4A high school football championship preview

It is the game every fan has been looking forward to since the beginning of the high school football season, a dream matchup between the two teams ranked No. 1 and 2 nearly all year to determine the 4A state champion. When Cottonwood (13-0) and Timpview (12-0) meet at Rice-Eccles Stadium at 2:30 p.m. today, it will mark just the 17th time in state history that two undefeated teams have met in the title game.

"This is what we have been working for all year," said Cottonwood receiver Jason Lundquist. "You want to have your shot at the best. People talked about us and Timpview and how we were on course to meet. Well, we are both there and we are preparing hard to be ready for it."

The numbers between the two are eerily similar. Cottonwood scores an average of 39.31 points-per-game, while Timpview counters with 39.17. The defenses were both in the top five in the classification, with Timpview getting the slight edge. But some say the T-Birds were exposed some on that side of the ball when Mountain Crest scored 35 points in the semifinals. But the players and coaches are certain that game was an aberration.

"I think it was a wake-up call for us," said T-Bird defensive coordinator Jason Walker. "Maybe some of the guys were complacent and neglecting the little things. But now they're saying like 'hey, we need to take care of our assignments and the things the coaches say do matter.' I think we're going to respond and have a lot more detail-oriented performance this weekend."

Besides playing its worst defensive game of the year, Timpview also has some pretty serious injury issues to deal with. Defensive lineman and BYU recruit Bronson Kaufusi is out with torn knee ligaments. Others that will play but are still ailing include defensive linemen Nick Mitchell and Ethan Welborne, offensive lineman Xavier Su'a Filo and safety Craig Bills.

"We're wounded," Timpview coach Louis Wong said. "I don't ever remember being banged up this bad before. But we are not going to use that 'we're injured' as an excuse. We're here and we're still going to be ready to battle."

Being slowed against the Cottonwood offense certainly isn't ideal as the Colts have plenty of weapons. Quarterback Steve Romero is among the state's leaders in passing yards and touchdowns. He finds Alo Moli and Lundquist frequently in the spread passing attack run by Cottonwood. When Romero isn't slinging it around the field, he is handing it off to one of the most prolific runners in state history, Isi Sofele.