This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Maple Mountain is headed to the grand stage of the Class 4A semifinals for the first time in its eight-year history. The Golden Eagles' reward? Nationally-ranked and undefeated East at 11 a.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday.
The Leopards (12-0), which have reeled off a state-leading 21 straight victories, are tremendous favorites, similar to last season when they trounced Springville 42-14 before following up with a 35-point win against Timpview in the state championship.
East's dominance has been discussed ad nauseam, but what about the program hardly anyone outside of Mapleton expected to be one game from the state title?
"Everybody knows East; top-notch program, obviously one of the best in the country," said Maple Mountain coach Brad Burtenshaw. "That being said, we want to give them our best shot."
After starting 0-5 this season, Maple Mountain (7-5) has won seven straight games, including playoff decisions against Provo and Box Elder. However, the first five losses are somewhat deceptive, considering aside from a blowout to Corner Canyon, the Eagles were in every game until the final horn.
They just needed to learn how to finish.
"Not much, to be honest," said Burtenshaw when asked what changed during the second half of the season. "We just made maybe one too many mistakes [in the first five games], couple plays here or there. Really, it's just a tribute to the kids. They're really resilient, kept practicing hard, and knew it would eventually come around."
Springville (11-0) makes it second straight trip to the semifinals, once again undefeated, as it takes on Alta (11-1) at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. The Red Devils aren't flashy on offense and rely on a methodical defense, but most of all, they're habitually overlooked.
But Springville coach Willy Child said his team isn't concerned with perception, noting, "our kids are pretty focused."
Alta is making its first semifinal appearance since 2009, so although the Hawks are favored, Child believes the experience of having played at this stage the year prior is an advantage for the Devils.
"I think it was a great experience for our kids last year," Child said. "I think it definitely helps with the nerves. They're not really overwhelmed with the situation."
The main storyline pits Spingville's defense, which is allowing 15.6 points per game, against Alta's offense, which averages a state-leading 51 points per outing. Although the Devils would prefer a low-scoring battle, Child said he has confidence in his offense to engage in a shootout if necessary.
"Our offense has been great all year. They've continued to get better," Child said. "... We have a lot of confidence in our running game and also our passing game. At times, during the year, when we've needed to score points, we've been able to do that. It's not what we prefer, but we definitely know we're capable of putting up points if needed."
Twitter: @trevorphibbs —
Football playoffs
Class 5A
Semifinals
Thursday, at Rice-Eccles Stadium
• American Fork vs. Lone Peak, 11 a.m.
• Fremont vs. Bingham, 2:30 p.m.
Class 4A
Semifinals
Friday, at Rice-Eccles Stadium
• Maple Mountain vs. East, 11 a.m.
• Springville vs. Alta, 2:30 p.m.
Class 3AA
Semifinals
• Stansbury vs. Desert Hills, Thursday, 6:30 p.m., at Rice-Eccles Stadium
• Pine View vs. Dixie, Friday, 6 p.m., at Eccles Coliseum (Cedar City)
Class 3A
Championship
Saturday, at Eccles Coliseum (Cedar City)
• Delta vs. Juan Diego, 4 p.m.
Class 2A
Championship
Saturday, at Eccles Coliseum (Cedar City)
• Beaver vs. South Summit, 11 a.m.
Class 1A
Championship
Saturday, at Eccles Coliseum (Cedar City)
• Kanab vs. Duchesne, 1:30 p.m.