3A high school football preview: Bulldogs put their amazing postseason run to the test against Soaring Eagle

Judge closed the regular season with a double-digit loss to Morgan, and the Bulldogs had to face Grantsville in a play-in game the following Tuesday just to qualify for the 3A tournament.

At that point, a lot of people didn't think Judge would even get past a suddenly red-hot Grantsville team, so it didn't even cross those same people's minds that, two weeks later, the Bulldogs would be playing at Rice-Eccles Stadium in the 3A semifinals.

Yet, here they are.

Judge took care of business against Grantsville in that now long-ago play-in game, and the Bulldogs subsequently capitalized on opportunities to upset Region 9 champ Cedar in the first round and stun Wasatch in a wild see-saw affair in the second round.

Now Judge moves on to some pretty great stuff.

By playing beyond what virtually everyone expected them to, the Bulldogs have advanced to face Catholic rival Juan Diego in the 3A semis on Friday night at 6:30 inside Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Judge's community will stage its traditional walk from Judge Memorial to Rice-Eccles before the game on Friday, and Judge's players can't wait to play on that stage.

"Going to Rice-Eccles is an amazing feeling," said Judge coach James Cordova. "Just getting there is an accomplishment. We're not going there just to get there, but we're amazed at where we're at."

So are a lot of others.

Juan Diego coach John Colosimo didn't use the word "amazed" to describe how Judge reached the semis, but he is impressed with what they've done over the past two months.

"They've always been talented," said Colosimo. "They've got a big offensive line, some really good running backs, some good receivers, and their quarterback throws the ball well. They might be the most talented team in 3A, and so they've kind of put it all together and established some things they like to do and what makes 'em tough.

"That Cedar game, they got a couple of breaks in the end and they were able to win that one, and then they had a wild one up at Wasatch. Sometimes you just have to think that certain teams are teams of destiny. Maybe they are. We'll find out Friday if they can continue."

Juan Diego scored 21 points in the first seven minutes before winning 21-7 when the Soaring Eagle met Judge during the regular season. But Colosimo and his players expect to see a much different opponent this time around.