MTN. CREST (10-1) vs. TIMPVIEW (11-0)
Friday, 2:30 p.m. — Rice-Eccles Stadium (field turf)
Ticket information: Students can purchase tickets from high school. Fans can purchase tickets at U. ticket office
TV: None — Radio: AM1230 — Parry's Power Guide — Timpview by 13.5
From the time a young man puts the Timpview uniform on his back, he knows there will be a target firmly planted there. Becoming part of the team that has won the last two, and three of the last four, 4A state championships requires a certain mindset, a mental toughness to withstand the pressure and expectations that come with being in the Thunderbird fraternity.
"They know from Day 1 that the target is going to be there," said coach Louis Wong of his players. "We know that everyone is out to beat us, that a team is going to put in a little extra effort to try to upset Timpview. We just try to stay focused on playing our game. We want to execute our game plan, and we make sure that the kids are staying busy with the things that really matter. We are sure to take care of what we control and not what somebody else is trying to do."
Besides having talented athletes, one of the things that Wong said separates the T-Birds from other teams is buying in to a total team concept. Sure, every other program in the state preaches about being a team, but Wong feels it is the actual execution of the teaching that is special on his team.
"The real strength of our team is that they are unselfish and play as a team," he said. "Everyone understands their role on the team, and that includes everyone, not just the 22 players that start on offense and defense.
"Our scout team guys take their jobs very seriously," Wong continued. "They go out there and try to execute the other team's plays, and if they are able to get yards, or get a stop using those plays, they get excited and know they are helping us to get ready. Their unselfish attitude is a huge reason why we have had the success we do."
Another thing Wong feels separates Timpview from the rest is preparation. Other teams practice, but Wong feels the scouting, specialization and repetitions that go into the T-Birds work before the game separate them from other teams.
"No one crosses onto the field for a practice until I say so," added Wong. "They have to give a commitment that they will give me what they need to win during the practice, that their focus is proper. Practice is the hardest part. The game should be second-nature because they have had so many reps at it, that they will be familiar with whatever is run or presented. They have worked on it all week so they can identify things and know what will be coming their way, then, it's just about executing."
Timpview (11-0) hopes to continue its tradition and winning ways by extending its 34-game win streak when it faces Mountain Crest at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in a rematch of last year's semifinal, a game the T-Birds won, 38-0. The Mustangs are 10-1 and the champions from Region 5. They took a blow losing one of their top players in Ethan Rasmussen in the quarterfinals, but should still present a stiff challenge for the reigning champs.
"We know Mountain Crest is a good team," said Wong. "But we go in with confidence and know that we have prepared. We know that if we fire on all cylinders, we think we should win."
MTN. CREST STATS
Scoring offense: 34.1 ppg
Scoring defense: 17.9 ppg
Passing leader: Alex Kuresa (164-237, 69.2%, 2,382 yards, 17 TDs)
Rushing leader: Alex Knowles (99 carries, 886 yards, 8 TDs)
Receiving leader: Mitch Jessop (38 catches, 728 yards, 2 TDs)
Tackles leader: Ethen Lofthouse (112)
Sacks leader: Matt Stewart (6)
Int. leader: Ethan Rasmussen (4)
TIMPVIEW STATS
Scoring offense: 39.4 ppg
Scoring defense: 8.5 ppg
Passing leader: Casey Rumsey (125-212, 59.0, 2,082 yards, 20 TDs)
Rushing leader: Levi Te'o (120 carries, 721 yards, 13 TDs)
Receiving leader: Zach Van Leeuwen (53 catches, 887 yards, 13 TDs)
Tackles leader: Jason Whittingham (54)
Sacks leader: Nick Mitchell (9)
Int. leader: Craig Bills (3)
MTN. CREST MUSTANGS DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
QB ... ALEX KURESA ... 7
... Matt Stewart ... 8
RB ... ETHEN LOFTHOUSE ... 6
... Hayden Snow ... 44
RB ... ALEX KNOWLES ... 5
... Brennen Archibald ... 33
WR ... MITCH JESSOP ... 13
... Tyler Weese ... 4
WR ... CHANDLER SMITH ... 12
... Taylor Root ... 24
TE ... MATT STEWART ... 8
... Hayden Snow ... 44
LT ... COLTON REEDER ... 72
... Fernando Huerta ... 87
LG ... DEREK POND ... 58
... Tanner Kennedy ... 78
C ... CONRAD EDVALSON ... 53
... Justin Jenks ... 71
RG ... RICHARD MCGOWEN ... 56
... Neal Stott ... 52
RT ... ZAC NEIMANN ... 59
... Joey Jenkins ... 61
PK ... TAYLOR JOHNSON ... 10
... Matt Stewart ... 8
KR ... ETHEN LOFTHOUSE ... 6
... ALEX KNOWLES ... 5
DEFENSE
DE ... MATT STEWART ... 8
... Nate Rigby ... 31
DT ... JOHN WERNER ... 2
... Patrick Leishman ... 32
NG ... COLTON REEDER ... 72
... Tanner Kennedy ... 78
DT ... RAIDER LOFTHOUSE ... 40
... Derek Pond ... 58
DE ... TROY PICKETT ... 9
... Joseph Carly ... 30
OLB ... HAYDEN SNOW ... 44
... Malin Brough ... 45
MLB ... ETHEN LOFTHOUSE ... 6
... Joseph Carley ... 30
OLB ... BRENNEN ARCHIBALD ... 33
... Spencer Schwab ... 36
CB ... TYLER WEESE ... 4
... Chandler Smith ... 12
CB ... TAYLOR ROOT ... 24
... Alex Knowles ... 5
FS ... SCOFIELD SMITH ... 21
... Mitch Jessop ... 13
P ... TAYLOR JOHNSON ... 10
... Matt Stewart ... 8
PR ... ETHEN LOFTHOUSE ... 6
... Alex Knowles ... 5
TIMPVIEW T-BIRDS DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
QB ... CASEY RUMSEY ... 10
... Trevor Brown ... 12
RB ... LEVI TE'O ... 33
... Bryson McKenzie ... 45
WR ... JACOB HATCH ... 28
... Ky Raymond ... 23
WR ... KYLE CHADWICK ... 2
... Eli Robison ... 80
WR ... TRAVIS VAN LEEUWEN ... 19
... Colby Jorgensen ... 88
WR ... TRAVIS JORGENSEN ... 11
... Richard Senior ... 8
LT ... XAVIER SU'A FILO ... 60
... Alex Moon ... 72
RG ... JOSH JENSEN ... 77
... Kelvin Christensen ... 70
C ... TRAVIS KUHNI ... 54
... Ryan Tohara ... 50
LG ... TYSON TIATIA ... 52
... Tavia Toluta'u ... 71
RT ... TREVOR WHITTINGHAM ... 55
... Nate Svensson ... 65
PK ... JACOB HATCH ... 28
... Josey Trammel ... 37
KR ... TRAVIS VAN LEEUWEN ... 19
... CRAIG BILLS ... 40
DEFENSE
DE ... ETHAN WELBORNE ... 5
... Kaal Glazier ... 49
DT ... NICK MITCHELL ... 74
... Tevia Toluta'u ... 71
DE ... BRONSON KAUFUSI ... 90
... Kalvin Cusick ... 75
OLB ... ALEMA KEY ... 48
... Asen Serrato ... 49
MLB ... JASON WHITTINGHAM ... 32
... Skyler Cusick ... 4
MLB ... OFA LATU ... 42
... Ruben Christianson ... 44
OLB ... BLAKE MCKENZIE ... 22
... Kapena Clark ... 26
CB ... MAX FORREST ... 20
... Matt Jackson ... 21
CB ... COLLIN MCGUIRE ... 24
... Kapena Clark ... 26
S ... CHRIS BADGER ... 7
... Taylor Larsen ... 9
S ... CRAIG BILLS ... 40
... Alex Jackman ... 9
P ... CRAIG BILLS ... 40
... Colin McGuire ... 24
PR ... TRAVIS VAN LEEUWEN ... 19
... Kapena Clark ... 26
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
These two schools are responsible for the past four 4A state titles, with Mountain Crest winning in 2005 and Timpview winning in 2004, '06 and '07 ... These two teams met in the semifinals last year, with Timpview easily prevailing 38-0 ... Timpview is in the midst of a state-record 34-game winning streak ... Timpview leads the all-time series 4-3, which have all been in the playoffs ... With a victory, Mountain Crest would advance to the championship game for the third time in the past eight years.
MTN. CREST GAME-BY-GAME
08/23 ... Mountain Crest 26, Highland 21 ...
08/29 ... Mountain Crest 35, Fremont 28 ...
09/05 ... Northridge 35, Mountain Crest 21 ...
09/12 ... Mountain Crest 42, Woods Cross 7 ...
09/19 ... Mountain Crest 20, Bonneville 7 ...
09/26 ... Mountain Crest 21, Bountiful 7 ...
10/03 ... Mountain Crest 49, Box Elder 0 ...
10/15 ... Mountain Crest 41, Sky View 38 (OT) ...
10/23 ... Mountain Crest 43, Roy 21 ...
10/31 ... Mountain Crest 49, Cyprus 7 ...
11/7 ... Mountain Crest 28, Dixie 26 ...
TIMPVIEW GAME-BY-GAME
08/22 ... Timpview 10, Pleasant Grove 6 ...
08/29 ... Timpview 57, Spanish Fork 12 ...
09/05 ... Timpview 28, Lone Peak 3 ...
09/19 ... Timpview 30, Payson 0 ...
09/26 ... Timpview 42, Mountain View 14 ...
10/03 ... Timpview 40, Tooele 7 ...
10/09 ... Timpview 30, Orem 12 ...
10/15 ... Timpview 54, Springville 12 ...
10/24 ... Timpview 51, Provo 7 ...
10/31 ... Timpview 49, West 7 ...
11/7 ... Timpview 42, Sky View 13 ...
COACHING REPORT
Mtn. Crest coach Mark Wootton — Now in his 18th overall season as a head coach, he's amassed a 118-79 record, with a 39-18 record in five years at Mountain Crest.
Timpview coach Louis Wong — The T-Birds are 44-4 in the four years coach Wong has been at the helm, including a 34-game winning streak.
E-mail: mblack@desnews.com