Hot-shot Colts are joining 4A ranks with high expectations

They are the new darlings on the Utah high school football scene. They've got the marquee players, the marquee booster and a boatload of expectations after a 5A runner-up finish last year.

But the Cottonwood Colts know they still have plenty to prove, and a couple of star players will take them only so far.

"A lot of these other kids are good enough to play Division I ball," Cottonwood coach Tom Jones said. "They might not be getting all the headlines and attention right now, but we've got a lot of kids that will help us all season long."

The Colts, which are joining the 4A ranks this year after making it to the 5A title game in 2004, know they've got a big, fat bull's-eye on their backs. That, however, isn't bothering them.

"We love it," senior offensive lineman Nick Mostyn said. "We like knowing everyone has us marked on their schedule as the team to beat. It's kind of new for us, but we love it."

Mostyn is one of a talented bunch of seniors dotting the Cottonwood roster. While Alex Cate and Stanley Havili are the brightest lights getting loads of attention from college recruiters, Mostyn, along with defenders Zach Eldridge and Danny Payne, will play important roles for the Colts.

Payne is a lock-down cornerback getting his share of attention from recruiters while Eldridge helps anchor a solid set of linebackers.

"Last year was pretty good," Eldridge said. "But we didn't get the job done. "This year, our goal is to end it with a championship. If we lose again, we're not going to be satisfied."

The Colts got a nice surprise when they were ranked as the No. 28 team in the nation by Rivals.com in its preseason poll. After opening the season against Brighton, Cottonwood will travel to New Orleans to take on John Curtis High School — the defending 4A Louisiana champions.

Playing a big-time opponent far from home may help the Colts prepare for a big-time season.

"We didn't have a big tradition when we started playing here," Payne said. "We want to build it, and this is the year for us to do that."

Jones, entering his 19th year on the sidelines at Cottonwood, is trying to keep his team from buying into the hype too heavily.