5A high school football preview: Riverton at Lone Peak

Riverton (10-1) at Lone Peak (10-1)

5A state tournament quarterfinal

Friday, 6 p.m.

Parry's Power Guide: Lone Peak by 3

All-time series: Lone Peak leads 2-0

Coach vs. Coach: Lone Peak's Tony McGeary leads Riverton's Mike Miller, 1-0

Last meeting: Sept. 4, 2009 — Lone Peak 38, Riverton 26

There may not be a more evenly contested matchup than the Riverton-Lone Peak game in this week's playoffs.

Both the Silverwolves and Knights are 10-1 and coming off of big first-round playoff victories. Riverton pounded West 34-7, while Lone Peak routed Syracuse 30-8. The Silverwolves' only loss this season came against powerhouse Bingham, while the Knights have won eight straight games and are the Region 4 champions.

Riverton scores more points than Lone Peak, but both teams are in 5A's top six in scoring differential. Neither team has any glaring weaknesses, and the game probably won't be decided until late in the fourth quarter.

"I think it's going to be a good one," said Riverton coach Mike Miller. "They're pretty athletic. Lone Peak is a bunch of quick, athletic kids. They're a good team with good-sized kids."

Riverton causes trouble for opponents with its wing-T offense. The unpredictable run-based offense has helped the Silverwolves average 36.7 points per game.

"They're a good team," said Lone Peak coach Tony McGeary. "Obviously, they've got a deceptive offense. We're just preparing to deal with it. They've played well this year, had a good season."

The Knights haven't faced a wing-T offense this season. The closest they've seen is an option attack, and that doesn't fully simulate what Lone Peak will play against on Friday night.

"It's little different than the wing-T, but we've got a base to start with," McGeary said.

Defending a variety of offenses hasn't been too much of a problem for the Knights this season. They've held six of their 11 opponents to single-digit scoring. They held Mountain Crest to 13 points, and the Mustangs have scored more than 30 in eight of their 10 games.

"Geez, they've played well," Miller said.