This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Defending champions Bingham, Timpview, Desert Hills, Judge, South Summit and Duchesne go into the Utah high school football state tournaments with excellent chances of repeating.
In fact, only four-time defending champion Duchesne enters this week's play as a No. 2 seed. The other five schools will begin their quests as the favorites.
But, in analyzing brackets and looking at past history, there is room for surprises. And there certainly are some intriguing first-round games that could reveal the relative strength of different regions and raise other questions.
Here is a look at what to expect in each classification:
Class 5A • Since 2006, Bingham has been the premier football program in this classification. By looking at the Miners' scores this season, it's difficult to see the Kyle Gearig-quarterbacked team not capturing its second straight title.
Bingham owns a 24-0 road win over last year's runner-up Brighton, a 42-0 victory over Region 2 champion Hunter, a 31-7 triumph over Region 4's Herriman, and a 33-14 win over Region 1's Davis.
Barring anything unexpected, the drama in this classification might be who gets to play Bingham for the title. Region 4 champion American Fork, who lost to Brighton to open the season, Brighton, high-scoring Jordan and a strong Davis team all could come out of the lower bracket to challenge the Miners for the title.
In fact, the most intriguing first-round game in this classification sends high-scoring Jordan and its record-setting quarterback Austin Kafentzis to Kaysville to meet Davis. Jordan, which scored 41 points in losing at Bingham and 76 points in a losing effort against Brighton, has one of the most high-powered offenses in Utah prep history. The Beetdiggers have difficulty stopping anyone, though, and Davis is strong at home.
The other interesting first-round question is whether a team from Region 1 or 2 can actually win a game. That didn't happen last season, when Regions 3 and 4 all captured first-round victories. Region 1 champion Fremont hosts 2-8 Alta and Region 1 runner-up Davis at 7-2 hosts 7-3 Jordan in games that should show how much the northern 5A league has improved this year. Region 3 champion Hunter, at 5-5, will have its hands full when it hosts 5-5 Lone Peak, the fourth-place team from Region 4.
The bottom line is that Bingham, which opens with 4-6 Weber on Friday, looks like a virtual lock to repeat.
Class 4A • Timpview and star quarterback Britain Covey go into the state meet as the obvious favorite. The Thunderbirds have never lost a game since Cary Whittingham took over as their coach two years ago.
Yet, there is more intrigue in this classification, which seems to be much more evenly balanced than 5A.
Roy, which captured its first outright league title since 1976 with a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Sky View on Thursday, is unbeaten. So is second-year Corner Canyon. Region 6 champion Woods Cross' only loss was to Corner Canyon in a heartbreaker. Sky View and Bountiful have the talent to challenge the leaders as well.
Timpview rolled through Region 8, which doesn't appear quite as strong as the other three regions, though Salem Hills put together a nice season. The big question is what Timpview will do when it faces a close game, which it certainly could do as early as the quarterfinals, when Sky View will be its likely opponent.
And, just to make things interesting, Timpview hosts East in the first round in a repeat of last season's memorable state 4A title game. The Leopards, at 5-5, have struggled much of the season. If they were to give the Thunderbirds a challenge in the opening round, 4A could be wide open and produce perhaps the most interesting state tournament.
Other good first-round games see 7-3 Logan at 6-4 Skyline and 7-3 Highland at 9-1 Salem Hills.
Class 3AA • Defending state champion and south winner Desert Hills, as well as surprising north champion Stansbury might be the teams to beat in this classification. But if tradition holds, the real team to watch might be Hurricane.
Hurricane? The Tigers tied Dixie for third in the 3AA South this year.
Yet, in 2012, Dixie finished third in the southern Utah league and won all of its games on the road to capture the Class 3A title. Desert Hills finished third in the regular season a year ago but managed to beat the odds and capture a state title. Hurricane is more than capable of doing the same.
Pine View is worth watching as well. The Panthers have one of the state's best quarterbacks in Kody Wilstead and are hungry for a state title after coming close for so many years.
It looks like a down year for the northern league. Consider, for example, that Stansbury's lone loss was 28-7 against Hurricane. Second-place Juan Diego has been decimated with injuries.
While it wouldn't be that surprising to see Hurricane or Dixie make a surprising run, expect to see Desert Hills and Pine View in the title game.
The best first-round game sends 4-5 Cedar City to 7-3 Tooele.
Class 3A • It's difficult to see Judge not winning a second straight title in this classification. The Bulldogs' only loss came on the road against a very good 4A Woods Cross team, and they own a win over Pine View, one of 3AA's top powers.
Morgan gave 3A teams some hope in the regular season finale Friday as it lost a 14-9 game to Judge but proved it could stay with the defending champions.
And then there is south champion Juab, at 9-1, which is enjoying one of its best football seasons in recent memory and owns an 18-17 victory over a good Union squad.
Still, Judge enters the tournament as the obvious favorite.
Class 2A • Defending champion South Summit, with impressive 42-24 and 31-12 wins over league rivals Summit Academy and North Summit, enters as the favorite.
But there is a mystery team out there that could easily be listed as co-favorite.
That would be San Juan, one of only four schools to finish the regular season with an unbeaten record. Located in Blanding, the Broncos are off the radar of much of Utah. But they haven't been seriously challenged yet this season. If there is any team that can knock off South Summit, whose only loss came to 3A Morgan, San Juan would be it.
Two of the best games see 7-3 Beaver traveling to 8-1 Summit Academy and 7-3 Enterprise making the long drive to Kamas to meet 8-1 South Summit.
Class 1A • Could Duchesne's four-year reign as small school champion be coming to an end?
Based on the regular season, the answer would be yes. Rich earned an impressive regular season win over Duchesne and enters the state tournament as the team to beat.
The best opening round game sends 5-5 Kanab to 6-3 Duchesne. Milford, 3-4, at Monticello, 4-6, could be interesting as well.
Expect Duchesne and Rich to play for the title.
Twitter: @tribtomwharton —
State football playoff schedule
Class 5A
Tuesday play-in
• Cottonwood (5-5) vs. Hillcrest 4-6 at Taylorsville High, 5:30 p.m.
Friday/Saturday
• Taylorsville (7-3) at Riverton (8-1), TBA
• Alta (2-8) at Fremont (7-3), TBA
• Weber (4-6) at Bingham (9-1), Friday, 4 p.m.
• Herriman (7-3) at West (5-4), TBA
• Jordan (7-3) at Davis (7-2), TBA
• Hillcrest/Cottonwood winner at American Fork (8-2), TBA
• Lone Peak (5-5) at Hunter (5-5), TBA
• Syracuse 7-2 at Brighton 8-1, TBA
Class 4A
Tuesday play-ins
• Mountain Crest/Box Elder/Bonneville, TBA
• Wasatch/Spanish Fork/Maple Mountain, TBA
Friday/Saturday
• Springville (5-4) at Bountiful (8-2), TBA
• Mountain Crest/Box Elder/Bonneville winner at Corner Canyon (10-0), TBA
• Orem (4-6) at Roy (9-0), TBA
• Highland (7-3) at Salem Hills (9-1), TBA
• Murray (6-3) at Sky View (8-2), TBA
• East (5-5) at Timpview (10-0), TBA
• Wasatch/Spanish Fork/Maple Mountain winner at Woods Cross (9-1), TBA
• Logan (7-3) at Skyline (6-4), TBA
Class 3AA
Friday/Saturday
• Uintah (4-6) at Dixie (6-4), TBA
• Cedar City (4-5) at Tooele (7-3), TBA
• Snow Canyon (4-6) at Bear River (4-6), TBA
• Park City (2-8) at Hurricane (5-5), TBA
• Desert Hills, Pine View, Stansbury and Juan Diego have first-round byes
Class 3A
Tuesday play-in
• Richfield vs. North Sanpete, TBA
Friday/Saturday
• Canyon View (2-7) at Judge (9-1), TBA
• Morgan (6-3) at Manti (6-4), TBA
• Grantsville (3-7) at Juab (9-1), TBA
• Richfield/North Sanpete winner at Union (8-2), TBA
Class 2A
Friday/Saturday
• Enterprise (7-3) at South Summit (8-1), TBA
• North Summit (8-2) at South Sevier (5-4), TBA
• Millard (6-4) at San Juan (9-0), TBA
• Beaver (7-3) at Summit Academy (8-1), TBA
Class 1A
Friday/Saturday
• Monument Valley (3-5) at Rich (6-3), TBA
• Milford (3-4) at Monticello (4-6), TBA
• Altamont (0-8) at Diamond Ranch (5-4), TBA
• Kanab (5-5) at Duchesne (6-3), TBA