NEPHI, Utah-Wednesday, the Mid-Utah Radio Sports Network (KSVC 100.5 FM), conducted by moderator and sports broadcaster Robert Lovell, broadcast the 2-A North football region media day hosted by Painter Motor of Nephi for the second consecutive year.

Football teams, consisting of coaches and star players being interviewed by Lovell, included Millard, South Summit, ALA, North Summit, Gunnison and Delta in that respective order.

1:49 p.m.

The Delta Rabbits concluded the proceedings with head coach Russ Fowles at the helm. His players at the presser included tailback/defensive back Jaymen Brough, interior lineman Zac Styler, receiver/defensive back Jace Allen and defensive back/receiver Cael Rowley.

Styler is bullish at the opportunity presented to him as he confirmed he has had scarcely any varsity experience before and looks forward to showing Fowles and his teammates what he can do.

Rowley said he also hopes to improve the best he can with every practice and game moving forward.

Fowles confirmed the Rabbits have lost 16 seniors from last season but he still likes what he has this season.

Fowles also said he relishes the unique challenges that playing the powerful 2-A and 3-A teams presents. He did assert that the 3-A game is a bit swifter and the opponents they face have more depth.

Fowles also took a particular interest in analyzing Styler’s skill set during the presser. He promises to be an intriguing player for the Rabbits as the season progresses. He is really raw, as he alluded to himself, but has immense talent it appears.

Rowley says he wants to see “a sense of competition” in the Rabbits’ first four games of the season. This promises to be a gauntlet as they play two 3-A powers in Juab and Manti and will then play two of their fellow 2-A powers in Beaver and San Juan.

Allen shot for the skies, saying he expects to be 4-0 headed into region play. He also said he’s looking forward to playing against Millard in a follow-up comment.

1:31 p.m.

The Gunnison Bulldogs were the penultimate squad to show up at the media day proceedings. They were represented by head coach Jack Pay, receiver/cornerback Jared Chivers, tackle/outside linebacker Kolton Petersen, receiver/outside backer Brandon Tucker and offensive lineman/linebacker Thomas Yardley.

Pay cited the litany of injuries the Bulldogs suffered last season, with several of his players at the press conference among those negatively affected. “One of our hopes this year is that we can stay healthy,” Pay said.

Pay has positively used these afflictions as he has made them life lessons for his players. He has stressed to his squad the importance of going all out every play, suggesting it could be their last opportunity to compete.

Tucker said he wants to see the Bulldogs work hard and be in a position to win in the 4th Quarter. Petersen stressed the importance of staying in shape, suggesting that a conditioned Gunnison squad can be successful.

Pay asserted he wants to see the Bulldogs have a decisive home field advantage as in previous seasons, he confirmed Gunnison seems to play better on the road than at home.

Across the board, Chivers, Petersen, Tucker and Yardley said they are looking forward to the season opener, August 17 at 1-A power Milford.

Pay also said, in his closing remarks, that the Bulldogs plan to use the spread offense for their scheme as this is the methodology his personnel seems the best equpped to run.

1:13 p.m.

The North Summit Braves then appeared at media day, represented by head coach Gary Crittenden. His players at the press conference were interior lineman Brennen Richins, tailback/slot Quinn Chappell, quarterback Chrysler Richins and tailback/linebacker Beau Peterson. Crittenden stressed the importance of them all being seniors as he looks to them to show veteran leadership.

Crittenden also cited the value of “winning every day” and it does change things exponentially for him, he said, to be able to spend all his time at North Summit High School. Last year, he commuted between being North Summit’s football coach and teaching at nearby Morgan High School.

Crittenden lauded the excellence of his players at the press conference for being solid leaders as well.

Crittenden also looks forward to just getting “under the lights” for the first game of the season. Richins says he hopes for he and his Braves teammates to be “more competitive” than last season.

Richins, Chappell, Richins and Peterson, across the board, all unanimously say they are looking forward to the season opener against Layton Christian.

12:55 p.m.

The ALA Eagles addressed the media as well. Their contingent consisted of head coach Nate Porter, QB/DB Jacob Negus, interior lineman Luis Canizales, receiver/linebacker Fielding Morley and Hayden Shockley.

Porter placed the burden of accountability upon his players when Lovell asked him about expectations for the season saying “wins and losses are on them.”

Porter also showed humility, confirming that his Eagles first tried the Wing T offense and this didn’t work, while saying it was hard to admit he had goofed up. He then tried the spread offense in 2017, and after his quarterback broke his leg, things became difficult to run, moving foward amid a difficult season.

Porter, in looking forward to 2019, said that his offense will be “scary” for him next season because he’ll be graduating much of his offensive line next season.

Porter also told Lovell that his primary expectation is to see successful execution from his squad, while Morley said he hopes for a healthy quarterback.

Porter also says this core he has shows more resilience than their predecessors, which bodes well for the program moving forward.

Negus said he looks most forward to the South Summit game this season, as did Canizales. Morley looks forward to the game against Duchesne, which comes week 1 and Shockley looks forward to playing against Millard, citing familarity against them in the past.

12:32 p.m.

The South Summit Wildcats, the defending 2-A football state champions, had an imposing presence at media day. This consisted of six players, as well as head coach Mike Grajek.

These were middle linebacker/running back Hagen Miles, slot Braden Lundgreen, interior lineman “a little bit of wide-out” Bruce Mitchell, linebacker/offensive lineman Drew Howard, QB Kael Atkinson and jack of all trades Jared Dansie.

Atkinson stressed the difficulty of repeating as the best offense in 2-A last season, but hopes to lead the Wildcats comparably as he did last season.

Lovell alluded to the returning starters from last season Grajek has returning, while the coach said he hopes to have them set a good example for their teammates, whome he hopes “follow suit.”

Grajek also mentioned that the Wildcats have a scrimmage Friday and hopes to have “all the pieces in place” for the activity.

When Lovell asked Grajek about a challenging non-region slate, consisting of larger neighbors Morgan and Park City, he replied “we plan to compete.” His expectation is to be 4-0, with another challenging non-region game looming against fellow 2-A power Beaver.

Across the board, the Wildcats are just ready for Week 1 and didn’t really specify a particular opponent they were looking forward to playing against.

12:13 p.m.

The first team to speak at media day was the Millard Eagles. They were represented by head coach Ethan Stephenson, offensive tackle Dillon Lund, linebacker Wyatt Taylor, tackle Calun Whitaker and interior lineman Alan Hernandez.

Stephenson stressed the importance of his team staying united and not “looking out for #1,” as this negates football’s purpose as it is a team sport.

Stephenson also confirmed “everyone is on the same page” and with returning talent of the caliber of a returning first-team all-stater in Lund and a returning all-region performer in Whitaker, the Eagles are not hurting for talent.

Stephenson also said that he is proud of the fact that he and his staff have made weight training fun, while the players are realizing what hard work can bring about.

Lovell asked Stephenson about the schedule he has in non-conference play, which consists of several tough games, and Stephenson replied he wants to see “old-school muddy football.”

With the Eagles being a rarity to have three interior lineman at media day, it’s obvious that they plan to control the line of scrimmage.

Lund and Taylor mentioned they are most looking forward to the Delta game, while Whitaker is looking forward to vengeance against Grand, as the Red Devils ended their 2017 season in the playoffs. Hernandez, meanwhile, looks forward to the Delta game the most.