New Juan Diego Catholic High School head football coach Danny Larsen takes the reins of the Soaring Eagle football team, hoping to help the program return to the top of the state’s 3A ranks.

“With this being our 25th year, it’s a big year and I will do my best to put a program together that will represent that tradition,” he said. “We’re a proud program that has fallen on hard times recently, but my job as the athletic director is to get the football program fixed, so that’s what the goal is. Despite going through a rebuild with trying to get more athletes and more coaches, the whole focus has been in this team to compete. In the offseason we’ll address the need for a more permanent solution as head coach.”

Larsen, who has been an assistant coach for a few years and around the program since the beginning, comes in this season with a three-fold mantra of Honor, Compete and Invest. 

“We’ll be having alumni, current players and future players be flagbearers for each game,” he said. “It’s our players jobs to compete in everything they do on and off the field and we’ll put more emphasis with involvement in our Little League with better development among the coaches and players.”

The 2025 senior class is “pretty special,” according to Larsen, led by three-year starters in quarterback Hayden Mezenen and running back/linebacker Antonio Archuleta, offensive lineman Aidric Liljestrand and defensive end Darrion Otto. Two-way players include senior running back/linebackers Roman Rossano and Corbin Buckley along with junior linemen Loklan Cruz and Sebastian Ramirez and junior wide receivers/defensive back Braylen Fail and Kingston Taban. Other returning starters for JDCHS are senior offensive lineman Manik Gil Martin, senior linebacker Toby Hardin and junior defensive end Kynoa Jaeger while senior defensive back John Lewis, junior offensive lineman Hunter Landers and junior wide receiver Garang Deng are key newcomers for Larsen’s squad.

“We have a strong offense and defense,” Larsen said. “Our starters are really good, we just don’t have a lot of depth.”

Juan Diego faces a loaded schedule this year against five of the top 2A and 3A teams in the state and a 5A semifinalist.

In its first game with Alta—and first-ever matchup with the Hawks who were among the final four teams in 5A last year—the Soaring Eagle squad lost 35-31 on Aug. 16. Juan Diego started strong and had a 24-7 lead at halftime before the game tightened. A 46-yard TD pass with just over one minute remaining was the difference in the loss after Juan Diego had taken a late lead after a 14-yard TD run by Antonio Archuleta.

Archuleta and Mezenen combined for three rushing touchdowns with Mezenen’s 75-yard TD pass to Fail and Bryson Newport’s 22-yard field goal rounded out the scoring in the loss.

Against San Juan Aug. 23, the Soaring Eagle team lost 33-14, getting down 20-0 at halftime before Archuleta’s 65-yard TD run in the third quarter got Juan Diego on the board. Archuleta ran it into the end zone again at the end of the quarter but that proved to be the only scoring in the loss.

Juan Diego is also scheduled to face Judge Memorial, South Summit, No. 3 Manti, No. 1 Morgan, Union, Ogden, Ben Lomond and No. 2 Grantsville during the regular season.

“This is the toughest schedule we’ve ever played,” Larsen said. “If we can survive it health-wise, we will compete in every game and come playoff time, people won’t want to play us. Even if we’re just around .500, we will have been battle-tested every week and will compete in the playoffs.”

Also on the JDCHS team this season are Jacoby Ahstrom, Diego Alvarez, Evan Anas, Jason Arapa, Ryder Bauerle, Daniel Borsato, Kael Buck, Evan Burkholder, Stephen Burr, Logan Child, Braden Day, Marcus Day, Kysen Dowland, Sebastian Duarte, Drew Grams, Chauncey Harrell, Avie Hernandez, Joe Herrera, Hudson Houtz, Corbin Hurst, Nolan Jones, Jamo Judd, Caden Kerrigan, Coleton Kramer, Hunter Landers, Aiden Lucero, Aidan Mack, Mario Maestas, Kuna Mataele, Tage McKinley, Aidan Miller, Zach Muirbrook, Bryson Newport, Austin Orges, Marcus Pino, Gabe Ramirez, Oscar Rodriguez, Franky Sandoval, Tanner Schmidt, Tristan Schmidt, Danny Sosa, Michael Spinelli, CJ Starks, Parker Stolz, Keanu Stroud, Zac Szymakowski, Kingston Taban, Shohei Takano, Ather Weber and Adam Whittaker.

“This is a hungry, hardworking group,” Larsen said. “I know that’s coach-speak, but it’s true with this group. They want more and I often have to send them home.” λ