Bonneville football preview: Afuvai demanding more from seniors as Lakers open with road stretch
Isaac Mansaray, Tavi Afuvai leading the way at camp
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- Bonneville head football coach Jantz Afuvai addresses his team after a morning practice on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Washington Terrace.
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- The Bonneville football team sets up a play in the red zone during a morning practice on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Washington Terrace.
WASHINGTON TERRACE — With the offseason winding down, Bonneville football is tightening everything under the sun before Friday’s season-opener at Ridgeline.
The Lakers enter the season down a whopping 26 seniors, including starting quarterback Jaxon Johnson, from a 6-6 (4-3 Region 5) campaign under head coach Jantz Afuvai. The now 12th-year coach returns an “All-Star staff” consisting of former Bear River head coach Chris Wise at offensive coordinator, Ken Perkins on the other side and former Utah lineman Luis Park leading the trenches.
Bonneville returns just eight returning starters to a roster expected to play both ways this fall.
Seniors Isaac Mansaray (WR/FS) and Tavi Afuvai (RB/MLB) return the most experience on both ends of the ball. Mansaray, the only Bonneville player to remain healthy playing both sides during the past two seasons, tallied 224 yards and three touchdowns at receiver last season. Kingpin of the linebackers, Afuvai returns the most tackles (71) across the Lakers’ defense.
“We’re trying to pace ourselves,” Afuvai said. “If we do have to go both ways, how much are they going to go and where are we going to have them mostly? If we’ve got we need to rest on (defense), then they’re going to get most of those reps on offense. That’s kind of the balancing system we’re doing right now.”
Asked about the race at quarterback after an Aug. 6 practice, Afuvai said the position’s up for grabs amongst senior Cole Lueders, junior Jacob Smith and sophomore Paden Toula. Backing up Johnson as a freshman, Toula completed 27 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Toula’s competing with a proven arm in Lueders, who completed 16 passes for 255 yards and 3 touchdowns during the 2022 season. Smith completed just one pass for 6 yards during the 2023 season but has wowed the staff during camp.
“We’ve got good depth at the quarterback position,” Jantz Afuvai said. “We probably won’t know for a couple of games who’s going to lead the way on that one. … Right now, they’re competing really well for that starting position and we haven’t really locked in on that one yet.”
Mansaray rejoins what Afuvai considers a “pretty good crew” of targets including senior Hunter Davis (WR/SS), senior Tyler Cole (WR/CB) and junior Reece Cantwell (TE/FS).
Unlike the impending QB decision, the Lakers’ backfield plans to rotate three names — Afuvai, Vainga Havili (RB/SS) and junior Noah Chavez (RB) — this season. In that group, Havili returns the most experience with 10 touches for 28 yards.
The Bonneville run game will be leaning on two senior linemen in Jayden Prynce Taukiuvea-Hansen and Tyson Pututau to make room up front. More will be expected from the line early on as the Lakers still do some soul-searching in regards to the offense, Afuvai said.
“We need to identify what we’re good at and stay with it — it’s that easy,” Afuvai said. “Going up against a team like Ridgeline, a very disciplined team, we’ve gotta match their intensity and match their discipline in the sense that we’re going to take what they give us.”
Bonneville opens the first four weeks of its schedule on the road, beginning with 4A foe Ridgeline on Friday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
BONNEVILLE NOTES
Last season: 6-6 (4-3 Region 5)
Head coach: Jantz Afuvai (12th season at Bonneville)
Players to watch:
• Isaac Mansaray, WR/FS, Senior; 15 receptions for 224 yards and 3 TDs
• Tavi Afuvai, RB/MLB, Senior; 71 tackles, 40 solo tackles, 1.0 sack
• Paden Toula, QB, Sophomore; 27 completions, 322 yards, 3 TDs
• Cole Lueders, QB, Senior; 16 completions, 255 yards, 3 TDs (2022)
• Vainga Havili, RB/SS, Senior; 10 carries, 28 yards (long 8)
• Noah Chavez, RB, Junior
• Hunter Davis, WR/SS, Senior; 6 receptions, 73 yards, 1 TD
• Tyler Cole, WR/CB, Senior; 1 tackle, 1 solo tackle
• Reece Cantwell, TE/FS, Sophomore
• Jayden Prynce Taukiuvea-Hansen, DE/G, Senior; 2 tackles, 1 solo tackle
• Tyson Pututau, DT/G, Senior; 3 tackles, 2 solo tackles
2024 SCHEDULE
Aug. 16 – @ Ridgeline
Aug. 23 – @ Springville
Aug. 30 – @ Fremont
Sept. 6 – @ Woods Cross*
Sept. 13 – Bountiful*
Sept. 20 – Roy*
Sept. 27 – @ Northridge*
Oct. 4 – Clearfield*
Oct. 10 – @ Viewmont*
Oct. 16 – Box Elder*
*Denotes Region 5 game.
Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.