Best of Flyer Flash: Champions!

Students celebrate the victory of Dixie over Spanish Fork in the 3A State Championship Football Game.
Photo by Kirra Wilkinson, Flyer Flash

Champions!

by Arthur Anderson

Reporter, The Sports Hangar

This article appears in the special November 19, 2012 edition of the Flyer Flash.

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From humble beginnings to being on top of the world.

The Dixie Flyers were much less than an afterthought in most peoples opinions. Time and time again critics, teams, and fans, would only see Dixie as a bump in the road.

Unranked in the Region 9 playoff picture, projected to not even see a playoff game this season, much less the field at Rice Eccles Stadium, Dixie was essentially forgotten.

Projected to have a losing record rivaled only by Canyon View, there was no belief in the Underdog Flyers.

Many Region 9 “Experts” predicted the Flyers to be left with a 1 and 5 record in region play, only to be blown out of the way when the Flyers finished with a 4-2 record.

In short Dixie wasn’t even given a chance this year, nothing but an afterthought in Region 9... Underdogs.

Underdogs that were picked to narrowly slip by Springville early in the season, picked to be blown out of the their own stadium by what were considered “Powerhouse” teams such as Pine View and Desert Hills; but as it can be recalled, the Underdogs showed each team whose house this is.

From the beginning, the Dixie Flyers had something to prove, and they proved it.

Fourteen years ... 14 long years without a State Championship for a storied program. That all changed with 2012 Dixie Flyers who have changed the culture at Dixie High School.

The Flyers, coming into Rice Eccles,even after defeating #1 ranked Juan Diego 14-13 in the Semi-Finals, were still considered, “a weak team” by many critics, considered too small to play against the “physically dominating” Spanish Fork team, harboring some of the largest players in the state.

Spanish Fork was projected to come out on top of the Flyers simply because the Spanish Fork offensive line would be too much for Dixie to handle; the opposite was actually true.

Photo by Kirra Wilkinson, Flyer Flash

Spanish Fork’s big lumbering offensive front was unable to contain the Flyers incredible speed and discipline. They were unable to keep the Flyers off their big time thrower, Jason Money, and were easily beaten at the line of scrimmage.

The Dixie defensive line was the factor that kept the defense rolling forcing pressure all game long on every play, forcing the Quarterback to make bad throws, giving the rest of the defense a chance to make a play, and make plays they did as the Flyer defense picked off Spanish Fork Quarterback Jason Money three times throughout the game.

The biggest interception was Lucas Hildebrandts goal line pick just before the end of the first half as he returned the ball 64 yards to Spanish Fork 36 yard line. This allowed quarterback Blake Barney to hook up with Receiver Andy Appel for a 36 yard score through the air, upping the lead at halftime to 21-7.

Lucas Hildebrandt had a career game, known for having breakout games in the past, this Junior wide receiver/cornerback was able to do it again on high school football’s biggest stage. Named the game’s MVP, Hildebrandt picked off Jason Money twice on defense, and was Dixie’s leading receiver with 207 receiving yards, also setting a 3A State Championship receiving record.

“I told Blake I was open and he got it to me,” said Hildebrandt in response to his success.

Photo by Kirra Wilkinson, Flyer Flash

Blake Barney, after having struggled in the snow vs Juan Diego bounced back for the State Championship of his dreams.

Barney was on top of his game throwing for 299 passing yards and running for 173 yards. In response to his performance in this 49 to 21 rout of Spanish Fork, Barney commented, “I can’t put it into words, this is what we’ve been working for, for years; it’s an amazing feeling.”

Dixie’s offensive line was instrumental in orchestrating this blowout win over the Dons. From giving Blake Barney the time to find his receivers down field, to opening holes for Taylor Berry and Blake Barney to run through, this front five has never backed down from a challenge blocking some of the best pass rushers and run stoppers in the state.

Right Guard Kolten Hunter put it best in saying, “It’s not the size of the line, it’s the size of the heart.” This is true, as the Flyer Front Five is pound for pound one of the smallest lines in the 3A Division, yet they are definitely one of, if not the best out there.

Pride here at Dixie High School has never been higher as the 14 year streak has finally been broken.

The 2012-2013 class here at Dixie can now add their names to history as the newest addition to the fine winning tradition here at Dixie High School is placed in the trophy case.

The culture has definitely changed here at Dixie and now we all hope to add the to tradition in our own ways. Whether  from the gridiron to the classroom or from the basketball court to the main stage, let us all strive to leave our mark here at Dixie High School.

Go Flyers.