5A football playoffs: Plenty of character on Fremont's defensive line

"Last year, we heard how Pleasant Grove was going to beat us, and then how Skyline was going to beat us, and then how Lone Peak was going to beat us," Gallegos said, referring to the Wolves' stellar run to the 5A finals a year ago. "This year, we heard how we were going to get upset by Brighton.

"I think we get respect. I just think people tend to think other teams are higher quality than us. We love being that underdog.

"We've got just as good a shot at winning this game as they do," Gallegos said. "These are two teams that bring two completely different play-styles to the grid and

we'll see what happens."

Hollingsworth agreed. "We love being the underdog," he said. "It's fun and it gives us an opportunity to go play our style of ball."

Keep in mind that, when this group of seniors were 9th-graders, the Silver Wolves struggled through a 1-9 season.

How far they've come over the last three years, and seeing how much all their hard work has paid off, has made this experience extra-special.

The Silver Wolves' defensive linemen all agreed that getting a chance to get back to Rice-Eccles Stadium for the semifinals — a dramatic 21-14 overtime victory over Region 1 rival Syracuse — and now the finals has been the realization of a season-long goal.

"It's been magical," Gallegos said, who admitted that knocking off Bingham in this year's quarterfinals was "definitely a sweet moment."

"It would be historical to win a state championship. We've never won one at Fremont. And just to say we won one with these guys right here would be the highlight of my life."

Now, it's up to the power of the Blue Mohawk, Blackbeard, the Dreads and Lloyd the Normal-looking Guy to do their best to try and make history happen.

Email: rhollis@desnews.com