1A is four regions and a lot of Friday nights that start with a 2-4 hour bus rides. It’s a grind! Rich just won the state title. Ridge Lundgren was Player of the Year at 20.3. Carter Scott, Blake Peterson, Jason Hernandez, Blake Gleave and Hunter Robins were first-team all-state. All of them graduated. The classification did not get quieter. The names just got younger.
Region 19 is the southeast. Region 20 is the south-central towns. Region 21 is the small independents. Region 22 is the north. Clint Barney still has 480 wins in Panguitch. Lex Cornia still has Randolph. Lee Gines is still in Tabiona. The team that looks most finished on paper, though, is Manila coached by Mike Hughes.
Region 19
Green River, Monticello, Whitehorse, Pinnacle, Monument Valley.
Green River went 17-9 and won the region. Jason Hernandez went for 20.6 and 76 threes and graduated. Greg Parsons kept Jose Vetere, Gabe Quintana and David Mendez — seniors who already played next to that offense. The Pirates sit first until Monticello takes a night.
Monticello won 13 and finished second in region. Whitehorse won 10. Pinnacle won 9. Monument Valley is building. Those gyms are proud and they travel. A couple of returners taking a step puts this whole group back in the bracket conversation.
How I see Region 19: 1. Green River 2. Monticello 3. Whitehorse 4. Pinnacle 5. Monument Valley
Region 20
Wayne, Piute, Panguitch, Bryce Valley, Valley, Milford, Escalante, Water Canyon.
This is the deepest 1A region. Wayne went 21-7. Piute went 21-7. Panguitch went 17-12 and still made the semis. Bryce Valley went 17-10 and played Rich in the title game.
Wayne lost Peterson and Robins. The Badgers have been a title-level program. They will look different. They will not look soft. Piute lost Gleave. Crew Montague and Kolton Myers are seniors who already played on a 21-win team. Kade Morgan is a junior point guard who already got varsity run. Junction stays in the pile.
Panguitch is Coach Clint Barney and the community there. The Bobcats have built a pipeline starting with youth development and it shows. Trenton Virga (15.0 and 12.0 boards) and Taycen Ramsay graduated. Coby Bentley is back after 7.6 a night. Kaden Bailey is 6-2. Traiger Ramsay and Casey Walter are seniors. Tayze Barney is a junior who already played 29 games. The Bobcats reload. They always do.
Bryce Valley made the final and they still have Brace Syrett, a first-team all-state senior at 14.8. That is not a rebuild. Valley was .500. Milford, Escalante and Water Canyon will steal a Tuesday if the shots fall. This region decides seeds for a month.
How I see Region 20: 1. Panguitch 2. Bryce Valley 3. Wayne 4. Piute 5. Valley 6. Milford 7. Escalante 8. Water Canyon
Region 21
Mount Vernon, Telos, Dugway, USDB.
Mount Vernon won the region last winter. Telos has been the other side of that group. Dugway and USDB will compete and battle as hard as they can.
How I see Region 21: 1. Mount Vernon 2. Telos 3. Dugway 4. USDB
Region 22
Manila, Tabiona, Rich, Tintic, Altamont, St. Joseph, Wendover.
Rich went 23-4, 12-0 and cut down the nets. Then the gym emptied. Lundgren, Scott, Holmes, Weston and the rest of that first unit graduated. What Lex Cornia kept is Conrad Carrillo, Paxton Nicolodemos and Bode O’Mealy — seniors who sat through a title run — plus Nash Parry and Vallen Cornia. Randolph does not forget how to win. This year they have to win with a new first unit. Third is not a slight. It is what the roster says.
Manila went 21-6 and 8-4 and they kept the production. Kale Chowning was third-team all-state at 15.9 and 3.4 assists. Logan Platt, Levi Platt, Colton Potter and Porter Weber are back with him. Coach Mike Hughes has the most finished returning group in this region. That is why the Mustangs sit first.
Tabiona went 14-10 and 9-3. Lee Gines has been doing this a long time. Rocky Rhoades is the reason the Tigers sit second. 6-2 senior, 17.7 points, 7.3 boards, 1.7 blocks, third-team all-state, and one of the top-ranked players in the 2027 class even though he plays in a 1A gym. Also the best name in Utah high school basketball. Jaxson Olsen is back with him. If Rhoades plays like his ranking, Tabiona can take this region and make a run at a state title.
Tintic is a team I wouldn’t sleep on either. Coach Patten is building something special there and his teams will never take a night off
Altamont won enough to stay in the middle. St. Joseph and Wendover will take their lumps and ruin a seed if somebody shoots it.
How I see Region 22: 1. Manila 2. Tabiona 3. Rich 4. Tintic 5. Altamont 6. St. Joseph 7. Wendover
10 players to watch
Rocky Rhoades, Tabiona — senior. 17.7, 7.3 and 1.7 blocks. Top-ranked 2027 at a small school, and yes, the best name in Utah high school basketball.
Brace Syrett, Bryce Valley — senior. First-team all-state. The Mustangs played for a title. He is back.
Kale Chowning, Manila — senior. 15.9 and 3.4 assists. Third-team all-state on a 21-win team. The reason Manila sits first.
Coby Bentley, Panguitch — senior. Already produced for Barney.
Crew Montague, Piute — senior off a 21-win roster.
Kolton Myers, Piute — senior. Point guard who already started in Region 20.
Bode O’Mealy, Rich — senior who sat through a title year. Randolph’s next wave.
Conrad Carrillo, Rich — senior. Same locker room.
Kaden Bailey, Panguitch — senior. 6-2. Size that stays.
Tayze Barney, Panguitch — junior. Played all 29 games last year. The next Barney in that gym.
Lundgren, Scott, Peterson, Hernandez, Gleave and Robins are off the board. Manila has the returning scoring. Tabiona has Rhoades. Panguitch and Bryce Valley still have all-state pieces. Rich has the banner and a new first five. 1A is going to be decided by the kids who spent last year playing next to those seniors. This year they get the ball first.