The Bountiful Braves know what it's like to play in big games.
The Braves have made it to the Class 4A semifinals three of the past four years and the championship game twice.
The only problem — they haven't won a state football title since winning back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991.
"I think, for sure, we're a veteran bunch," Bountiful coach Larry Wall said. "We only have a couple of juniors playing for us. Nine kids went to the semis last year and found that the semis wasn't good enough."
The Knights (10-2), on the other hand, are making their first trip to the finals in school history. In fact, it's the first time in five tries the Knights have made it past the quarterfinals.
"We felt like in the other games that we made errors and on that day the better team won," Lone Peak coach Monte Morgan said of the Knights' previous playoff games. "We had to keep trying and had to play better. That's what we tried to do, and finally we did it."
Lone Peak won a 9-6 overtime thriller last week over No. 1 and previously unbeaten Timpview to earn its trip to the finals.
"It was the biggest win in school history," Morgan said.
The Class 4A state championship game is set for 4 p.m. Friday at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Even though the Braves and Knights met in Week 1, Wall said it was so long ago it feels like they played last year.
Bountiful (12-1), which has won 11 straight games, won, 9-6, by scoring all nine of its points in the first quarter.
Lone Peak enters the game with the classification's best defense at 7.5 points allowed per game. The Braves are third at 14.3.
"I think both teams have great defenses," Wall said. "When you have great defense it comes down to the offense who can step it up, sustain drive and not turn it over."
In their semifinal game, the Braves turned the ball over on their first four possessions and trailed Bonneville 16-0 before coming back to win 34-29.
Behind a strong offensive line, the Braves like to control the clock with the running game. Paul Nelson and John Ika rushed for more than 100 yards each last week. Jay Horrocks leads the Braves with 15 touchdowns. Quarterback Steve Matheson, who threw for 115 yards last week, has thrown 17 touchdown passes.
"They're a real complete team. They're not where they are for nothing," Morgan said. "I'm scratching my head trying how to figure out how to attack them and cover them."
Lone Peak's linebackers, defensive line and defensive ends - Matt Ah You, Spencer Heaton, Todd Jensen, Howie Harmer, Kory Longenecker and Nathan Empey - will be tested again. For the year the Knights have five shutouts.
Wall is saying the same thing.
Lone Peak quarterback Mike Jensen leads the Knights with 14 rushing touchdowns and 11 touchdown passes. Fourteen other Lone Peak players have scored at least one touchdown.
Defenders Jake Box, Matt Binks, Casey Getzelman, Polo Toko, Colin Kelly and Ika will also have their hands full.
E-mail: jhinton@desnews.com