GAME PREVIEW CAPSULE
Hurricane (6-0, 3-0) at Pine View 3-3, 1-2)
Previous Meeting: Hurricane 35, Pine View 21 (Sept. 30, 2011 at Hurricane)
TIGERS
Classification: 3A, Region 9
Coach: Chris Homer (11th year, 82-42 overall)
Offense: Wing-T
Last week: Beat Snow Canyon 38-7
Players to watch: LB/TE Andy Perkins is a coaches’ favorite, working his tail off for the Tigers on defense (inside LB) and on offense (averaging 17 yards catch). RB Jared Edwards is almost impossible to stop in goal line situations. He has 16 touchdowns this year, nearly three per game. Pine View’s line is big, so QB Zac Prince may have to throw the ball a bit this week to keep the Panthers off-balance.
PPG: 32.3
PAPG: 17.7
Team stats: http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/high-school-sports/mens-football/hurricane-stats
Trend: Snow Canyon had been playing well before the Tigers dismantled them. Dixie was unstoppable and Hurricane stopped the Flyers. West Jordan, Skyline and Legacy all thought they had a chance, too, but the Tigers just keep passing every test.
That’s what makes them champions.
PANTHERS
Classification: 3A, Region 9
Coach: Ray Hosner (12th year, 97-36 overall)
Offense: I-back and spread
Last week: Beat Cedar 42-21
Players to watch: Why should RB Prentiss Miller be happy that QB Kody Wilstead is back flinging the ball? After all, Miller gets less touches now. The answer is simple: With Wilstead throwing the ball and stretching the D, teams can no longer load the box with nine guys. Miller had 178 yards rushing last week to complement Wilstead’s 274 passing. Eight different receivers caught balls in the rout of Cedar, including TDs by Colton Miller, Gage Afatasi, Cameron Hughes and Bladen Hosner.
PPG: 25.2
PAPG: 23.2
Team stats: http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/high-school-sports/mens-football/pine-view-stats
Trend: Wilstead showed he is back to near full strength and Miller is still a huge threat, which makes Pine View very difficult to prepare for. Plus, the use of so many different receivers makes it hard to key on one guy. Pine View did have four turnovers against Cedar, which didn’t hurt the Panthers too bad. But against Hurricane, that will cost Pine View the game.
GAME OUTLOOK
Make no mistake, this is a rivalry game. Hurricane has won this match-up three times in a row, but the battles are always fierce. In 2008 and 2009 the games went to double-overtime and ended in identical 34-28 scores, with PV taking the ’08 game and Hurricane taking the’09 contest. We expect tonight’s game to be very much like those. Plus, the region’s top three running backs will be in action in Edwards, Miller and Adam Thompson.
STGnews PREDICTION
Andy Griffin (26-4) — Hurricane
Jeff Ames (25-5) — Hurricane
Region 9 standings: http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/high-school-sports/mens-football-standings
Region 9 leaders: http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/high-school-sports/mens-football-leaders