Author: Jesse

Looking back at the week for the state of Utah and they came away a proud for showing out on the national scene.

That’s because the state’s top-ranked Corner Canyon Chargers traveled down to South Florida and played in the Broward County Classic High School Football Showcase, defeating a very talented West Broward. Besides the Chargers, who else came away impressing and rising up the Utah Top 25 rankings?

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The Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.

Here is the latest Utah Top 25 high school football rankings, according to Massey.

1. Corner Canyon Chargers (3-0)

There’s been no better team in the state of Utah that the Corner Canyon Chargers after another rout, this time a 67-21 beatdown of Fremont.

The Chargers flexed their muscles a couple weeks ago at the Broward County Classic routed West Broward (Fla.) in a 38-13 decision. What has really separated this Corner Canyon team from everyone else around the Beehive State is the play of their high-flying pass offense.

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Texas A&M commit Helaman Casuga has been stellar behind center through three games, with the future Aggie completing 42-of-68 passes for 822 yards and six touchdowns. Also playing well is senior running back Weston Briggs, who has rushed for 323 yards and scored two touchdowns. 

2. Lone Peak Knights (3-0)

Lone Peak is another Utah power that’s seen impressive play from the offensive side of the football, a unit that’s currently averaging over 40 points per game this season.

Having a player like quarterback Cruz Christensen playing the way he is behind center has certainly helped the offense play at a high level. Through three games, Christensen has completed 32-of-47 passes for 506 yards and six touchdowns.

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Up next for Lone Peak is a titanic regional matchup against national powerhouse Bishop Gorman (Nev.).

3. Skyridge Falcons (3-0)

Skyridge has been sending the rest of the state a statement that they are not the same team of a year ago.

Through three games, Skyridge’s offense has turned up the heat on opposing defenses, averaging an eye-popping 55 points per game this season.

Three-star BYU commit Kaneal Sweetwyne (904 yards, 15 touchdowns in 2025) is leading the offense and has shined early on. Minnesota pledge Mataalii Benjamin has protected Sweetwyne’s blind side and Jernaro Gilford, Jr. has proven himself as one of the state’s top junior pass catchers.

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The Falcons have a Sep. 12 showdown against Colorado’s top-ranked Cherry Creek on the road. For Skyridge, it’s a crucial stretch of games to see how much they have improved from 2024.

4. American Fork (3-0)

American Fork remains in the No. 4 spot after last week jumping up a couple spots in the rankings. Last Friday the Cavemen had to battle it out for win No. 3, defeating West, 18-12.

The Cavemen have platooned quarterbacks and it’s worked out just fine for them through the first three weeks between senior Kapono Manuela and junior Nate Childs. The pair have combined to throw for 473 yards and six touchdowns this season and could both be on pace to throw for over 1,000 each.

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American Fork’s regular season slate begins getting tougher starting Sep. 26 when they face Lone Peak (see above). That will start a difficult stretch of games where the Cavemen will face national power Corner Canyon, Lehi and Skyridge, all ranked teams.

5. Lehi Pioneers (2-1)

Lehi bounced back from the 9-7 loss to Mountain Ridge and soundly defeated Kuna, 36-0.

What to exactly make of this Pioneers’ group remains to be seen, but they round out the Top 5 for the second consecutive week in Utah.

Cash Hollingsworth has stepped in behind center, looking to replace quarterback Jett Niuof a year ago. Hollingsworth this season has thrown for 338 yards and five touchdowns, but will need to look for Oklahoma State tight end commit Bryton Niu more in the passing game if Lehi wants to remain among the state’s best.

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6. Ridgeline (3-0)
7. Syracuse (3-0)
8. Herriman (3-0)
9. Mountain Ridge (1-2)
10. Davis (2-1)

11. West (2-1)
12. Fremont (2-1)
13. Westlake (3-0)
14. Springville (3-0)
15. Orem (1-2)

16. Bountiful (1-2)
17. Farmington (2-1)
18. Crimson Cliffs (2-1)
19. Timpview (0-3)
20. Riverton (2-1)

21. Morgan (2-1)
22. Alta (2-1)
23. Brighton (1-2)
24. Box Elder (2-0)
25. Snow Canyon (3-0)

How to Follow Utah High School Football

For Utah high school football fans, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement across the country.

Utah State football was pretty close to a complete mystery entering Saturday’s season opener against UTEP.

There were a few knowns, like Bryson Barnes was QB1, Gabe Iniguez Jr., was the leader of the defensive line, and linebacker John Miller was primed for an even more productive season in 2025 than he had a year ago, but those knowns were significantly out-numbered by unknowns and question marks.

It was purposeful.

Bronco Mendenhall and his staff put a shroud over the program for various reasons including NIL, tampering and the transfer portal, and the result was no one really knew what kind of team the Aggies were going to be in 2025.

Realistically, no one knows now either, even after Utah State’s season opening win against UTEP.

Mendenhall said prior to the game that it could take weeks to really figure out who the 2025 Aggies are and that might be on the short end of the timeline.

“A year ago, it took through four games before we could even craft kind of schemes and strategies that really, truly matched that institution, that team, and then that put together a pretty nice stretch of success,” he said. “But it took some discovery, as much as you try to do it against yourself in fall camp, it’s difficult, especially at the front end. Doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but I would say, in general, and in college football, with the number of players moving, the number of coaches moving, most are finding it out as they go.”

That doesn’t mean that things weren’t learned from the Aggies’ victory over the Miners, though. It was a competitive football game with actual stakes and Utah State’s new approach was on display, even if not completely.

Here’s some of what could be gleaned from USU football’s season opener:

The transfers that the Aggies brought in are going to produce, not just provide depth

It isn’t a secret that when Mendenhall took over, he and his staff almost completely remade the Aggie roster. Seventy new players are on the team for the 2025 season alone, nearly 2/3 of the roster, and against UTEP 36 players or them made their debut.

Those 36 included true freshman, as well as holdovers from the previous era who had redshirted and not played, plus transfers from both the FBS and FCS ranks and junior college level.

By and large, the FBS and FCS transfers that the Aggies brought in, but even the junior college transfers in many cases, are of the plug-and-play variety. Meaning Utah State is going to rely on them for real meaningful production this season.

That was especially obvious on offense.

Between Miles Davis (BYU), Javen Jacobs (New Mexico), Braden Pegan (UCLA), Brady Boyd (Texas Tech) and Anthony Garcia (Arizona), seven of the nine Aggies who recorded at least a run or a reception were transfers this offseason, the only outliers being Barnes and tight end Broc Lane.

Against UTEP, Utah State doesn’t have an offense without transfers.

That held true on defense as well, although a little dramatically. Four of the Aggies’ top 10 tacklers Saturday were transfers, including leading tackler Noah Avinger (New Mexico), but also Brevin Hamblin (Utah Tech), Bryson Taylor (New Mexico) and Tyree Morris (Lafayette).

Only three players who played real minutes last season for the Aggies were also found in the top 10, namely Iniguez, Miller and Bronson Olevao Jr.

Even on special teams, it was transfers who made the greatest impact. Junior college transfer Tanner Rinker at placekicker, BYU transfer Landon Rehkow at punter, Davis at kick returner and Jacobs at punt returner.

Mendenhall said during the offseason that he didn’t promise anyone playing time, but the reality is that playing time was available to be had and the transfers who were brought in were brought in to see the field. Utah State clearly needs them to.

Singling out Avinger and Davis, Mendenhall said: “The quality of those two kids, they’re the exact type of young people that I want at Utah State. They’re bright, articulate, great leaders, excellent community members, good students, grateful to play college football and grateful to play it here. They’re great examples to those around them and having those two play the way they did couldn’t be more reflective of the direction I want the program to go in and with whom.”

Tackling might be a strength of this Utah State team, but at the very least it shouldn’t be a major weakness anymore

It has been a long time since defense was a strong suit of Utah State’s. You probably have to go back to the Gary Andersen era (part two) to find an Aggie team that skewed more towards defense than offense.

It was probably during the Andersen era that Aggie fans could last be picky about tackling. For years, Utah State has struggled to wrap up, to set the edge, to do the basics required for a solid defense.

No one should believe UTEP will have a vaunted offense or anything, but Utah State still showed considerable growth when it comes to the basics of good defense against the Miners.

It was most evident with the play of the secondary. Avinger, Hamblin, Taylor, Courage Ugo and Dylan Tucker all had at least one solo tackle, most more than one. Utah State defensive backs regularly made key stops on the outside on their own, stops that cut UTEP drives short and got the Aggie defense off the field, particularly during a second half when the USU offense couldn’t get much going at all.

It wasn’t just the secondary, though. USU linebackers Olevao Jr., Miller, Chris Joe and William Holmes all made notable plays, combing for four of the Aggies’ seven tackles for loss in the game.

Up front, Iniguez, Morris and Carson Tujague all made plays on the inside to get the Aggies off the field.

It might seem simple, but that simply hadn’t happened for Utah State for awhile. Not consistently at least, but it was consistently happening Saturday.

“We have a physical defense,” Mendenhall said. “They have tough football players. They have guys who like contact, to the point where our roster, man, it’s hard for us practice and our injury list is growing just as we practice against each other because they like contact. I think that showed throughout (the game). We’re fiercely conditioned. We also knew that this was an up-tempo (UTEP) team and that was going to be tested, and they I thought (my guys) handled that really well.

“(There were) nine different defensive linemen that you saw rotating through. I thought we managed that exceptionally well. Coach (Donte) Wilkins, coach (Nick) Howell maximized within the rules what we could do to do that, so we could play as fresh and as fast, but they like the chance to make contact, and is that fun as a defensive coach.”

Utah State needs playmakers to take some of the burden off Barnes

Not everything learned about the Aggies was sunshine and rainbows, however. It grew abundantly clear as the game progressed that the load on Barnes is a bit unmanageable.

The sixth-year quarterback did well in the game. From the outset he was calm and in command of the Aggie offense. Early on especially, Barnes was able to find receivers open, usually on the outside. And when he wasn’t, the threat of the pass was enough to open running lanes for himself or the running back duo of Davis and Jacobs.

As the game progressed, though, Davis and Jacobs grew more and more invisible. And receivers like Pegan and Body — frequent targets early — started to disappear.

For a good portion of the second half the Aggies’ offense devolved into Barnes rolling out of the pocket, surveying the field to see if he could find anyone open and when that didn’t work trying to run. Sometimes it worked. More often than not it didn’t.

Barnes’ dual-threat ability will be a boon for Utah State this season. He’s a proven runner and he looked better as a passer Saturday than arguably at any time in 2024.

He didn’t get enough support, however, from his skill position players. Utah State will need more from them going forward. More along the lines of Davis’ 58-yard touchdown run and less of the two yards up the gut for a minimal gain. More of Lane getting open downfield for a 50-plus yard reception and less Pegan, Boyd and Garcia being covered up too well for Barnes to do anything but try and make something out of nothing.

UTEP may be improved defensively this year. Head coach Scotty Walden seemed to think so.

“I’m disappointed with the outcome, but the process showed glimpses of being really good,” he said. “I don’t know what it is, but I’ve got a certain peace about this team. I truly believe that this team can be special. I really do. There are little things, like on the first drive, (Utah State) drove the ball down the field 60 yards and we held them to a field goal. Last year, that’s a touchdown. I’m just looking at progression from year one to year two, and I truly believe that we’ve made a lot of progression.”

But if USU is going to be competitive in 2025, in and out of Mountain West Conference play, it will need to give Barnes more help on offense.

Special teams has the potential to win multiple games for the Aggies

It has been awhile since special teams were a real difference making part of the game for Utah State. You may have to go back to the days of Savon Scarver and Dominik Eberle to find an Aggie special teams unit that actually won games for the USU in a meaningful and consistent way.

The potential is there for the current special team group to be that for the Aggies in 2025, though.

Rinker, for one, was excellent in his USU debut. He was flawless and the best he’d ever been too. He was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts which included a career-long 49-yard field goal which just so happened to be the first field he attempted as an Aggie.

After and up-and-down season last year at placekicker, Rinker’s immediate steadiness was refreshing.

Rehkow, meanwhile, punted a career high seven times for an average of 47.4 yards, including a career long punt of 54 yards. He also had a career-high three punts downed inside the 20-yard line. It is an extremely small sample size, but for comparison — former USU standout punter Stephen Kotsanlee had a career average 42.6 yards per punt, which is the fourth-best average in school history.

Rehkow may not sustain what he did against UTEP, but he definitely looked the part of a real weapon out there.

Then there was Jacobs, who tied his career high with five punt returns for a career-high 22 yards. Having a good punt returner is a game-changer and Jacobs has the potential to be just that.

All that before even mentioning the successful two-point conversion Utah State had, which, per Mendenhall, altered the course of the game Saturday.

“Normally as you begin, sometimes special teams is a little loose, but I thought we did a really nice job there,“ he said. ”I thought our two-point conversion out of our swinging gate, also a special teams play, was a critical play for the margin and helped us manage the game down the end.”

There will be a lot more to learn about Utah State football this season. Especially given looming games against Texas A&M and Vanderbilt await before MWC play kicks in in earnest in Oct.

But we at least know a little bit more than we did before the Aggies played the Miners.

Sixteen years and 52 days.

There are now enough 16-year-olds in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) that days must be included to define the margins between them.

And on Friday night, 52 days after her 16th birthday, Utah Royals forward KK Ream scored a late goal against the Portland Thorns to become the youngest goalscorer in the league’s regular season history with those margins.

The Utah-native broke the record held by Alex Pfeffier, who was 16 years, three months, and 20 days old when she scored for the Kansas City Current on March 16, 2024. Before Pfeffier, the record stood for nearly two years, held by Ream’s opponent on Friday, Olivia Moultrie. Moultrie was 16 years, nine months, 26 days old when she set the record on June 12, 2022.

Ream’s goal in the 85th minute sealed the Royals’ 2-1 victory over the No. 6-seeded Thorns at a packed Providence Park.

“It just shows how hard I’ve been working to just get minutes on the field, and I’m just grateful to contribute to the team in the best way that I can,” Ream said after the match to the CBS broadcast, standing alongside Royals’ goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn, who impressed with 11 saves that night.

The 16-year-old entered the match in the 80th minute. With Utah up 1-0, Royals forward Bianca St-George carried the ball downfield and fired the first shot, which was saved by Thorns ‘keeper Mackenzie Arnold. The ball ricocheted back into the penalty box in front of an eager Mina Tanaka, but Arnold blocked that attempt, too.

Ream, who had just leapt out of the way from Tanaka’s shot, was slightly off balance when she struck the ball toward the far post with her left foot; it was an instinctual move and not the most elegant, but no matter. They all count the same.

The goal represents the second time that Ream has struck her name down in the league’s archives. On May 3, when she was still 15 years old, she became the youngest player to start an NWSL match.

In just their second win of the season, the victory is unlikely to propel a miraculous playoff push for Ream and the Utah side, who occupy the 13th of 14 places in the NWSL table. But the magnitude of her impact at such a young age surely offers a glimpse of possibility for a team that has been battling a string of injuries and recently lost its 2024 No. 1 draft pick, Ally Sentnor, to the top-seeded Kansas City Current during the summer transfer window.

According to Royals manager Jimmy Coenraets, Ream’s development has been a more pressing topic of conversation within the club in recent weeks.

“We had a conversation with the front office and we just made very clear what and how (we need) for the long term, and I think KK is definitely a player that we want to develop further,” he said in a postgame press conference.

Before the match, the staff decided that, regardless of the result, Ream needed minutes. Her time on the pitch had been inconsistent or nonexistent in recent weeks. For Coenraets, she has to “get herself into the game and just prove what she’s worth.”

Coenraets pointed out that Ream began that campaign in earnest as soon as she hit the pitch Friday night, stealing a ball and distributing it to St-George, whose shot went wide of the goal.

“That could potentially have been already 2-0,” he said, “but she showed a lot of courage. She showed a lot of guts for a 16-year-old, and I think that’s just amazing.”

When asked how her own game has grown since beginning her professional career, Ream didn’t shy away from her quality as a youth player, but still acknowledged how that quality was put into context when she became a pro.

“I think coming to the NWSL, I definitely was a good player,” she said after the game, “but coming into it, there’s definitely a lot more good players. I have a lot of players on my team that I can learn from, as there’s a lot of leaders and they can just help me grow, and so I think they’ve all done a great job in helping me with that.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava crushed in brutal debut as Utah fans take over Rose Bowl originally appeared on The Sporting News

The Rose Bowl was supposed to be the stage for a fresh start. UCLA had its new quarterback, a buzz around coach DeShaun Foster’s second season, and optimism that the program could finally shift momentum. Instead, it turned into a nightmare.

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The fourth quarter was all Utes fans cheering in Pasadena in the 43-10 win.

Utah silences Bruins in Pasadena opener

For Nico Iamaleava, the prized Tennessee transfer who arrived in Los Angeles with sky-high expectations, the night could not have gone much worse. The 20-year-old quarterback was sacked four times, hit repeatedly, and finished with only 136 passing yards in a lopsided 43-10 defeat.

Nothing came easy for UCLA

Utah’s defense smothered Iamaleava from the opening series, never letting him settle in. He managed 11 completions on 22 attempts, threw one touchdown and one interception, and somehow led UCLA in rushing with 47 yards as protection collapsed around him.

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Coach Foster tried to stay positive, praising his quarterback’s toughness but acknowledging the glaring issues up front. “Nico is a competitor. He’s not gonna quit,” Foster said. “We just gotta do a better job protecting him, keeping him upright.”

The defense didn’t offer much help either. UCLA gave up nearly 500 total yards and allowed Utah to convert 14 of 16 third downs. Long, punishing drives broke the Bruins’ spirit while Utah’s fans turned the Rose Bowl into their own party.

Family night spoiled

Iamaleava had said earlier in the week that more than two dozen family members would be in the stands for his debut. But what should have been a celebration of a new era quickly soured. Utah looked like a Big 12 contender, UCLA looked like a team scrambling for answers.

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MORE: Survive in Manhattan: Kansas State avoids disastrous 0-2 Star in thriller

For Iamaleava, it was a humbling first chapter in what Bruins fans hope becomes a much bigger story. “We take this as a learning experience,” he said. “We’re gonna face many more tough opponents, and we gotta be ready.”

Foster echoed the sentiment, telling reporters that the team saw the game as a low point to build from. “Only way is up from here,” Iamaleava added, though the reality in Pasadena was that the climb looks steep.

UCLA’s next game is on Saturday on the road at the UNLV Rebels.

More NCAA Football News:

PASADENA — Nico Iamaleava weaved his way through the crowd of UCLA football recruits and friends of the program. The rest of his team had already jogged through the home-team Rose Bowl tunnel and into the locker room.

Nico was looking for home — and he found it. Waiting to provide pregame support, Nico’s parents, Leinna and Nic Iamaleava, wrapped their son in a swarming hug. Iamaleava said earlier this week he was expecting 20-to-30 family members to be at the game — family, his driving point from Big Ten Media Day all the way to the season opener on why he transferred from Tennessee to UCLA.

“I’ve always wanted to play in the Rose Bowl,” Iamaleava said earlier this week. “I almost had a chance last year to come here and play (last year with Tennessee), came up short, but I’ve always been excited to play in the stadium, and, man, it’s a surreal moment for me, and I can’t wait to just get in there.”

Just minutes earlier, former UCLA quarterback Wayne Cook — now a radio sideline reporter — stated the obvious over the Rose Bowl speaker system:

“Back home, as a Bruin,” Cook said. “I expect (Iamaleava) to have a great year.”

Should Iamaleava have a “great year,” history will show it didn’t start that way — on all fronts for the Bruins quarterback and his team.

Much like the Bruins’ defense — which struggled to stop Utah’s rushing attack during the first quarter, giving up 89 yards on an average of 5.9 yards per rush — the redshirt sophomore quarterback flailed after his first drive came up short on a fourth-and-two.

After connecting with Matthews for an 18-yard completion ‌for his first UCLA pass, when it came to converting on fourth from Utah’s 42-yard line, Iamaleava forced a pass to the California transfer wideout in tight coverage. Matthews couldn’t escape coverage, and the ball fell incomplete for a turnover on downs. Iamaleava’s next drive saw Utah defensive end Logan Fano sack him for 13 yards, forcing the Bruins to punt.

Iamaleava’s third drive, however, showcased why the Bruins have reason to dream on the former No. 1 overall recruit’s ability. On a designed run, the 6-foot-6 signal caller shed two tackles for 21 yards. To cap off the drive, Iamaleava met with redshirt junior running back Anthony Woods — the Utah transfer playing against his old squad — catching the ball at the five and taking it in for a touchdown, marking both of their first scores in blue and gold. The Iamaleava-to-Woods wheel route, helping UCLA avoid heading into halftime hoisting a goose egg, shared traits of offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri in his first collegiate game as offensive playcaller.

UCLA’s offense debuted a new look, no matter how Saturday’s result shaped up, after its hush-hush fall camp.

After four weeks of fall camp, the Utes are still looking for consistent playmakers at wide receiver.

Kyle Whittingham said the group was his biggest concern heading into the season. And it appears that’s still the case as Utah gets ready to open the 2025 season vs. UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Saturday (9 p.m. MT, FOX).

When asked who Utah’s top wideouts were, new Utes offensive coordinator Jason Beck said that he’s still looking for guys to step up in game action. Utah’s contest against the Bruins will be a big opportunity for that group.

“Some guys have been emerging in that way and doing a nice job,” Beck said in the final week of fall camp. “Some guys are close, and we’re just trying to keep forcing that issue of what we’re asking them to do, so that we can count on them in critical situations.

“They’ve all been doing a nice job.”

This week, Whittingham said he has been impressed with Cal transfer wide receiver Tobias Merriweather, who joined the Utes this spring. The junior pass catcher spent one season with the Bears, finishing with 11 receptions, 125 yards and one touchdown.

His size — standing at 6-foot-5 and 195 pounds — makes him an intriguing option in Utah’s wide receiver room.

“What we’ve seen in practice gives us confidence,” Whittingham said. “He’s got a big catch radius. … [He’s] a very smooth athletic guy, and [he] runs really well, and has a real knack for playing the contested ball, as you would expect with a guy with that frame.

“What we’ve seen in practice has been very encouraging, but again, you have to do it on game day.”

Despite having an unproven core of pass catchers, new Utah transfer quarterback Devon Dampier is confident in the Utes’ offense.

“Utah can score the ball,” Dampier said. “Utah obviously has always had the defense, but, you know, this is another year where Utah is going to be able to score the ball as well.”

4 predictions for Utah vs. UCLA

Here are my four bold predictions for Utah’s season-opening matchup.

How to watch the Utes

Utah will face off against UCLA at 9 p.m. MT on Saturday in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

The game will be broadcast on FOX.

Shakespearean lovers on pointe, jazz musicians in drag, an operatic take on Stephen King and the Great Salt Lake in human form — and that’s just some of what performing arts fans in Utah are likely to see this fall.

Here’s a guide to what the Salt Lake City area’s major performing arts groups are staging from now through November.

Ballet West • Utah’s premier ballet company kicks off the 2025-2026 season with an Oct. 24-Nov. 1 run of “Romeo & Juliet,” choreographed by Michael Smuin to a famous score by Prokoviev. Close behind is a Nov. 7-15 production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” set to Mendelsohn’s score (and paired with choreographer Bronislava Nijinska’s “Les Noces”). Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at BalletWest.org.

Broadway at the Eccles • The touring production of “Some Like It Hot,” a musical based on the 1959 comedy about two jazz musicians who masquerade as women in an all-girl band to escape gangsters, will run at the Eccles Theater from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5. That’s followed by “Suffs,” playwright-composer Shaina Taub’s musical telling of the battle to win women the vote from Nov. 11-16. Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City. Tickets available at saltlakecity.broadway.com.

Hale Center Theatre • Utah’s community theater organization will perform “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” in the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Theatre from Sept. 8 to Nov. 15. The musical “Sister Act” will run on the Young Living Centre Stage, Sept. 22-Oct. 25. Then, the Centre Stage will house a production of Disney’s “Frozen,” Nov. 17-Feb. 14. And the 41th annual staging of “A Christmas Carol” will take over the Jewel Box from Nov. 28 to Dec. 27. Mountain America Performing Arts Centre, 9900 S. Monroe St., Sandy. Tickets available at hct.org.

Pioneer Theatre Company • The company starts its season in the Meldrum Theatre Sept. 12-27 with the play “2 Pianos 4 Hands,” by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, in which two piano-playing actors portray dozens of characters. Then, in the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, a new production of the beloved musical “Dear Evan Hansen,” in which an awkward teen tells a lie that spins out of control, runs Oct. 24-Nov. 8. Pioneer Memorial Theatre, University of Utah campus, 300 S. 1400 East, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at PioneerTheatre.org.

Plan-B Theatre • The avant-garde company’s fall production, running Oct. 2-19, is the world premiere of “Just Add Water,” by Utah playwrights Matthew Ivan Bennett and Elaine Jarvik, in which the Great Salt Lake takes the form of a human woman. Jeanne Wagner Theatre, Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at PlanBTheatre.org.

PYGmalion Theater Company • The theater company that’s devoted to promoting women’s voices has one show this fall: “Tiny Beautiful Things,” Nov. 7-22, based on Cheryl Strayed’s book and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”). Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at PygmalionProductions.org.

Repertory Dance Theatre • The dance troupe kicks off its 60th anniversary diamond season with “Migrations,” a collaboration of choreographer Zvi Gotheiner and composer Scott Killian, Oct. 2-4. Then, in a program titled “Ovation,” the company performs two recent favorites Nov. 20-22: Katarzyna Skarpetowska’s “Oktet: In Situ” and Yusha-Marie Sorzano’s “Solfege,” as well as a restaging of Jacque Lynn Bell’s “Ryoanji,” which will feature 43 dancers and celebrates RDT’s six-decade relationship with Tanner Dance. Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at RDTUtah.org.

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company • In a show called “Reverberation,” Sept. 25-27, new artistic director Leslie Kraus premieres her first work with the company, “Listening Hour,” along with the return of Keith Johnson’s 2024 work “A Century, A Day,” and the world premiere of “Glitter,” by the touring dance company Flock. Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at RirieWoodbury.com.

Salt Lake Acting Company • SLAC is opening the season with the Utah premiere, Oct. 1-26, of playwright Jen Silverman’s comedy “The Roommate,” about two older women who share a house and discover an unexpected friendship. SLAC, 168 W. 500 North, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at SaltLakeActingCompany.org.

Utah Opera • Utah Opera’s season starts with “The Shining,” composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel about a writer who goes mad within the confines of an unoccupied hotel. It runs Oct. 11-17. Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at UtahOpera.org.

Utah Presents • The “Jazz at Kingsbury” series features two concerts this fall: Arturo Sandoval on Sept. 4 and Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix on Oct. 23. In between those is a performance by Ballet Hispánico on Oct. 15. The Ukrainian modern-folk duo Kurbasy will perform Nov. 5, and Utah indie-pop sensation Emma Hardyman, aka Little Moon, will perform her show “To Be a God” on Nov. 13. Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah, 1395 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at UtahPresents.org.

Utah Shakespeare Festival • The summer’s outdoor productions are winding down, but the festival’s indoor productions continue: “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” at the Randall L. Jones Theatre runs through Oct. 3, and “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “Steel Magnolias” in the Jones Theatre, plus “Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise” in the Anes Studio Theatre, all end on Oct. 4. Southern Utah University, Cedar City. Tickets available at bard.org.

Utah Symphony • A packed season includes the debut of Delyana Lazarova as the symphony’s principal guest conductor, Sept. 19-20, in a program that includes Mendelsohn’s Violin Concerto (with violinist Geneva Lewis) and Beethoven’s 4th Symphony. Markus Poschner, the symphony’s music director designate, will conduct Mahler’s “Titan” Symphony on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1, and Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” Symphony on Nov. 7 and 8. Fans of video games can also enjoy “Distant Worlds: Music from ‘Final Fantasy’” on Nov. 18 and 19. Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at UtahSymphony.org.

After a violinist who has played with high-profile orchestras was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week, members of Utah’s music community are rallying in support of his release.

Donggin Shin, 37, who came to the U.S. from South Korea with his father when he was a child, was abruptly arrested at a hotel parking lot while he was on a work trip in Colorado, his attorney Adam Crayk told NBC News. He was placed in ICE detention on Aug. 18. With a hearing slated for early September, his colleagues from the Salt Lake City area are hoping to send a message to the administration and beyond that Shin, who goes by the name John, is a valued part of the community.

“John has been in this country since he was 10 years old and he was brought here by his parents. He didn’t get a choice in the matter,” violinist and conductor Gabriel Gordon said. “He is not somebody that is taking from the community, but is giving.”

A senior Department of Homeland Security official said in response to NBC News’ questions about Shin, “Our message is clear: criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States.”

Shin, who works a day job in telecommunications but has played with the prestigious Utah Symphony and Ballet West, is currently being held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado, according to an ICE database — more than 500 miles away from his home.

According to charging documents, Shin was identified by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Team, which is generally focused on apprehending immigrants who have committed serious crimes and are considered threats to national security. In Shin’s case, the arrest was prompted by an old misdemeanor impaired driving offense that occurred while Shin was navigating his father’s battle with brain cancer, Crayk said.

“We are literally having fugitive ops and Homeland Security Investigations, which are two law enforcement agencies that focus on really terrible, terrible things, relegated now to looking for people like John,” Crayk said.

The senior DHS official did not elaborate on the details of Shin’s arrest but noted that his history includes a DUI conviction.

“Shin entered the U.S. on a tourist visa on September 3, 1998,” the official said in the statement. “This visa required him to depart the U.S. by March 3, 1999.”

According to Crayk, DHS’ account of Shin’s immigration history omits some details. After Shin and his father entered the country on a tourist visa, his father eventually switched to a student visa, under which Shin, a dependent at the time, was also covered, the attorney said.

Years later, Shin became a DACA recipient. However, due to the 2020 impaired driving conviction, Shin lost his DACA protections, leaving him without lawful status for the last four and a half years, Crayk said. Records show that Shin pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor offense, served his probation and the matter was resolved.

On the day of his arrest, his wife, DaNae Shin, with whom he has two stepchildren, received a panicked phone call, she wrote on social media. It happened to be her birthday, she said.

“I got a call from John– ‘Honey, I don’t have much time. I’ve been arrested by ICE and they are sending me to a detainment center. I love you and the kids, I will be okay, please call our attorney’ and then he was rushed off the phone,” Shin wrote. “John is not a criminal, he is an amazing husband, father, and person, and I will do whatever it takes to bring him back home.”

While Shin has long been eligible for a green card, Crayk said his family was struggling financially and marriage-based green card fees run around $2,375.

“At the time he married his wife, DaNae, his father died of brain cancer and his wife lost her job,” Crayk said. “So they went through extreme financial crisis, and they’ve been scrimping and saving since that time.”

Since hearing the news, Gordon and several other musicians have been playing at the state Capitol each day, determined to continue doing so to raise awareness until Shin returns home. Gordon, a conductor and violinist for Ballet West, said he’s known Shin for almost a decade and “would do anything” for the fellow violinist and his family. He described Shin as a “top-shelf violinist.”

“He’s got an incredible technique,” said Gordon, who’s also concertmaster of Chamber Orchestra Ogden. “Even more than that, he takes his technique and brings his soul to it. He brings that joy of music-making to the entire community.”

Robert Baldwin, director of orchestras at the University of Utah, where he is also a professor, said he was shocked and angry at the news. Baldwin’s friendship with Shin stretches back more than 15 years to when the violinist began his undergraduate studies at the school. Baldwin said that Shin showed grit early on.

“He was not the top violinist when he arrived. He had a lot of raw talent, and he asked what he needed to do to be, for instance, in the top orchestra,” Baldwin recalled. “He worked his way up. By the time he was a graduate student, he was the concertmaster, meaning the first violinist of the top orchestra.”

Baldwin also said that as Shin progressed, he attempted to create an inclusive environment for his fellow musicians.

“He helped other students acclimate to university life, whether it was a freshman or a new graduate student,” Baldwin said. “I really like the fact that he didn’t take a leadership role and just wear that as a badge and put himself on an ivory tower above everyone else.”

Gordon hopes Monday’s performance in support of Shin conveys a clear message.

“We’re hoping that all that we’re doing is showing just how valuable he is to this community and why he belongs here,” he said. “He absolutely belongs here.”