OCR Text |
Show Annual State Tourney Poised, Ready To Start By DAVE WIGHAM After ten weeks of games and practices the top eight teams, supposedly, in the 4A ranks start what is known as the annual State Tournament to determine the football kingpin king-pin for another year. I SAY supposedly because who is to say or know that the second place team from one region is better than the fourth place team from another region The first games, or the quarterfinals, pit some of the heavies against each other right away. This makes it interesting for the fans but murder for the coaches. ON THURSDAY the tournament tour-nament gets under way with Region Four champion Provo taking on Region Two runner-up runner-up Laytonat 11 a.m. Following that game Region One winner Roy takes on Region Three second place team West. The Panthers are defending champion cham-pion and don't intend to give up that title. Then on Friday at 11 a.m. Region Two champion Clearfield Clear-field battles Bonneville from Region One. The last quarterfinal quarter-final could be the best game of the tournament pits Region Three champion Skyline against Region Four runner-up runner-up Granger. SKYLINE has been ranked first all year with the Lancers from Granger right behind them. The Layton versus Provo matchup will pit two teams that know relatively nothing about each other. The Bulldogs Bull-dogs won their Region by downing previously unbeaten Granger so they have to have a good squad. THE LAYTON team has been up and down all year but if Curtis Page is in full stride then the Lancers have a shot, but if Provo stops Page, then they should walk away with the game. Rate Provo the favorite. Roy High made it to the semi-finals last year and were embarrassedby Bountiful, this year the Royals are back and want to take the whole ball of wax. With quarterback Jim Machanon they just might do it. First obstacle in the Royals way however is a big one in West High. THE PANTHERS have only lost one game this year, 10-7 against Skyline, but their quarterback Danny Mangum didn't play in that one. On tradition the West squad would have to be favored in this game and in the tournament, tour-nament, Coach Gene Plaga is used to the atmosphere of the games. So are his troops. They won't make many mistakes in their games. FRIDAY'S games start with Clearfield taking on Bonneville. These two clubs met in pre-season with the Lakers coming out on top but sometimes that can work to a teams disadvantage. Last year Roy beat Bountiful in preseason pre-season so when they met the second time Bountiful was mad and Roy was over confident. con-fident. Clearfield with Johnson and Richeson are going to surprise a lot of people before this tournament tour-nament is over, favor the Falcons Fal-cons in this opener. THE LAST contest for the .quarterfinal will probably be the best of the bunch. It's al- most a shame that Granger and Skyline have to play each other in the first round, but they do. Granger is known for their explosive and imaginative offense. of-fense. When they have the bal I , look for them to run anything and everything at the Eagles. Skyline on the other hand, likes to run the ball right at you and physically beat a team. A REPORTER would have to be crazy to try and pick this one. I'm crazy, but I like Granger. Next week we'll look at the semi-final games and see who many of my picks are in there. |