This football season did not go as planned for the defending 6A state champion Corner Canyon squad, but it sure ended in a familiar way with the Chargers hoisting another trophy – its fifth since 2018 after a 30-27 win over Lone Peak in the title game Nov. 21 at Rice Eccles Stadium.

Three key injuries early in the season seemed to set the tone early that this fall would be a test of the depth of the program. Senior running back Bryton Brady broke his fibula and then in the third game of the year – on the second play of the game – the Chargers lost five-star wide receiver Jerome Myles to a season-ending injury. On Sept. 20, junior quarterback Helaman Casuga left the game with a foot injury and never got back on the field the rest of the way.

“It was really rewarding to see the boys come together through adversity and unite and push through to win the championship,” said head coach Eric Kjar. “Our captains did a good job of uniting the team and pushing their teammates in practice and in the weight room. I felt like our guys had really grown and become a strong team through all the challenges that we faced earlier in the season.”

Senior lineman – and Utah State-bound – Paxton Naegle, who also missed five games with an injury this season, said, “This was special because we weren’t supposed to win it, even though we’ve been to the championship game seven years in a row. Everyone was doubting us and that just motivated us to prove everyone wrong. We had to change our mindset a bit and just work hard and focus on the small things. It was something special and we got the job done. I couldn’t be prouder of my guys for what we battled through and to be able to go out strong.”

“It was constant adjustments and constant stepping up from backups who did a great job filling those roles,” said junior running back Weston Briggs. “The coaches had no doubt that we could do it and we went out there and did it. It took extra work. We all had to put in a little more effort outside of football whether it be lifting harder, extra film in the morning with coach, or even practices on Saturdays even after our wins. We had to learn how to play together, and I think we did a great job of coming together and having each other’s backs.”

Senior lineman Nai Fillivao said, “This year’s team had a strong resolve to keep on going no matter the circumstances. It felt amazing!”

“To be able to go through all the trials, challenges, setbacks and struggles and then to win it all, I can’t even put into words the flood of emotions that I felt,” said junior quarterback Bronson Evans. “I wish I could bottle it up and share that moment with everyone. Everyone deserves to experience that type of joy and satisfaction that comes from achieving your dreams.”

Senior defensive back Brock White said, “It felt amazing being able to go back to back with our team. Going into this year, we wanted to build a legacy with our group of guys so I’m just happy that we could go get that done.”

“It was the best feeling to win state and defend our title. It’s unlike any other feeling I’ve ever had,” said senior wide receiver Chryshaun Lee. “This team had a goal and no matter what we were gonna achieve that. Guys stepped up when needed and we got it done.”

2024 MaxPreps Utah High School Football Player of the Year Zion Finau, a senior lineman, said, “This team knew what it took to win. They are definitely one of the most hard-working groups I’ve been a part of. We never quit or lost sight of our goal despite of the challenges we faced.”

In its second game of the year, Corner Canyon faced IMG Academy, a top-five team nationally and came away with a historic 35-34 win. 

“We knew as a team we could come out on top and that’s exactly what we did,” Fillivao said.

“Just like the championship game we were down but we never gave up and it was a great win against one of the best teams in the nation,” Lee said. 

That ultimate high didn’t last long as the Chargers, who were ranked No. 1 in 6A, lost to Lone Peak 28-21 the next week.

“We were on top of the world, but this led to our downfall as all of the next week of practice we did not train as hard or give as much focus because we were still on the high of the win,” White said. “I do believe we needed to lose that game though to get to where we are now. It taught us that nothing in this game comes easy and we have to work for everything that we get.”

“I think the early loss to Lone Peak refocused them,” said coach Kjar. “Our practices throughout the season got better each week. I think they really focused on the finer details of football in order to make improvements. I also felt like they understood that they could play a lot better and wanted to be able to push and play better football as they progressed through the season.”

“We grew as a team so much after that and as a group knew we didn’t want that feeling again,” Finau said.

With a “next man up” mentality, Evans took the reins, fulfilling a dream he has had since he was 8 years old that he would find himself as quarterback at Corner Canyon. “In some ways I’ve been preparing for this season since then,” Evans said, noting that he works on the physical, mental and mechanical aspects during the offseason at high-level facilities with successful college and professional quarterbacks. “When [quarterback] Helaman [Casuga] arrived here, I knew he was going to make me better and push me to compete at a higher level. When he got injured, I was ready. It was an unfortunate situation for him as he’s a great leader and an even better teammate. We rooted for each other all season long and have become great friends. I feel blessed and fortunate to have been given the opportunity to live a childhood dream.”

“We had a lot of players shuffling around to fill spots,” Naegle said. “But, we felt like no one is really different from each other; we were all in the summer workouts together, we were all doing the same stuff, we all have the same coaches. The guys just stepped up and played at a high level.”

The Chargers went on a dominant run following the setbacks, winning the remainder of its games by an average score of 42 to 19 with its depth on full display. Evans went 8-0 as the starter while completing 68% of his passes for 1,897 yards and 20 touchdowns. Briggs stepped up to produce 1,328 yards rushing on 177 carries, scoring 13 TDs.

Lee and junior wide receiver Kai Meza combined for more than 2,000 yards and 26 TDs. 

Defensively, CCHS allowed an average of 14 points per game behind defensive back Brock White’s team-leading 73 tackles while junior linebacker Mason Wood had 69 tackles, senior linebacker Jayden Talauega had 66 and senior defensive back Keaton Adamson had 60.

Senior offensive lineman/defensive tackle Finau was used in red-zone packages, recording 25 carries for 55 yards and scoring 13 TDs.

“Those are super fun,” Finau said. “They give me a chance to put points on the board but also put teams in uncomfortable situations in the goal line. Towards the end of the season we were able to pass the ball out of that formation to keep teams honest.”

In the 6A state playoffs, the No. 1-seeded CCHS squad beat Westlake 56-0 Nov. 1 in the second round before defeating Weber 59-34 Nov. 8 to return to Rice Eccles Stadium for the eighth consecutive season.

In the semifinals against No. 4 Lehi, Evans led Corner Canyon down the field at the end of the game – and down seven points – to a 14-yard score to Meza on fourth and two to extend the game. In overtime, the Chargers got in the endzone first on a Cooper Kingston 11-yard TD run and then Lehi countered, but missed the extra point to send Corner Canyon to the title matchup.

In the 6A state championship game, the Chargers avenged its only loss of its 14-game season to Lone Peak with a 30-27 win. Corner Canyon was down 21 to 7 in the first half before narrowing the deficit to just one score by the break. They went up 23-21 at the end of the third quarter and held on for the win which was No. 100 of coach Kjar’s CCHS career.

“The coaches really challenged us to ‘play for something bigger than yourself,’ the second half of the season,” Naegle said. “I also encouraged the younger players to ‘do it for the seniors.’ When you play for others, you play harder. I’m so proud of how Bronson grew. He didn’t know what this season would look like, but he prepared, he stuck through it and he thrived.”

“Our boys grew as leaders and did a great job of pushing each other and playing for each other,” coach Kjar said. “It united them and brought them closer together. It took a lot of hard work that this group had started in the offseason and they continued to build upon this throughout the season. It took a lot of detailed and focused time and effort in order to get to where we finished which is why it’s so rewarding when we finish it off the right way.”

Kjar pointed to “behind the scenes” leadership from his players – in particular Finau – as a key to the ultimate success of the team that went 13-1 and was recognized nationally in the top-20. 

“This came out from our captains in the way we practiced and in team meetings,” he said. “I think getting to see their leaders push themselves and those around them is very unifying. Having peers they look up to challenging them and showing emotion and conveying to their teammates how important each other are to the team I think really pushed us into a place where we could reach our final goals.”

Finau also noted the reliability of the running game this season. “A huge shoutout to our o-line and running backs,” he said. “The team depended on us and we were able to take the challenge on and embrace it.”

Evans credited the “incredible coaching” this season. “I truly believe we had the best coaching staff in the state of Utah, the best offensive line coach in BJ Cavendar, the best backfield coaches and our defensive coaches. When you play for coach Kjar there’s a different level of confidence and moxy that you feel just by having him on the sidelines. I don’t think people realize how much time he spends with the football team. We have a whole offseason lifting and running program, and it’s not uncommon for him to train with the team. He made things a lot easier for me and he’s the best to do it.” 

Coach Kjar is appreciative of all those around him. “I really want to thank the community of Draper for all their support,” he said. “Our parents are amazing and do an outstanding job with these young men. They help in so many ways that go unnoticed that really makes a difference for our program. Our assistant coaches are a great group that work tirelessly to help these young men progress and get the most out of these young men. I can’t thank everybody that’s a part of our program enough. It really takes so many key contributors in order to run a successful program.”λ