Corner Canyon (Draper, UT) is coming off three straight championships, but with the graduation of stars like Texas A&M quarterback Helaman Casuga and Cal receiver Kai Meza, the forecasts of continued dominance seemed more questionable.
With the opening-week performances from QB Jaxon Pehrson and two-way star Diesel Dart, the Chargers showed they're still frontrunners until further notice.
Pehrson threw three touchdowns of 60 yards or more, Dart tossed three touchdowns, and the Chargers had a 23-second stretch in which they scored 16 points, dominating Davis (Kaysville, UT) 51-14.
Davis is a very good team, going 10-2 last year. However, they were no match.
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Who is Diesel Dart?
Dart, the brother of New York Giants quarterback and former Corner Canyon star Jaxson Dart, did everything on the field, playing safety, receiver, and even getting a snap as quarterback in wildcat formation. In his theatrics, he had touchdown receptions of 63 and 60 yards from Pehrson, and scored a rushing touchdown.
Two-way impact from Utah commit Diesel Dart. Big tackle on defense, touchdown reception on offense. Making his presence felt everywhere tonight. 💥 pic.twitter.com/LnYRnMFJuV
— Tara Gardiner (@taraagardiner) August 15, 2026
Diesel Dart punches it in on the goal line for his second score of the night. Corner Canyon up 14-6 at Davis. pic.twitter.com/QOLQ62Q6mp
— Sam LeSueur (@SamLeSueur) August 15, 2026
Dart is a three-star Utah commit who primarily plays safety, but based on this game, he may be in line for more snaps at receiver. Last year, he had 48 tackles and a pair of interceptions on defense while recording seven receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown. In the 2026 season opener, he practically matched those offensive numbers, with his three touchdowns alone going for a total of 124 yards.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, he's ranked No. 1219 on the 247Sports Composite. Dart has been a starter for the last two seasons, putting up a total of 92 tackles, six pass breakups, three interceptions and 30 receptions for 482 yards and two scores.
His new quarterback is Perhson, who split time between junior varsity and varsity over the last two years. Now at the helm of the Corner Canyon program, Perhson was electric, passing for 206 yards and rushing for 103 more, going 10-for-13 with four total touchdowns, according to Deseret News.
Future Ute Diesel Dart gets in the end zone again for his third score of the night on this bomb. Corner Canyon on top 44-6. pic.twitter.com/L3N28ej7E5
— Sam LeSueur (@SamLeSueur) August 15, 2026
Corner Canyon's defense and special teams
On Davis' side, ALL-USA West Region second team player Bode Sparrow was a bright spot, picking up 100 yards on 11 receptions and scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
🎯 TOUCHDOWN 🎯 @bode_sparrow with a nice grab to shrink the lead to 30. Davis shows signs of life here late. Doubled back for the 2 point (successful)
— SportsIdolNation (@SportsIdolMedia) August 15, 2026
Chargers - 44 🐎
Darts - 14 🎯 pic.twitter.com/GZZWJPdcMA
That was generally it, as fellow receiver Jaxon Itaaeheau was limited with a hamstring injury, per Deseret News. All Chargers units were effective, as the defense got a safety and special teams immediately followed with a 75-yard kick return by Josh Harris, helping Corner Canyon score 30 points in the third quarter alone to blow the game wide open.
The defense limited Davis to only one reception of 20 yards or more — this was Sparrow's touchdown, a play far too late in the game to matter.
Super 25 implications
Corner Canyon has frequently ranked on the USA TODAY national list. Last year, the Chargers started the season at No. 12 in the Super 25 before slipping out. Still, they maintained a presence on the national landscape, playing in the Overtime Nationals against St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD).
This year, the team had some question marks following the graduation of key impact players. With that uncertainty, Corner Canyon was not in the top-25 in the country and started the preseason Super 15 regional rankings at No. 15 in the West Region.
This win against Davis answers some questions. Corner Canyon is still atop Utah. The offense can certainly score. The defense can stop opposition. And with performances like this, the Chargers should be on their way up these regional and national lists.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A new 'Dart': Diesel, brother of Giants QB, scores 3 TDs in opener