CEDAR CITY, Utah - When Southern Utah and Utah Tech meet Saturday night at Greater Zion Stadium, plenty of players will look across the field and see someone they know. Eighteen Thunderbirds share a high school with at least one Trailblazer. That covers 16 high schools across five states and adds another layer to one of the Big Sky's newest in-state rivalries.
The matchup showcases what makes the Big Sky Conference unique. Utah Tech is playing its first season in the league, and Southern Utah is back in the Big Sky this fall. The Battle for the Ax is now a conference game between two schools about an hour apart on Interstate 15. Many of the players on both rosters grew up in the same region, and some grew up in the same hallways.
"Recruiting in this state is a battle every single year," said head coach DeLane Fitzgerald. "You're going head-to-head with Weber State, Utah Tech, and the other Big Sky schools for a lot of the same kids, and sometimes you're recruiting guys out of the same high school program. When you get to Saturday and see a kid you sat in a living room with on the other sideline, or two guys who grew up playing together lining up across from each other, it adds something special. That's what makes this league great. It's regional, it's personal, and everybody knows each other."
Red Rock Roots
No part of the rivalry hits closer to home than Washington County. Three St. George high schools have alums on both sidelines.
Thunderbirds running back Ran Sawyer is a Dixie High School product. So is Utah Tech quarterback Bronson Barben, as is Trailblazers wide receiver Ja'Kheo Mitchell. All three played for Utah Tech's current wide receiver coach, Blaine Monkres, who served as the Dixie High School head football coach from 2008-2015 and 2018-2024.Â
Crimson Cliffs High School has the biggest presence in the rivalry. Southern Utah defensive tackle Parker Andrus will line up against four fellow Mustangs: defensive lineman Fasitootai Sagapolu, offensive linemen Jacob Zarate and Gavin Ipson, and long snapper Andrew Vance. Andrus played alongside Zarate and Sagapolu at Crimson Cliffs, and Saturday he'll see them from the other side of the line of scrimmage.
"Being from St. George and playing at Crimson Cliffs makes this game pretty personal for me," Andrus said. "There are guys on Utah Tech that I played alongside at Crimson, like Zarate and Sagapolu, and a lot of other guys I grew up playing with or against. It's pretty cool to go from being teammates and competing against each other in high school to now lining up on opposite sides in a college rivalry game. It definitely adds some extra pride and competitiveness when you know the guys across from you so well, and playing for the Ax just adds even more to it. You want to be the team that gets to bring it home and represent what this rivalry means."
Pine View High School adds three more. Thunderbirds offensive lineman Boston Willden shares his alma mater with Utah Tech offensive lineman Camden Smith and wide receiver Quincy Jones.
Across the Wasatch Front
The connections continue up I-15. T-Birds wide receiver David Spjut and Utah Tech tight end Kaden Eggett both came out of Davis High School in Kaysville. Linebacker Manasa Pela and Trailblazers defensive back Jeremiah Jimoh are both from Highland High School in Salt Lake City.
Southern Utah offensive lineman Gabe Ofisa is an Alta High School alum, as is Utah Tech outside linebacker Leka Tu'akoi. Wide receiver Devin Downing and Trailblazers defensive end Blake Jensen both played at American Fork High School.
Beyond the Beehive State
Both programs' regional recruiting footprint stretches well past Utah, and their shared roots follow.
In Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman High School produced Thunderbirds defensive end Kealamaikahiki Loo and linebacker Lincoln Tuioti-Mariner, along with Utah Tech outside linebacker Aiden McComber.
Southern California is well represented. Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills sent running back Floyd Chalk and offensive lineman Siale Uluave to Cedar City and defensive lineman Isai Perez Jr. to St. George. Chalk, who has run for more than 100 yards in all five games this season, will be looking to do it again against a front that includes his fellow Alemany alum. Other Southern California ties include:
- Wide receiver Antonio Walton and Utah Tech wide receiver Jalen Ross, from Cathedral High School.
- Tight end Connor May and Trailblazers linemen RJ San Jose and Damien Burgueno, from Damien High School.
- Safety Parker Vance and Utah Tech running back Maxwell Turner, from Granite Hills High School.
The Arizona connections run through the Phoenix area:
- Offensive lineman AJ Dutchover and Utah Tech wide receiver Tanner Crandall, from Highland High School in Gilbert.
- Defensive end Breck Mullins and Trailblazers linebacker Adrian Dahlene, from Williams Field High School.
- Safety Kaden Williams and Utah Tech defensive lineman Tyson Simmons, from Basha High School.
The connections even reach the Pacific. Thunderbirds offensive lineman Nesta Crowell and Utah Tech outside linebacker Roy Ma'afala Jr. both played at Saint Louis School in Honolulu. 
Familiar Faces
Some ties go beyond high school, and not all of them are on the field. Two members of the Thunderbirds' coaching staff know the Trailblazers' side well. Defensive coordinator Shay McClure and offensive line coach Ron Hudson both had stints at Utah Tech before coming to Southern Utah.
On the player side, Utah Tech offensive lineman Zach Brown lists Southern Utah among his previous schools, so he knows the other sideline too. Several players on both rosters also share junior college and transfer stops, including Snow College, Utah State and Utah.
Next Up
Southern Utah (1-4, 0-2 Big Sky) and Utah Tech (0-5, 0-2 Big Sky) kick off at 6:00 p.m. MT Saturday at Greater Zion Stadium in St. George. The game streams on ESPN+, with live stats available at suutbirds.com. The Thunderbirds lead the all-time series 6-1 and have won the last three meetings.
The Thunderbirds Coaches Show
Don't forget to check out the Thunderbirds Coaches Show live at Cafe Sabor on Tuesdays at 12 p.m. or watch it every Wednesday at noon MT on your favorite platform. You can watch it on YouTube by clicking here or on WatchSports.com. If you prefer audio, find it on your favorite podcast sites like Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Tickets
Season tickets and single-game tickets are now available! Get yours today by visiting tbirdtickets.com
Follow Us
For all the latest on Southern Utah football, follow @SUUFB_ on Twitter, @SUUFB on Instagram, and like the Southern Utah Football Facebook page.
Donate
Consider donating today to support Thunderbirds athletics. To learn more about how you can help, click here.
