1A high school football preview: Intriguing semifinals on tap

The teams involved in this Saturday's 1A football semifinals aren't surprising at all. They're the same semifinalists as a year ago, and are the four teams everyone predicted to be here back in August.

Is another Rich vs. Duchesne championship game just as inevitable? Not quite, according to the coaches.

"I said earlier this year there would be four teams that would be able to win a state championship this year, and I think the four teams are there and any of them can beat each other on any given day," said Rich coach Ashley Brown.

Duchesne faces Altamont in the first semifinal this Saturday at Snow College at 11 a.m., and will be followed by Rich vs. Monticello at 2 p.m.

Both are rematches from earlier this season — games that Duchesne and Rich easily won. If they prevail again the rivals would meet at Southern Utah University next Saturday with the 1A championship up for grabs.

Neither coach expects such an easy victory.

When Duchesne beat Altamont 26-0 a few weeks ago, coach Billy Hoopes said his team played a perfect game. The win clinched the region title, and Duchesne enjoyed a first-bye last week as a result.

Hoopes said his team won't take Altamont for granted in the rematch.

"Going into our game our kids expect to win, but it's not going to be an easy game. Those guys could beat us. They have as good of athletes as anyone in the state," said Hoopes. "I don't think our score from a few weeks ago is going to have any bearing on this game."

Braiden Despain leads the way offensive for Duchesne with 1,255 rushing yards this year, while Altamont counters with a pair of 1,000-yard rushers of its own in Kyle Foy and Zach Hatch.

Saturday's second semifinal game is loaded with intrigue as well.

Even though Rich beat Monticello 34-13 back on Sept. 17, the Buckaroos were still getting used to new coach Lee Chadwick at the time. They've gradually figured things out over the past month and a half, and Chadwick said his team's 29-27 overtime loss to No. 1 Duchesne a few weeks ago has the players believing they can play with anybody.

"We're just starting to peak at the right time and we're playing pretty good ball," said Chadwick. "We're starting to have some confidence in what we're doing so we're looking for a great playoffs."

Monticello will need big games offensively from Devin Wright and Kandal Maughan, who've combined for rush for nearly 2,000 yards this season. It won't be easy against a Rich defense that led 1A by allowing only 13.3 ppg.

e-mail: jedward@desnews.com