Three local teams rank among the top five in preseason coaches’ polls

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
Three teams representing San Juan County appear in the top five of their respective preseason rankings according to a poll conducted by the Deseret News. Three others received votes but did not place in the top five.
The San Juan High School football team is ranked in the top spot among 2A teams based on coaches’ votes from across the state.
The Broncos won their fourth straight 2A Utah State Championship just over eight months ago, and will begin their quest for a fifth straight title in just one week when they open the season against 3A Grantsville.
The Cowboys ended San Juan’s lengthy winning streak in the 2024 season opener in Grantsville so the Broncos will be looking for some revenge when the teams meet on neutral ground on Friday, August 15.
They kick off the season on Robert Stoddard Field at Snow College in Ephraim at 5 p.m. and you can listen to the game live on Redrock 92 Radio with streaming video on StreamUtah.Live.
In the 8-player football ranks, the Monticello Buckaroos weigh in at the third spot in the Des News preseason coaches’ poll behind defending champion Rich and Milford.
Monticello is looking for their fourth state title game appearance in as many years, but this time they’d like to finish the job and pick up their first championship since they won the 1A title in 2004.
The Bucks open their season on Friday, August 22 in Ogden against the St. Joseph Jayhawks in an 8-player league that now sports 12 teams with the addition of new teams Escalante and Panguitch and Milford moving down from the 1A ranks.
Whitehorse received at least one vote in the preseason poll but did not crack the top five in the rankings. The Raiders finished the 2024 season with a 5-5 record and lost to Water Canyon in the state quarterfinals.
The Monticello volleyball team is ranked fourth to begin the season in the 1A Deseret News Coaches’ Poll. The Lady Buckaroos were 14-13 in 2024 and return most of their players this season.
They open the season against the rival Grand County Lady Red Devils on Tuesday, August 19 in the Monticello High School gymnasium.
Monument Valley received at least one vote in the 1A classification and San Juan received at least one in the 2A, but neither team appears in the top five to start the season.
The Lady Broncos will officially get the 2025-26 sports season underway when they face the Uintah Utes this Thursday, August 7 in Maeser, UT. They’ll stay on the road to play Union in Roosevelt on Friday, August 8.