High school football: 4A powers battling for the right to play on Rice-Eccles Stadium's turf

It isn't the actual playing surface guys care about, but every player wants to make it to "the turf" of Rice-Eccles Stadium.

With many high schools having installed the same artificial grass at their own fields, the novelty of playing on the University of Utah's field isn't a big motivator like it may have been in the past. But that doesn't stop teams' desire to get there.

"Every kid that plays high school football wants to get to that stadium and play. That's all we shoot for," said Mountain Crest coach Mark Wootton, whose Mustangs host East today at 4 p.m. for a chance to get back to the U. for the fourth consecutive year. "There are eight teams now in 4A that have the same goal in mind, and they all want to be able to get there and get a chance to play."

Along with Mountain Crest, the 4A quarterfinals have plenty of teams that are accustomed to getting this far in the playoffs. East was a regular in the round of eight for many years before a couple of down years. But things have changed since new coach Brandon Matich took over, and the program appears destined to be back in the hunt for the turf for a while.

Highland faces Pine View in St. George on Saturday. The Rams have been in at least the quarterfinals in four of the last five years, and the Panthers in three of the last five, including two championship game appearances. The two teams met in 2008 in the same round for a chance at reaching the turf.

"I remember how talented the sophomore group was we were playing against then," said Pine View coach Ray Hosner of his players who are now seniors for the Highland team he'll be facing. "You could just see how good they were going to become."

Bountiful won a state title in 2003 before experiencing some playoff disappointments, and the Braves' opponent, Spanish Fork, was in the quarterfinals last year.

Then there is the Timpview-Springville game. It is a rematch of last year's title game, only this one's at Springville, not on the turf at Rice-Eccles.

No one needs to state how Timpview has owned the playoffs for most of this decade. It is what the team prepares for all year.

"I don't know if we have clicked all season, but we have been building for the playoffs," said Thunderbirds coach Louis Wong. "We haven't given the guys too much to handle, but we have been adding new stuff each week.