• GOLFERS: Young golfers made their marks in local golf this year. In April, BYU junior Clay Ogden was one of five amateurs to play in the prestigious Masters. In July, 16-year-old Tony Finau became the second-youngest winner of the Utah State Amateur, defeating BYU's Daniel Summerhays in the finals. Then in September, Finau's younger brother Gipper became the second-youngest golfer to make the cut at a PGA Tour event, at the nationwide event at Willow Creek Country Club.

• MWC BASKETBALL: Under first-year head coach Dave Rose, BYU's basketball program, which finished in a tie for last place in the MWC the previous season, ended tied for second place in 2006. Utah, coming off an MWC championship and an NCAA tournament Sweet 16 appearance, finished sixth in the league.

Also receiving votes

• Utah High School Activities Association's efforts to require prep athletes to attend and play for the schools in whose boundaries they live.

• Bingham High School won both the 5A football and 5A boys basketball state titles. Spanish Fork won 5A baseball and 5A softball.

• Cottonwood High and SLCC alum Chris Shelton started the Major League Baseball season with 10 home runs in April, playing first base for the Detroit Tigers.

• Utah State University's basketball team earned its second straight invitation to the NCAA tournament.

• Snow College quarterback Cade Cooper was named junior college player of the year.

• The Salt Lake Bees, playing with a new moniker, qualified for the Pacific Coast League playoffs.

• The Ute women's volleyball team won 25 straight matches and was the first team to go undefeated in MWC play.

---

Contributing: Jeff Call, James Edward, Tim Buckley, David Schneider, Scott Pierce, Ray Grass, Dirk Facer, Loren Jorgensen, Jeremy Twitchell, Linda Hamilton, Mike Sorensen.