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East coach Brandon Matich expressed respect for Brody Benson and his Highland program, but didn't dodge the truth either. The two coaches aren't friends by any stretch, and when the second-ranked Leopards visit the No. 10 Rams on Friday, with the Region 5 championship essentially at stake, it will be another chapter to a contentious rivalry filled with animosity.

"We won't be breaking bread together, and if it's offered, I'll graciously decline," Matich said of his relationship with Benson.

Matich says the rivalry has "an unhealthy feel at times."

"It is what it is," he said. "There is no love lost between the two schools. I certainly have a lot of respect for Brody and what he does with his program, but in terms of a relationship between the two schools, it's really nonexistent."

The programs are separated by 2.6 miles and the proximity has helped transform the annual meeting into arguably the most intense game of the season for the state.

"I think that has a lot to do with it," Benson said. "These kids have grown up right next door to each other. You play them in little league every year."

According to prep football historian George Felt, the rivalry dates to 1957. Friday's meeting will mark the 59th time the two programs have met, with Highland holding the overall edge of 33-25, but East has won four of the past five meetings.

Benson believes the rivalry has always been heated, but Matich said the tension escalated after the 2012 season.

East had been in contention for its first state championship since 1996 but was sanctioned for the use of ineligible players. In a controversial decision, the UHSAA levied a fine, suspended Matich for three games, stripped the region title and put the school on probation, but allowed the Leopards to continue as the fourth seed in the postseason, where they eventually fell in the semifinals.

Matich declined to discuss specifics, but it was reported that Highland's then-principal raised the issue of East using ineligible players, and that hostile feelings on East's part arose from it.

Regarding 2012, Benson said, "I don't know if it intensified. Looking back, it's always been a big rivalry."

East-Highland week provides challenges for both coaching staffs. Matich said he "had to chase somebody [off] in a car" from practice on Monday. "I don't know who it was, but we walked up to approach them, and they peeled off like they're in the Indy 500," he said. Matich denied he had someone scouting the Rams after that allegation was raised by a Highland player.

"I saw one of their players, and he was telling me, 'Our coaches were telling us East was out here scouting us last night,'  " Matich said. "I said, 'You tell them we have better things to do with our time. Thanks.'  "

Rivalry week fuels rumors and magnifies everything, so although extra motivation isn't necessary, keeping emotion from boiling over can be difficult. And, of course, each side has its own approach to the matter.

Many of the East players have expressed dislike for Highland on social media, sticking with the program's reputation of emotional confidence, which mirrors the personality of Matich. The Rams, meanwhile, have been publicly silent, reflecting how Benson operates.

"You try and teach your kids never be too high, never be too low," Benson said. "I think that's something we've seen, at least with [East], is they do operate on a very, very high intensity level. Sometimes you can make mistakes when you're more worried about the theatrics."

East senior linebacker Sati Tu'uheataufa conceded sometimes the Leopards get too emotional, and he's warned his team about falling into that trap. But he also didn't want to discourage East's swagger, which can be positive if used correctly.

"I tell them, every time we step on the field, to always play happy," Tu'uheataufa said. "I know how we get when we get too emotional. We can't focus and we can't play. I tell my guys, 'Play happy and play smart.'  "

East, which has won 17 straight games since capturing the Class 4A state title last season, is a favorite on Friday, but Benson said he doesn't believe in underdogs, and added that they're going to try to "exploit some things that maybe teams haven't tried to go after."

Matich, who is 4-2 all-time against Highland but has never won on the road in the series, said he's ready for kickoff .

"I said, 'I shouldn't have to say much this week [to my team],' " Matich said. "We know what this week means to our program and to our community."

Twitter: @trevorphibbs —

Football schedule

All games 7 p.m. except where indicated

Thursday

• Bear River at Judge

• Bountiful at West Jordan

• Clearfield at Mountain Crest

• Corner Canyon at Provo

• Davis at Hunter

• Enterprise at Beaver

• Jordan at Bingham

• Layton at Viewmont

• Maple Mountain at Payson

• Monticello at Milford

• Monument Vlly at Rough Rock

• N. Sanpete at Canyon View

• Northridge at Roy

• Ogden at Uintah

• Ridgeline at Logan

• Sky View at Fremont

• Skyridge at Orem

• S. Summit at N. Summit

• Spanish Fork at Wasatch

• Springville at Salem Hills

• Stansbury at Ben Lomond

• Taylorsville at Cottonwood

• Timpanogos at Alta

• Timpview at Mountain View

• Tooele at Park City

• Weber at Kearns

• West at Granger

Friday

• American Fork at Riverton

• Box Elder at Bonneville

• Brighton at Copper Hills

• Carbon at Union

• East at Highland

• Emery at Juan Diego

• Grantsville at Morgan

• Gunnison at Millard

• Hillcrest at Murray

• Kanab at Diamond Ranch

• Lehi at Herriman

• Manti at Juab

• Monticello at Milford

• Navajo Prep at Whitehorse

• Parowan at Layton Christian, 4 p.m.

• Pleasant Grove at Westlake

• Rich at Altamont

• Richfield at Delta

• San Juan at Grand

• Skyline at Olympus

• South Sevier at North Sevier

• Wayne at Duchesne

• Woods Cross at Lone Peak