High school football 4A preview: Bonneville at Cottonwood

Bonneville (5-5) at Cottonwood (10-0)

4A state tournament quarterfinal

Friday, 2:30 p.m.

Parry's Power Guide: Cottonwood by 19 points

All-time series: Bonneville leads 5-3

Coach vs. Coach: First meeting between Bonneville's Matt Williams and Cottonwood's Cecil Thomas

Last meeting: 4A first round, Oct. 28, 2005 — Cottonwood 53, Bonneville 21

When Cottonwood coach Cecil Thomas talks about Colts running back Isi Sofele there is almost a song-like jingle to his voice. The normal baritone quality has a bounce in it. In other words, he gets pretty excited.

"I don't know what else to say about Isi other than he is just one of those type of kids that only comes along maybe once in a lifetime," said Thomas. "He isn't the biggest back out there, but he has more heart, more desire than anyone twice his size."

When Cottonwood hosts Bonneville Friday at 2:30 p.m. for a 4A quarterfinal playoff, everyone knows that Sofele is going to get the ball, and he's going to get it a lot. The question is whether or not the Lakers can stop him.

"He is the type of kid that can carry the ball 20 times and a team can bottle him up, but then suddenly on the 21st carry, he can make a game-changing play and break one," added Thomas. "He never takes a play off, not even in practice. He gives you everything he has on every single play. If he is on the field, he is competing with everything he has."

The 5-foot-7 and 160 pound senior may not have the physical traits to intimidate opponents, but Thomas said that pound-for-pound he is the strongest player on the team. He has the speed and quickness to avoid would-be tacklers, but also knows when it is time to lower the pads and get the tough two or three yards. He's gained 1,436 yards on the season with a 7.48 yards per-carry average. He's reached the endzone 29 times, including 25 rushing touchdowns. If Bonneville wants any hope of advancing, it must find a way to slow Sofele down.

The Lakers are led by their defense. Brach Nelson leads the team in tackles and Austen Richards has reached double-digets in sacks.

"The defense can carry us at times," said coach Matt Williams at the end of the regular season. "Our coaches have done a good job in getting the guys ready and into the right spots, and then the guys have gone out and executed."