Colts land three on All-State football team
Granted, it wasn’t the way Cottonwood High’s football team wanted its season to end.
However, officials thought enough of the Colts to recognize three players with All-State honors for their efforts. Wide receiver Inoke Lotulelei earned first-team honors, while quarterback Cooper Bateman made the second team and running back Gabe Hosea earned honorable mention.
Cottonwood finished 5-5 overall – record-wise, its worst season since going 3-7 in 2003 – but still earned a playoff berth by ending in a three-way tie for second place in Region 3 (3-2). The Colts lost to Northridge (49-35) in the first round of the playoffs. While the Colt offense clicked on all cylinders, averaging 29 points per game, the defense allowed opponents an average of 34 points per game.
The Colts started the season 3-1, but lost four of their final six games.
Lotulelei led 5A in receiving touchdowns with 15 and caught 74 passes for 1,184 yards. He was second in 5A in yards behind Springville’s Jalon Miyasaki. Lotulelei had two games of 200 or more yards receiving and two games of three touchdown receptions. His best game, statistically, came against Brighton, when he caught 11 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-37 victory.
Bateman, meanwhile, continued to set the record books ablaze. He led 5A in passing yards and was second in passing touchdowns. For the season, Bateman completed 168 of 308 passes for 2,484 yards and 25 touchdowns. He added 183 yards rushing and three more scores. Bateman threw for 482 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score in the win over Brighton.
Though Hosea was secondary to Cottonwood’s vaunted passing game, he still came through with some top performances. He led 5A in rushing, finishing with 18 more yards per game than Lehi’s Zane Munger. Hosea carried the ball 241 times for 1,399 yards and seven touchdowns and also had nine receptions for 67 yards. He rushed for 100 yards or more in all but two games, gaining 190 yards on 21 carries and scoring three touchdowns in a 41-38 win over West Jordan.
Lotulelei, Bateman and Hosea will all return to Cottonwood for their senior years. Bateman is one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks in the state, already receiving offers from Utah, BYU, Utah State, Boise State and Maryland. Several other colleges have also expressed interest. Hosea and Lotulelei are expected to boost their college prospects in the months to come.
