5A high school football playoffs: Skyline at Syracuse

Skyline (7-3) at Syracuse (7-2)

5A state tournament first round

Friday, 2 p.m.

Parry's Power Guide: Syracuse by 2

All-time series: First meeting

Coach vs. Coach: Skyline's Roger DuPaix leads Syracuse's Russ Jones, 2-0 (met in 2000 and 2001 when Jones was at Viewmont)

Last meeting: First meeting

Syracuse coach Russ Jones hopes that his team's run to the Rice-Eccles turf last season was the starting point of a tradition of contending for region and state championships.

When he looks across the field on Friday to see his opponent in the first round of the 5A playoffs, he'll see the state's best example of doing just that.

Syracuse, Region 1's second-place team, faces Skyline and coach Roger DuPaix in one of the state's most anticipated first-round playoff games this week. The Titans, in just their third year of existence, look primed to contend in Region 1 for the next several years and they don't want to take a step back after last year.

"We'd like to establish some things there as far as getting to the playoffs every year, and challenging for region," Jones said. "It's important that the kids know how to win, and know how we have to work hard in the offseason to do those kinds of things."

Skyline has mastered how to run a football program year-round, but this is the time of year when the Eagles usually thrive. Skyline typically peaks at the end of the season and makes noise in the state playoffs.

"That's happened a couple times, but not every year," DuPaix said. "We just keep working hard. We started out with a young team this season, and we got a lot of youngsters playing for us. After a regular season, it's almost like they have a season behind them. I hope we play well."

Skyline will be facing a Syracuse team that isn't entering the playoffs with much momentum. The Titans lost to Layton in their season finale last week in a game that basically meant nothing in the Region 1 standings and seedings. How Syracuse reacts after losing to the Lancers, 7-3, will be closely watched. Will the Titans go in the tank after the upset loss or be charged up for the playoffs?

"I think we're going to use it to propel ourselves," Jones said. "It was a wake-up call and we'll get rolling. We had a really good practice (on Monday), we'll have a couple more and I know we'll be up for the challenge. We know it's going to be a big one and we'll be ready to roll."