With Skyline-like playoff success, Brighton High would be the model of consistency when it comes to high school football. Year after year, despite little or no Division I college prospects, the Bengals churn out winning season after winning season.
Brighton's 23-2 record the past two years is tops in the state. In fact, in the past decade, Brighton has won 10 games in six different seasons.
So what is the secret to coach Tom Cushing's success?
"The main thing is we get good players that are usually disciplined, and if they're not, they either become disciplined or they don't stick around," said Cushing. "We try and instill the love of the game and have a good time playing and working hard. We don't cut too many corners."
For some reason, playoff success hasn't followed suit despite a respectable 35-27 playoff record in 29 appearances. Brighton's only state championship came in 1982, and the school's only other title-game appearances were in 1979 and 1997 — which both ended in losses to Skyline.
This year's team isn't getting caught up in all that history.
"This is a different team. This is our year," said offensive lineman Jimmy Cushing, the coach's son. "What happened in the past has nothing to do with this year."
The past may have no bearing on Friday's 5A state championship game between Brighton and Skyline at 1:30 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium, but it definitely contributes to the winning tradition of the program.
Long before Cushing took over the Brighton program in 1999 for the late Lynn Freestone, the Bengals were a winning program. He's seemingly taken it to new heights despite the absence of a state title. Cushing's seven-year coaching record is 69-16, making him the second-winningest active coach behind Pine View's Ray Hosner.
"Our coaches train us all year long," said Brighton's Jeff Sorenson. "This is definitely a hard-working team."
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Brighton's winning track record is the absence of superstars. Aside from BYU-bound Mike Hague, there may not be another Division I prospect on the Bengals' roster. Cushing believes that offensive lineman Junior Salt may get some looks from college coaches, but that's about it.
Brighton may lack the size of other 5A teams from year to year, but that never stops it from not only competing, but dominating in many respects.
"We've run option football for most of the years. We're not a big power running team," said Cushing. "We never usually get real big linemen, but we usually have very skilled kids with good speed."
Aside from the 285-pound Salt and 270-pound Jake Owsley, the average weight of Brighton's other three offensive linemen is 221. The smallest of the group is right tackle Colby Barber, who checks in at 200 pounds. "It doesn't matter how big you are, just how aggressive you are," said Barber. "I believe this is a new season, and this age group, this is our time."
As Sorenson said, "Sure we're small, but we have tons of heart on this year. Our mind-set is, the bigger they are, the harder they fall."
So far, Brighton has slain two 5A giants with a quarterfinal win over Bingham and a semifinal win over Alta. For the Bengals, the only thing missing is a win over Skyline — the program that has overshadowed Brighton's success for nearly two decades.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com