Occasionally, like most younger brothers, Troy Hinds will throw Tanner a test.

He'll point out that, as a sophomore at Davis High, he's already 6-foot-5, 210 pounds and growing almost daily. He'll comment on Tanner's 5-10 frame and wonder aloud when his growth spurt will come.

And then Tanner, the running back, will make his rebuttal. He'll challenge Troy, the defensive end, to a weightlifting contest.

"I know that I'll win because I've always been able to lift more than him," Tanner said with a laugh. How much can the two of them lift?

"I don't know," Tanner said. "I just know that I lift more than he does."

Off the field, the two are as close as brothers can be, always working out together, sharing the same social circle and the same dreams as football players. On the field, it's simple: Davis goes as the Hinds brothers go.

If the Darts are to have a chance to beat Bingham on Friday and win the Class 5A state championship at Rice-Eccles Stadium, both will have to play as well as they have all season.

There are some observers who think Troy Hinds has the chance to be one of the best defensive ends that this state has ever produced. He has already been one of the top players at his position in Class 5A this season. He's quick, explosive off the edge and it almost always takes more than one guy to block him. That's why he's notched nine sacks this season.

Tanner Hinds has turned in one of the special seasons mustered by an individual player this year. Bingham coach Dave Peck calls him, "The best player that we've faced this season." Davis coach Ryan Bishop said, "He's the best player at his position that I've ever coached."

He's run the ball for more than 1,500 yards, he's fast, quick, elusive and one of the most natural runners in the state.

"We feel like this is a simple equation for us against Davis," Peck said. "If we can't stop Tanner, we're going to have a hard time winning the game. If we can control him, I like our chances."

Two players, one family, one community. The Hinds brothers have dazzled on the field and touched people off it. On Friday, they will emulate their previous generation, as their father David and uncle Dan played for state championships in their days at McClintock High in Arizona in the late 1970s.

"It's been a dream to watch Tanner and Troy play for Davis," David Hinds said. "We couldn't have hand-picked a better program for the two to play at, and we couldn't be more proud of them."

The most impressive thing about the two is that they've saved their best for when the stakes are the highest. Tanner's been dominant in the postseason, running through Pleasant Grove and Hunter in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Troy's been a matchup nightmare, and has provided Davis one of the best pass rushes in the state.

"Everyone talks about Tanner as a player," Bishop said. "But that's not my favorite thing about him. I love his demeanor, his unselfishness and his unassuming nature. With Troy, he has so much natural talent that it's impossible to ignore. Once we've gotten him in our system, he's really taken off."

tjones@sltrib.com