If Juan Diego has learned only one thing on its road to the 3A semifinals it is this : to recognize each opponent for what they are worth. Before the Soaring Eagle's game against Cedar, safety Frankie Sutera had tunnel vision.

"We don't want to look too far ahead," he said. "Right now, we are just focused on Cedar. We've got to beat Cedar. That's our main goal."

Given Juan Diego's 28-3 win over Cedar, it seems its one-track mind has paid off.

Now, the Soaring Eagle directs its attention to Wasatch, a team eager to prove it deserves a nod as one of the best teams in Class 3A.

Sutera, for one, is not underestimating the potential sting of the Wasps.

"They are a team that can put up a lot of points," he said. "They have a high-power offense, with a great quarterback and good receivers."

Jordan

Midway through the regular season, the odds were stacked against Jordan. The Beetdiggers had lost straight games to Pleasant Grove and Lone Peak, forcing them into a must-win, play-in doubleheader against Brighton -- a tall order considering the way Brighton's defense had devoured their opponents' offense until the Bengals hit their own midseason roadblock.

But quarterback Alex Hart weren't yet ready to call it a night. During the Beetdiggers final two games, Hart completed 52 of 82 passes for 652 yards and seven touchdowns, including a game-winning one-yard touchdown run to force the play-in game.

During Jordan's first round matchup against top-ranked Bingham, the Beetdiggers struggled to keep pace in the first half. After the break, the Beetdiggers offense matched the Miners step for step, but the deficit was too large to overcome.

Alta

Alta vs. Bingham. For many fans, it's a rematch that has come too early.

But the 5A brackets are what they are. And now, the two teams who met in last year's 5A state final will meet in this year's 5A semifinal at Rice Eccles Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Following two games on the sideline with a separated shoulder, Alta quarterback Jordan Brown is back in full form. If his shoulder goes south again, Boston Handley now has the varsity experience to step up in his stead. Receivers Zach Liston, Skyler Mayne and Tyron Morris are a solid trifecta down field. Vance "Moose" Bingham has his leg fired up for what could be another nail-biter.

Still, given their preseason loss to the Miners, it's the Hawks who still have something to prove against Bingham's high-powered offense, led by Harvey Langi's 1,129 rushing yards for 19 touchdowns.

On all accounts, Friday's matchup is expected to be a black-and-blue battle to the death.