SALT LAKE CITY — Loaded with returning experience, both Maple Mountain and Skyline got off to great starts last week during high school football’s season openers around the state.
The challenge now for both is backing it up in Week 2 against much better competition.
Skyline beat Layton 21-7 in Week 1, but this week faces a Springville team that it lost to by 34 points in Week 2 last year.
Maple Mountain is in a similar situation. After rolling past Cedar Valley in the opener 45-3, it now faces a very good Pleasant Grove team that it lost to by 24 points in Week 2 last year.
Win or lose, Friday is a great opportunity for both teams to prove they’ve closed the gap from a year ago as they both finished with sub.-500 records.
“Anytime you’re going into Week 1 you’re trying to limit mistakes and I think we did a pretty good job of that. Going into Week 2 it’s just a whole different animal.” — Maple Mountain coach Brad Burtenshaw
“It’s a great early matchup for us to see how we match up against one of the top programs in the state,” said Skyline coach Mike Carlson.
“When you’re playing a program like Springville you’re always in for a tough game cause they’re always consistently year in and year out really good. They always have good athletes, they’re coached really well, they have been running the same schemes for years and know exactly what they’re doing.”
In Skyline’s win over Layton, Carlson said his team looked good in the first and third quarters, but in the other two quarters said his team looked like it had two left feet and was playing with its hands tied behind its back.
Carlson said execution in all four quarters, and matching Springville’s physicality in the power running game will be keys to victory.
Offensively, Skyline will look to build on the strong performance in Week 1 from quarterback Braxton Bolingbroke, who passed for 296 yards and two TDs in the win.
Maple Mountain will hope for another strong performance from its quarterback this week as well. Tyler Nelson passed for 232 yards and five TDs, and coach Brad Burtenshaw was very impressed with how he went through his progressions and didn’t make the big mistakes.
“Anytime you’re going into Week 1 you’re trying to limit mistakes and I think we did a pretty good job of that. Going into Week 2 it’s just a whole different animal,” said Burtenshaw.
“Pleasant Grove is tough top to bottom, they have experience players, obviously a bigger school and a well-coached team. We definitely have our hands full, but hopefully up for the challenge.”
A year ago Maple Mountain hung with Pleasant Grove for a half, but was outscored 19-0 in the second half.
With over half of its starters back from that team, this Friday will be a great change for the Maple Mountain to see how it has developed over the past year.
“Anytime we get to play somebody like Pleasant Grove, it’s always a chance to see where we’re at with our program, and where we’re at with our confidence and our execution,” said Burtenshaw.