He decided a long time ago that he much preferred playing defense. He said it was much better to hit someone else than to get hit. Michael was a varsity starter at strong side linebacker this year. It didn't take the other teams long to figure out that they needed to stay away from #12, but that didn't stop Michael. He ended up leading the team in tackles, was 2nd in region and 18th in state (4A) with 75 tackles, 3 sacks, and one interception. They don't keep track of tackles for loss or hurries, but Michael was in the backfield nearly every time.
We had a couple of scary weeks though. Michael had been complaining of his shoulder hurting, and one week after the game, he was sobbing. He couldn't lift his arm. He was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to finish the season. We got him some good physical therapy, and he healed remarkably well. He didn't miss a single game.
I am so proud of Michael and the great leader and young man that he is. It was sad to see the season end for him. It was a shoulda, coulda, woulda year for his team. They should have beaten Sprinville and gotten 1st in region, then they could have been in the other half of the bracket for state play-offs, and they would have played in the state final at Rice Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah. Oh well. They still had a great season, took second in region, and were eliminated by the 4 time state championship team in the state quarterfinals. Not too shabby.
This picture shows Michael and Travis Still helping the kid up that they just sacked. Great job boys!
Here are his stats from the Deseret News.
| 2009 – Spanish Fork – Pos:RB/LB – #12 | Tackles | Sacks | Interceptions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 6, 2009 – at Timpview | 10 | |||
| Oct. 30, 2009 – Pine View | 8 | 1 | ||
| Oct. 22, 2009 – at Maple Mountain | 13 | 1 | ||
| Oct. 14, 2009 – at Uintah | 2 | |||
| Oct. 9, 2009 – Springville | 4 | |||
| Oct. 2, 2009 – Payson | 12 | |||
| Sept. 25, 2009 – at Salem Hills | 4 | 1 | ||
| Sept. 11, 2009 – Box Elder | 9 | |||
| Sept. 4, 2009 – Orem | 3 | |||
| Aug. 28, 2009 – at Bountiful | 5 | |||
| Aug. 21, 2009 – Mountain View | 5 | 1 | ||
| Tackles | TPG | Sacks | Interceptions | |
| 2009 Total (11 games) | 75 | 6.8 | 3 | 1 |
| Tackles | TPG | Sacks | Interceptions | |
| Career Total (11 games) | 75 | 6.8 | 3 | 1 |
Record: 8-3
| Date | Game | Time/result |
|---|---|---|
| Fri. Aug. 21, 2009 | Spanish Fork 49, Mountain View 28 Final | W |
| Fri. Aug. 28, 2009 | Bountiful 34, Spanish Fork 7 Final | L |
| Fri. Sept. 4, 2009 | Spanish Fork 49, Orem 14 Final | W |
| Fri. Sept. 11, 2009 | Spanish Fork 48, Box Elder 14 Final | W |
| Fri. Sept. 25, 2009 | Spanish Fork 61, Salem Hills 34 Final | W |
| Fri. Oct. 2, 2009 | Spanish Fork 47, Payson 31 Final | W |
| Fri. Oct. 9, 2009 | Springville 33, Spanish Fork 27 Final | L |
| Wed. Oct. 14, 2009 | Spanish Fork 42, Uintah 7 Final | W |
| Thu. Oct. 22, 2009 | Spanish Fork 56, Maple Mountain 12 Final | W |
| Fri. Oct. 30, 2009 | 4A FIRST ROUND Spanish Fork 33, Pine View 25 Final | W |
| Fri. Nov. 6, 2009 | 4A QUARTERFINAL Timpview 57, Spanish Fork 22 Final | L |
