Lehi Sports
Falcon football blends new talent with experience in Orange and Gray scrimmage
Jennifer Thomas / Lehi Free Press
The 2026 high school football season is quickly approaching, and the Skyridge High School football preview held on August 7 indicated that the Falcons are primed to make another strong run at the top of Region 3 and Class 6A.
The Falcons are reloading more than rebuilding. The core foundation of veteran returners looked unstoppable under the Friday night lights of the intrasquad Orange & Gray game last Friday.
Proven playmakers and senior leaders commanded the line of scrimmage, displaying the crisp timing and physical execution that has kept Skyridge at the top tier of the 6A classification.
“It was a long off-season, but our hard work brought us here. Tonight wraps it up and we are ready for the 2026 season,” said Skyridge head Coach Justin Hemm.
Led by a new, precise quarterback with a quick release, the Falcon offense appears ready to roll as they flashed big-play potential with junior Jagger Fountaine at the helm.
During the scrimmage, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound signal-caller displayed impressive mobility and a strong arm. The new wide receivers are fast with a strong drive to succeed.
“The backfield is good to go with Beckham Bennett, Ului Faletau as well as Amanaki Levatau. We’ve got excellent quarterbacks who work hard in both Jagger Fountaine and Cannon Tripp,” said Hemm. “Offensively, we have a talented wide receiver crew with Malosi Shepard, Dax Rehrer, Omarion Sanders, Stewart Wesley and Koa Wallwork. They are playmakers on the outside.”
Rehrer, new to the starting lineup, found holes in the defense, making contested catches for first downs. New receiver Koa Wallwork caught a couple of short passes and had great moves getting upfield.
Returning receiver Omarian Sanders looks to be able to take the top off any opponent’s defense with game-breaking speed.
Hemm said, “We have several guys who have been in the program for a few years and have paid their dues. It is their opportunity to perform, and they are ready on the offensive side.”
The offensive line is led by a senior center in three-year starter Andy Anderson. His strong leadership helps the team make big plays and brings great energy to the group.
Coach Tanner Roberts and new position coach Heneli Bloomfield have built a strong offensive line. They follow the team’s long history of tough play up front.
“It is exciting to be returning a lot of strong guys up front who started multiple games for us last year including Andy Anderson, Soren Christiansen and Veni Fuatapu,” said Hemm.
The defense is led by returning linebacker Rex Caswell. His experience was evident in his making big plays while on the field.
“The linebacker crew with Crew Stevens, Drayson Afalava and Rex Caswell is strong. We are excited for these players as this is their Friday Night opportunity,” said Hemm.
The secondary returns key players, including defensive back Ethan Schriever with valuable game experience. He will need to be on point to shut down aggressive, pass-heavy Region 3 rivals.
“We have some skilled players on defense with a lot of talent and some new faces who look good,” Hemm said. “The back end is extremely talented this year.
“We have a handful of guys like Ethan Schriever, who got playing time last year, as well as Jaden Tahi and Daison Merrill who have worked hard and are ready to play. The corners look strong this year with Eli Mortensen and Bryson Mears,” the coach added.
“The D-Line coach, Tavita Sagapolu, always does a great job. These guys are playing extremely hard, fast and relentless. Everything we want from this team, these guys epitomize it,” continued Hemm.
The Skyridge kicking game appears to be in good form with several long punts and converted PATs by Evan Kopp and Andrew Nielsen.
The team captains for the 2026 season include Stevens, Anderson, Fountaine, Caswell and Rehrer. The captains have grown greatly in the program showing strong leadership through personal performance and behavior on and off the field.
“It has been exciting to see the growth in our team captains throughout the years. They have matured, learned leadership skills and have easily stepped into their roles,” said Hemm.
Hemm noted that the seniors kept high standards through hard camps and summer workouts and “their good example has built strong team unity” as expectations remain high for Skyridge to contend for the region title.
The Falcon football schedule is intentionally difficult this season with two out-of-state opponents and strong non-region teams. Region 3 play is always challenging with top-class teams.
“The schedule this year is going to be tough,” said Hemm. “We are playing two great teams from out of state in weeks four and five as well as some really talented teams that will compete for state championships, Skyline in 4A, Orem in 5A and Mountain Ridge in 6A.
“Region 3 is always a challenge filled with talented teams and talented coaching. We cannot take a single week off and we will need to be consistently playing at a high level to compete,” said Hemm.
“We are ready to compete against new teams and get into the routine and our weekly process. This team is disciplined and the guys play hard every single play,” concluded Hemm.
Skyridge football is looking forward to week one as they prepare to take on Mountain Ridge on the road on Thursday (Aug. 13). Kickoff is 7 p.m.
