High School Football 4A preview: Highland at Pine View
Deseret News
Highland (8-3) at Pine View (9-1)
4A state tournament quarterfinal
Friday, 5 p.m.
Parry's Power Guide: Pine View by 3.5 points
All-time series: 0-0
Coach vs. Coach: First meeting between Highland's Brody Benson and Pine View's Ray Hosner
Last meeting: First meeting
Warmer weather and sunshine. Perhaps a round or two on one of the many outstanding golf courses or some relaxation either by the pool or at a spa, that's what many think of when mentioning a trip to Southern Utah and St. George. But as Highland gets ready to make the trip to face Pine View in the 4A quarterfinals Friday at 5 p.m., those things are far from the minds of the players and coaches.
"It will be a good trip, a fun trip, but the guys understand this isn't a vacation," said Rams coach Brody Benson. "The kids have been really focused in practice, and I think they understand the importance of being prepared and taking care of business."
After back-to-back trips to the 4A championship game in 2005 and '06, the Rams had a disappointing exit to the playoffs in a first-round loss in 2007. Although painful, Benson feels the loss could turn into positive as a good learning experience.
"We kind of exercised some demons with beating Bountiful," he said, "and now we kind of got back a little bit of swagger. The guys know what it is like to win a game like that and we are getting ready for the next step. We want to get back to the turf, that was the goal from the start."
Benson feels for Highland to reach its goal, it will have to limit turnovers and win the battle in the trenches.
"We need to take care of the football, and I think it will boil down to the play on the offensive and defensive lines," added Benson. "We know we have a good defensive line, and we will need them to do their jobs, especially on their quarterback."
That quarterback is Pine View's Justin Ence. The all-everything leader of the offense has had a tremendous year for the Panthers. He has thrown for over 1,000 yards, but his real threat is on the ground. Ence is the second-leading rusher in the state with 1,498 yards on the ground in 10 games.
"For us to win, we need to stop Ence," Benson said. "He is a playmaker and they put a lot of faith in him. If we can stop him, we have a good chance."
Highland does have the players to try to contain Ence, and it all starts up front with Latu Heimuli. The four-star recruit is a beast up front at 6-foot-3 and 296 pounds, but it is more than just his size that the Rams rely on.
"Latu is a smart football player. He makes my life easier," said Benson. "He's been starting since he was a sophomore. Besides being just a really talented player, he is almost like having another coach out there on the field."
This game could come down to which star shines brighter. Obviously, there are more players out on the field, but if Heimuli or Ence establish themselves, it would be a good bet that team will move on.
Highland statistical breakdown
Scoring offense: 27.6 ppg
Scoring defense: 12.6 ppg
Passing leader: Nick Orchard (61-138, 44.2%, 875 yards, 9 TDs)
Rushing leader: Nick Orchard (146 carries, 1,089 yards, 9 TDs); Muli Kinikini (120 carries, 700 yards, 8 TDs)
Receiving leader: Jordan Crayton (16 catches, 205 yards, 1 TD)
Tackles leader: Sam Nielson (81 tackles)
Sacks leader: Muli Kinikini (9 sacks), Latu Heimuli (8 sacks)
Interceptions leader: Zach Baucom (1 interception)
Pine View statistical breakdown
Scoring offense: 36.2 ppg
Scoring defense: 17.9 ppg
Passing leader: Justin Ence (71-139, 51.1%, 1,091 yards, 8 TDs)
Rushing leader: Justin Ence (192 carries, 1,498 yards, 24 TDs)
Receiving leader: Taylor Orr (25 catches, 330 yards, 1 TD)
Tackles leader: Adam Bangerter (142 tackles)
Sacks leader: Adam Bangerter (12 sacks)
Interceptions leader: Not provided
Highland game-by-game results
08/23 ... Mountain Crest 26, Highland 21
08/29 ... Highland 33, American Fork 15
09/05 ... Highland 13, Skyline 9
09/12 ... East 14, Highland 7
09/19 ... Highland 34, Granger 8
09/26 ... Highland 50, Olympus 13
10/03 ... Cottonwood 32, Highland 21
10/10 ... Highland 35, Cyprus 0
10/15 ... Highland 35, West 12
10/23 ... Highland 42, Murray 0
10/31 ... Highland 12, Bountiful 10
Pine View game-by-game results
08/22 ... Pine View 28, Mountain View 6
08/30 ... Pine View 24, Dominguez, Calif. 21
09/05 ... Cottonwood 52, Pine View 23
09/12 ... Pine View 41, Las Vegas, Nev. 13
09/19 ... Pine View 56, Canyon View 6
09/26 ... Pine View 34, Hurricane 28 (2OT)
10/03 ... Pine View 50, Cedar 16
10/10 ... Pine View 28, Dixie 20
10/17 ... Pine View 30, Snow Canyon 3
10/31 ... Pine View 48, Provo 14
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