Skyridge’s talent, balance make for one of Utah’s best teams
LEHI, Utah (BVM) – There were many points leading up to Skyridge’s 2020 season opener that head coach Jon Lehman felt the season would be shut down due to COVID-19. In what he describes as a weird summer, to say the least, Lehman and the Falcons prepared for a football season with an inkling that it might not happen at all.
But the state of Utah took center stage last month when Davis and Herriman played in the first regular season football game in the United States since the pandemic. Skyridge opened its season the following evening with a 33-13 win over Alta, and aside from concerns over COVID-19, the Falcons entered Week 1 with another source of uncertainty.
Lehman said he and his staff trusted quarterback McCae Hillstead’s talent, mindset and preparation, but the signal-caller is just a sophomore who made his first varsity start in Week 1.
“Speaking of uncertainty or unknowns, you don’t know how a guy is going to react to Friday night under the lights, especially this year when everything is so crazy,” Lehman said.
As Chris Paul recently put it, some people are just built for it.
Hillstead shined in his varsity debut, tossing four touchdowns to go along with 331 yards of total offense in a win where the Falcons scored 26 first-quarter points. The sophomore has thrown for 1,345 yards and scored 25 total touchdowns during Skyridge’s 5-0 start. A six-touchdown performance, where he threw just two incompletions, in a 68-7 win over Jordan last week is Hillstead’s most recent and dominant showing.
Arm talent and accuracy jump off the screen when you turn on Hillstead’s film, but his dual-threat ability makes him unique. The sophomore has rushed for a score in four consecutive games, averages nearly five (4.8) yards per attempt and is a true threat as a ball carrier.
“I’ve just been so happy with his (Hillstead) approach to the game and how he’s produced and executed,” Lehman said. “The talent is an important part of the equation, but he really has a toughness to him that people gravitate towards and a discipline and focus that carries into the other areas of his life.
“He’s a total package in terms of mindset, throwing ability, intelligence and running ability. All of it’s there.”
The Skyridge Defense will get their due this week on Rewind, but when you've got a sophmore…repeat…A SOPHMORE accounting for 5 TDs against Bingham, we have to marvel at it.@mccaehillstead is a weapon & we get 3 years to appreciate it! @skyridgefb @JacobCHatch pic.twitter.com/o7nuntgyWF
— Game Night Live Rewind (@KSLSportsRewind) August 22, 2020
Hillstead, who just picked up his first offer from the University of Nevada last week, can certainly contribute some of his early success to a senior wideout who has given opposing defenses headaches through five weeks.
James Palmer is among the state’s leaders in both receiving yards (6th) with 541 and receiving touchdowns (T-3rd) with eight as he is the main beneficiary of Skyridge’s high-powered offense. The 6-foot-2 senior has a knack for making tough catches and has been the perfect complement to Hillstead.
“He’s (Palmer) just a really dynamic player that can do a lot of different things,” Lehman said. “He can run underneath concepts, he’s great with the run after the catch and can also do some things in the backfield as a runner. He’s just a really special talent.”
James Palmer! You sir, are ridiculous!!!
4 TDs in a half including a 96 yarder! #mercy
On a side note, does anybody throw a prettier deep ball that McCae Hillstead?
This duo is something else!@skyridgefb @mccaehillstead @jamespalmer6_ pic.twitter.com/s5ljt6DA23
— Game Night Live Rewind (@KSLSportsRewind) September 12, 2020
The defense, which has given up just 8.2 points per game, is led by its defensive line who Lehman calls “monsters” due to their physicality. The back end is patrolled by a corner whose recruitment is beginning to pick up steam.
Smith Snowden has 11 solo tackles (14 total), four pass break-ups, a pair of interceptions and now three offers through five games. The University of Utah extended an offer to Snowden over the weekend, joining BYU and Weber State.
The undeniable talent and balance Skyridge has at its disposal is part of the reason it is ranked No. 3 in the state by MaxPreps. But all eyes will be on Lehi on Friday night as No. 3 Skyridge hosts No. 4 American Fork in a top-five showdown.
Lehman will see a familiar face across from him on the opposing sidelines on Friday. In fact, he’ll begin gameday grabbing a coffee with a man he hopes to beat later that night.
American Fork head coach Aaron Behm and Lehman are brothers-in-law who have made it a Friday tradition to go out for coffee with their father-in-law, just the three of them. That routine won’t change just because Lehman’s and Behm’s teams play each other.
“We believe in competition but we really believe in healthy competition where the competition itself makes us all better,” Lehman said. “It’s not too crazy; we can manage it.”
Whoever is operating the scoreboard at Skyridge High School on Friday night should be in for a busy night as two of the state’s most potent offenses square off. American Fork quarterback Maddux Madsen is the national leader in both passing yards and touchdowns who is coming off a seven-touchdown performance.
Lehman said he knows it will take a balanced and complete effort to notch a win over a quality opponent such as American Fork. But despite a 5-0 record and an opportunity to take out a top-five team, Lehman remains focused on the present.
“If we’re talking ceiling (for us), the ceiling is as high as it gets,” Lehman said. “If we’re talking about where we’re at right now, we still have a lot of work to do.”
