In just the second year of the program, the Corner Canyon football team won its region title and made a big splash in the 4A state tournament.

Corner Canyon breezed through most of its games of the regular season, compiling an undefeated record on its way to the Region 7 crown. The Chargers’ only loss came in the semi finals Nov. 14, to Roy.

“It was a fabulous season for us,” Corner Canyon coach Don Eck said. “Of course, we would have liked a different outcome in the final game, but we played well in every game. We came out of each with different experiences that helped the rest of the season.”

The closest regular season game came Oct. 15, when Woods Cross held a 20-6 lead over the Chargers going into the final quarter. Corner Canyon rallied with two touchdown passes from quarterback Mike Ebeling. Although down by one point and a kick would tie the game, the senior quarterback gambled and scored a two-point conversion run to give the Chargers the win.

“Ebeling was amazing all year long,” Eck said. “He accounted for over 30 of our touchdowns, either in the air or by running.”

Ebeling scored 12 touchdowns while running the ball 93 times and amassing 803 rushing yards. He added 19 additional scores, completing 94 of 155 passes for an additional 1,502 yards in the air.

“He was named the Most Valuable Player of Region 7,” Eck said.

But the Chargers would have to do without the senior’s leadership in the final two games. Ebeling suffered a collar bone injury during the opening 4A tournament game with Box Elder. The Chargers would win the game, 34-7, but would have to rely on junior back-up quarterback Kyle Reaveley the rest of the tournament.

Corner Canyon would pick up a second tourney win by scoring three touchdowns in the final quarter of the second round playoff game Nov. 7 against Springville. With a 7-7 tie going into the final stanza, the Chargers scored on a run from senior Riley Ogden, a pass from Reaveley to Ogden and finally a 65-yard TD run from Reaveley to take a 27-7 win and a ticket to Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah for the semi finals.

The game cost Corner Canyon another key player, however. Defensive standout Jake Cahoon suffered a torn ACL in his knee during a punt return against Springville. The loss of both Cahoon and Ebeling may have played a part in the semi finals, where Corner Canyon lost to a charged-up Roy team, 39-0.

“There was a lot of press about Roy that week,” Eck said. “I don’t know if it was our injuries or if our players were a bit star struck, but we didn’t play the way we normally play. Still, we made it to the semi finals in just our second season, and I am proud of every one of my players.”

Corner Canyon loses a lot of players to graduation this season. There were 41 seniors on the team, so next year will be nearly an entire new team for the Chargers.

“We do have a strong junior class as well as a strong sophomore class, so we will be just fine,” Eck said.

But Corner Canyon will be in a tougher region next season. A restructure moves both Alta and Jordan down to 4A and into the Chargers’ region, along with three-time champion Timpview.

“If you want to be the best, you got to beat the best, and that’s what we are looking to do next year,” Eck said.