesy photo/Bob McLellan Shooting Star Photography

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Juan Diego quarterback Colby Smith makes a pass at the Nov. 3 game against Summit Academy. Despite numerous injuries throughout the season, the Juan Diego team still made it to state the semifinal game.

DRAPER — Several injuries held the Juan Diego Catholic High School football team back throughout the season this year, but they battled on and ended up in the state semi-final game against Summit Academy, the eventual 3A state champion.

“Some people are disappointed to only make it to the state semi-finals, but there’s no reason to be disappointed,” coach John Colosimo said. “It happens more often than not, and I’m proud of my guys for making it that far.”

At state, Juan Diego defeated Grantsville soundly in the quarterfinals 41-14 at Grantsville. That game was a highlight of the season, said right tackle D.J. Larson.

“The team seemed to come together and start clicking,” he said.

Advancing to the Nov. 3 semi-finals at Provo High School, the Soaring Eagle lost to Summit Academy 40-6. Early in the game the Bears rapidly scored three touchdowns and had a 33-0 lead at half time. Summit then scored another touchdown in the third quarter; the Soaring Eagle put its only points on the board with a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

 “We ran into a team that was playing very good football, and we did not have any answers for them,” Colosimo said. Still “I’m excited to get into the semifinal game this year – that’s quite an accomplishment.”

Before the season even started, the team lost senior quarterback Conner Turner, who was hurt during the summer and from whom Colosimo had expected great things. The team did not settle on a new quarterback, Colby Smith, until the fourth or fifth game, Colosimo said.

Injuries plagued the team all season. At the beginning of the season, the team had “lines and lines of seniors but by the end there were very few,” due to injuries, said center and linebacker David Halverson said.

“Overall, our team had an unusual amount of injuries; just crazy stuff,” he said.

Despite the injuries, at region Juan Diego tied for second place with North Sanpete, but North Sanpete “had the tie-breaker,” leaving the Soaring Eagle in third place, the coach said.

Last year Juan Diego also played Summit Academy in the semifinals, narrowly beating the Bears by one point in overtime when Summit missed a field goal. The Soaring Eagle was not so lucky this year.

“We did our best,” said Larson, a four-year player who had been to the state championship the last three years, looking back over the season. “We had some injuries but we had some of the young guys step up and the senior leadership was able to help them out. I think we had a very impressive season.”

Colosimo praised the efforts of running backs Tristen Tonozzi (team captain) and Hunter Easterly, returning starters from last season.

“They were both very instrumental in helping our team be successful,” he said.

Other players who battled injuries all season but still put forth great efforts were Larson, Monroe May and Hulverson, the coach said, adding that he had a great defense in Hulverson, Cooper Rust, Michael Curran, Sean Wolff, Raimoana Tiniraurii and Mikey Gatti.

“It was very much a team effort; they were all very good players for us,” Colosimo said.

Hulverson agreed. “The defense was a huge asset to the team,” he said. “We were so strong in all components in our defense it was hard for the other teams to score on us.”

Seniors Brennan Savage and Sean Wolff were named Academic All-State by the Deseret News.