Imagine you're an 5A soccer coach. You're peacefully perusing the newspaper last week scoping out your team's coverage, when suddenly you become dumbfounded.
You notice that Liz Bogus scored game-winning goals, not once, but twice last week for the Brighton Bengals.
You can't help but ask yourself, "Does Liz Bogus have an infinite amount of high school eligibility?"
For the 5A coaches around the state, it probably feels that way. Bogus made her prep debut as freshman in 1998 when she tallied a hat trick in a victory over Alta.
Three years later, she's still up to her old tricks.
Thanks to Bogus' heroics, Brighton already has wins over 5A powers Jordan and Bingham, making it easy to see why coaches around the league tabbed the Bengals as the team to beat in 5A.
"She has fabulous footwork, she is just totally intense," said Kuhn. "She has a nose for the goal, and she's incredibly competitive."
It's because of Bogus' competitive nature that she desperately wants that state title. Since her arrival, the highly touted Bengals have only made it to the 5A semifinals once. The other two years ended with an early playoff exit.
Last year's was perhaps the most difficult to handle. Brighton absolutely dominated Clearfield in the first round but still lost 1-0.
"They aren't thinking about that at all. I told them 'we didn't score, and they did. We didn't get the job done,' " said Kuhn. "We're coming and we're going to get the job done this year."
While the Bengals have the luxury of 13 returning varsity players to help them make amends, Lee Mitchell's Alta Hawks don't.
Alta returns only three prominent players from a squad that has to be even more upset than Brighton. The Hawks were ranked first all year and possessed one of the most talented teams the state has ever seen. It ended in a stunning semifinal loss to Jordan.
"We are very young and inexperienced but should mature by the end of the season," said Mitchell.
Whether that maturation process goes smoothly or not, Mitchell knows there's at least one girl on his team not intimidated by the Brighton machine. Annie Payne scored the game-winning goal against Brighton in the 1999 state championship game.
Despite losing so many players, Mitchell's peers don't expect his Hawks to suffer much of a drop-off as they ranked Alta second in the preseason poll.
Viewmont, Skyline, Bingham, Jordan and Layton are all teams that could have an impact on October's state tournament.
"When it comes down to the playoffs, it's going to be very tough," said Kuhn.
Class 4A
Back in 1997, Bountiful captured the 5A title and Olympus prevailed in 4A, but the buzz around the stadium was Bountiful dropping into 4A the following year, setting the stage for a great championship game.
It never panned out as Roy beat East in the '98 title game.
Shift forward three years. Mountain View was crowned 5A champ last year, with Bountiful hoisting the trophy in 4A. Now that the Bruins are dropping into 4A, surely it's only a matter of time before the real champion is decided in this year's state championship.
"I'm sure there's about five or six teams that could win, but us two are one of them," said Bountiful coach Dave Wigham.
He couldn't be more right. Just a week into the season, Mountain Crest, East, Timpview, Sky View and Olympus have all recorded impressive victories in an undefeated opening week.
Just for good measure, Bountiful and Mountain View are both undefeated as well.
One of these years, you'd think the Braves might have a drop off, but that just doesn't happen.
Year in and year out, Bountiful graduates some of the state's elite talent, and the Braves don't miss a beat.
Midfield gem Erin Stock and goal-scoring machine Jami Muna are gone for last year's championship team, but there isn't even a hint of concern in Wigham's voice when discussing filling their spots.
"We do have a nice pool to draw from, but all of the top programs do," said Wigham. "We do have a great club system out here, there's no question." Val Haslam, Carisse Winegar, Rachel Schwab and Melissa Jenkins are all products of that great system, and are the key behind Bountiful's repeat bid.
"He has so much depth," said Mountain View coach Mike LaHargoue.
That's a luxury LaHargoue would love to have.
"Right now we are pretty dinged up," said LaHargoue. "We are not the 5A power dropping down I thought we could be. We're trying to get healthy, but it's not happening fast enough." Forward Davia King and defender Dixie Millett are perhaps Mountain View's top best players, but they're both out nursing injuries. Without them, and keep in mind that the Bruins are still 4-0 during this period, LaHargoue keeps seeing his team make the same silly mistakes.
"We keep making the beginning of the year poor decisions," said LaHargoue. "But we kind of did the same thing last year. We started out slow and snowballed it down to the end. If it has to go that way, we'll take that road again." This week could shed some light on whether the Braves and Bruins are truly 4A's elite. No. 1 Bountiful faces No. 3 East this week, while No. 2 Mountain View meets up against No. 5 Timpview.
Class 3A
Park City coach Frank Fish had the ultimate response to being asked whether he likes the added pressure of being the two-time defending state champs.
"It doesn't matter whether I like it or not," said Fish. "It's going to happen anyway." Fish knows every team will be gunning for his Miners, but that was the case last year as well, and they seemed to do fine.
Park City could very well three-peat, but it might be accompanied by a few more bumps in the road.
The Miners lost nine starters off of last year's team. Fish is quick to point out, however, that "Everybody who is starting this year played a reasonable amount last year," he said.
How far Park City goes could depend on Kristen Ideson and Kristin Silvestri. Nobody on Park City this year plays striker on their respective club teams. Fish is trying to mold some goal-scorers, and those seniors are the unlucky two.
"I think our defense is stronger this year than last year," said Fish. "Hopefully the forwards will be too." With two wins already, things are looking good for Park City.
As usual, Park City's stiffest challenge should come from region rival Judge.
"We should be in the hunt again," said coach Wayne Voorhes. "We lost a lot of scoring power, but this year our offense will come from six to eight different players. We have an overall better skilled team than last year." Morgan Dahle, Kathleen Smyth and Erin Morrison are ones to watch according to Voorhes.
Pine View should be the elite team down south with nine returning varsity players. Mackenzie Mikesell, Sheri Johnson, Blair Jorgensen and Tracy McArthur will anchor the Panthers squad.
Other teams to watch in 3A include Ben Lomond, Lehi, Wasatch and Ogden.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com