Highland vs. Hunter

I covered the Highland vs. Hunter prep football game tonight at Highland. The Rams won 27-3 and looked good doing it. Hunter didn't impress me at all. To read my game story in the Aug. 29 edition of the Deseret News, click here.

I thought this game would be more competitive, but Highland dominated the line of scrimmage and spent a lot of time in Hunter's backfield. The Wolverines never put together a serious drive.

Highland led 14-0 at halftime. The Rams got the second-half kickoff and, on their first play from scrimmage, fumbled the ball. Hunter recovered and, if they could have moved the ball into the end zone, it might have changed the game.

Hunter didn't. It took the Wolverines eight plays to go 15 yards - and they got five of those via penalty. That's pathetic. They kicked a field goal. Highland got the kickoff and scored a touchdown in five plays. Game over.

So, what will I remember from this game?

* - Highland needed this win. The Rams were demolished 49-28 last week by Mountain Crest, but their defense showed up. How a team goes from giving up 49 points to 3 is ... well ... amazing. High school kids are so impressionable. I hope coaches understand how impressionable they are. That's why it's so important to have a good coach. A bad coach can screw up a kid and affect their future.

* - Hunter beat Kearns 13-0 last week, and that's saying something. Hunter is also known for being a physical team. I didn't see that tonight. You know, when the Jazz don't show up to play a game sometimes, I attribute that to the fact they're all making $6 million a year and they're playing 82 games. In high school, you're playing for pride. I didn't see that tonight from Hunter, and that was disappointing.

* - Highland has a running back named Christopher Lloyd. He's a good running back. He carried the ball just four times tonight, and got nailed for losses twice. The other times, he ran for touchdowns. This seems to be a special kid. I say give him the ball, and let him make plays. Judging from just two games so far this season, that's what he will do.

* - During the game, I met some people while walking the sidelines. I'm not always gawking at the cheerleaders. I met the Highland team photographer (and arranged for him to send me a few photos), the head of the Highland booster club and the school principal. They were talkative. While I was on the Hunter sidelines, nobody said anything. I attribute that to game's outcome.

* - Highland's principal, Paul Schulte, is a man of interest. That's because I know his brother, Chris Schulte. I worked with him years ago at the Salt Lake Tribune. I liked Chris, but he didn't like me. I learned that Chris is the sports editor for the newspaper in Wausau, Wis. He's been divorced twice and is now with his third wife. His kids, whom he loves a lot, I'm sure, live with one of his previous wives in Montana. That has to hurt. Nobody deserves that. I wouldn't trade places with him.

* - Lastly, I stopped at Arby's (across the street from Highland) and they had a deal $5 for 5 Arby's roast-beef sandwiches. I didn't want five sandwiches, but it costs $2.69 for one. So, why not? I bought five. I thought about trying to eat them all, but ... didn't. I have two left in the fridge. Perhaps this means food is more important than football? LOL.

I kept detailed statistics from this game that the media will never print. So, I'll show them here. Here you go:

Hunter 0 0 3 0 - 3
Highland 0 14 7 6 - 27

Highland - Lloyd 3 run (Hicken kick)
Highland - Fakahafua 7 pass from Keller (Hicken kick)
Hunter - FG Jex 23
Highland - Lloyd 58 run (Hicken kick)
Highland - Keller 5 run (kick failed)

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Hunter 8, Highland 17
Rushes-Yards: Hunter 32-83, Highland 38-287
Passing Yards: Hunter 20, Highland 2
Passes: Hunter 4-12-2, Highland 1-7-0
Fumbles-Lost: Hunter 1-1, Highland 2-1
Penalties: Hunter 5-42, Highland 9-105
Punts: Hunter 4-29.8, Highland 3-30.3

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Hunter - Bloomfield 21-79, Tavo 2-13, L. Tanuvasa 3-4, Lunceford6-(-11). Highland - Taufa 12-93, Keller 12-75, Lloyd 4-48, Payne 4-38, Lauti 2-25, Fakahafua 1-12, Coleman 2-(-4).
PASSING: Hunter - Lunceford 4-12-2-20. Highland - Keller 1-7-0-2.
RECEIVING: Hunter - Pulu 1-8, Davidson 1-7, L. Tanuvasa 1-4, Tavo 1-1. Highland - Fakahafua 1-2.

* -

Game 1 - Hillcrest vs. Olympus

The high school football season started in Utah today, even though temperatures were near 100 degrees at kickoff. I was given the opportunity to cover the Hillcrest-Olympus game, and I was happy to get it.

I figured this would be a close game between two rebuilding schools. Hillcrest, of course, is always rebuilding. Olympus has a new coach and not much was known about how much different the Titans would be from previous years.

I got a chance to meet Oly's new coach - Mike Smith. I've talked to him on the telephone before regarding other matters (he teaches a sports marketing class at Olympus). I also heard he had a hot-shot running back as an adoped son - Terry Isaia.

It was a great game, and Olympus ended up winning 10-7. The game went right down to the wire. Both teams could have pulled it out, although Olympus probably deserved it more, based on the fact that its offense could move the ball more easily and that Hillcrest turned the ball over three times.

However, Olympus failed three times on fourth downs. The biggest one came with less than two minutes left, when the Titans tried tried a fake punt on its own 29 yard-line, and Hillcrest stuffed it. Personally, I thought it was a great call because it was one play where Olympus had a chance to win the game. Hillcrest coach Kirk Merhish said it should have cost Oly the game.

Turns out, both guys are right. Oly won the game, but it could have gone either way. I was at the game, and you can read my game story by clicking here.

I thought this was a good article. It was a lot better than the season-opening story I wrote last year. The Salt Lake Tribune reporter was there, too, and I read his article. He looked like a decent guy, but it's funny how are statistics were different. I've learned that, with my background, I trust my stats more than anyone else.

Anyone who knows me recalls the time I started keeping statistics for KBOI Radio (the Voice of the BSU Broncos) starting in seventh grade, and then I was BSU's official statistician for football and basketball through high school. I also worked in the University of Idaho's sports information office for over four years. Lastly, I've covered prep sports for ... good God ... it's been a long time.

Anyway, it was great to be on the field again. If you want to see my game stats, they're lower on this blog. But here are a few things I noticed at the game:

* - Olympus QB was Spencer Harris, who started all season last year and did a great job. But coach Smith brought in a sophomore - Scott Porter - in the first quarter and he did well until he was injured in a jarring tackle. Porter should be OK. Coach Smith said he didn't bring him back into the game as a "precautionary measure." We really didn't see all Porter's talents, but they have to be there. There's no way coach Smith would have put him in otherwise. I mean, why would you replace your senior starter for a sophomore? Coach Smith knows more than we do.

* - Hillcrest has a good home-field advantage. The Huskies were on the west side of the field and in the shade, while Oly was baking in the sun. Temperature at game time had to be in the mid-90s or more.

* - Hillcrest may never develop into a winning program, simply because it doesn't have enough players. They're gamers, though, and put up a tough fight. They just need a few more quality kids. The Huskies had a chance to win this one, but their top players need to make the plays. Bridger Dallimore is a gutsy kid, but he couldn't come up with a TD pass and then the pass intended for him late in the game was intercepted by Oly sophomore Cole Benson. Guys like Dallimore have to make those plays.

* - Terry Isaia is a tough runner for Olympus, and I'm sure Skyline will look at the tape of this game and the coaches will scratch their heads. He's a good-sized kid and a bruising runner. He also has game-breaking speed. He ran for 124 yards in this game, but didn't really have a long run. Hillcrest also frustrated him at times, and he showed he might have a temper. Oly can't afford to have him booted from a game.

* - I'd say the difference-maker in this game, though, was Spencer Harris. In the second half, he carried the ball 18 times and allowed Oly to dominate the time of possession. Last year, he threw the ball a lot, but this year's team is different and he won it with his running.

* - Hillcrest didn't show much on offense. Its quarterback - Tanner Kemp - is decent, but he does not have a fluid throwing motion. He takes too long to throw it. He had a nice game against Oly, though, and his only interception was a nicely thrown pass that the Oly kid made a nice play. Hillcrest just couldn't run it.

* - Oly didn't turn the ball over, while Hillcrest lost it three times (two fumbles, and an interception). Dallimore also caught a pass in the third quarter and was tackled at his own 10 yard-line. While struggling for more yardage, he coughed it up but the referee ruled he was down. I was right there, and the official could have ruled it either way. From the way he acted, I think Dallimore thought he fumbled. A turnover there would have given the ball to Oly in the "red zone." Hmmm, based on my comments I don't want to be too tough on Dallimore. He's a talented player, and will have better games.

* - Coach Merhish's son is Nick (Merhish). He's a strong kid and a great linebacker. I wish I could have seen the defensive stats because he was all over the field. He played running back a couple of times, too. He has the potential to earn a college scholarship, perhaps at a JC or small school. I think Hillcrest's eventual record may limit him, but he can play.

GAME STATISTICS

Olympus 7 0 0 3 - 10
Hillcrest 7 0 0 0 - 7

TEAM

First downs - Olympus 17, Hillcrest 8
Rushes-yards - Olympus 52-301, Hillcrest 21-31.
Passing yards - Olympus 59, Hillcrest 155
Passes - Olympus 7-14-0, Hillcrest 11-17-1
Total offense - Olympus 66 plays, 360 yards; Hillcrest 38 plays, 186 yards
Fumbles-lost - Olympus 2-0, Hillcrest 4-2
Penalties - Olympus 7-62, Hillcrest 4-25
Punts - Olympus 2-39.0 avg., Hillcrest 4-26.8 avg.

INDIVIDUAL

RUSHING: Olympus, Isiah 22-124, Harris 20-99, Lignell 3-59, Porter 3-8, Sonntag 1-8, Hendriks 1-6, Kacinski 1-0, Young 1-(-3). Hillcrest, Pecht 4-12, Merhish 4-7, Kranz 2-6, Li 3-5, Thompson 2-3, Kemp 2-0.
PASSING: Olympus, Harris 6-13-0-49 yds, Porter 1-1-0-10 yds. Hillcrest, Kemp 10-17-1-155 yds.
RECEIVING: Olympus, Johnson 3-27, Young 2-27, Isaia 2-5. Hillcrest, D. Thompson 1-61, Dallimore 4-49, Li 3-26, A. Thompson 2-19.

-END OF TRANSMISSION-

Brighton Does It Again

It has been a month since I last updated my blog. I've been busy, putting out programs, dealing with difficult printers, trying to keep my website up to date, publishing game programs and trying to see where this business is going.

It is going. That's for sure. This is a great time of the year, and I need to spend more time at games because that's the exciting place to be.

Tonight, I was at Brighton High School, watching the Bengals take on Skyline in a boys basketball game. I've wanted to see Skyline play for a long time, and this was a great opportunity. I also figured Rick Osterloh would be there. Skyline's top player is Ryan Osterloh and Rick is his dad. I have talked to him on the phone several times, and he has helped me in a few situations.

I delivered game programs to Brighton during the mid-afternoon and, while stopping by, I saw that someone had decorated this window in one of the entry doors to the gym. Ironically, Brighton's maintenance crew had cleaned the window by game time.

Brighton won 59-53. I expected Skyline to win this game because Brighton is playing without its leading scorer - Corbin Miller - who is likely out for the season due to an injury. Turns out the Bengals are playing better than ever.

Skyline started quickly, jumping to a 16-4 first-quarter lead. The Eagles had plenty of fans and they got into it with the Brighton cheering section, and it added to the atmosphere. Both teams were class acts. There was one time where the Skyline cheering section over-applauded the Brighton drill team.

I also noticed that, while Brighton's head coach is Lyndon Johnson, he has plenty of help. Sometimes, it was difficult to tell who was the head coach and who were the assistants. I guess coach Johnson understands he had good help around him. I doubt if Brighton gets outcoached too often by its opponents.

So, here were some other highlights (from my perspective):

* - I didn't see a state championship team. I was more impressed with Brighton because the Bengals got more output from several different players than Skyline.

* - Brighton forward Sam Wanderli has an uncanny ability to get rebounds. He had 11 tonight. Wunderli is 6-4, but he can leap and he is often in the right place at the right time.

* - Skyline's Kevin Wagstaff is fun to watch. He was the QB on the football team. On the basketball court, he never sits still. I'll bet the guy covered 20 miles, and he never showed signs of being tired. He led the team with 23 points, too. I'd hate to see where Skyline would be without him.

* - The player of the game was Austin Hudson. Brighton's 6-6 forward is only a sophomore, but he had 13 points and six rebounds, and he hit some big shots. Brighton needed a guy to step up and Hudson did that.

* - Fouls played a big role in the game. Brighton's Will Cannon played maybe 10 minutes and picked up five fouls. I almost felt sorry for the guy. Some nights are like that. Cannon could have sulked, but he came back in the fourth quarter and scored five points, including a three-pointer.

* - Ryan Osterloh only had six points. He is apparently not a "take charge" guy on the court. He lets the game come to him, and it didn't reach him much this time. He had foul trouble, too. He hit just one three-pointer, but it's apparent he has a sweet shot. I'd love to watch him when he gets hot.

* - What was the difference in this game? Brighton couldn't shoot, but the Bengals could rebound. The outrebounded Skyline 33-23, and also made it to the free-throw line a lot more.

I kept detailed statistics at the game. Here is my box score:

Skyline 16 15 13 9 - 53
Brighton 6 21 11 21 - 59

SKYLINE (53) - Wagstaff 9-18 1-2 23, R. Osterloh 2-7 1-2 6, Taylor 5-7 2-2 14, Judkins 0-2 2-2 2, J. Osterloh 0-1 1-2 1, Orr 1-1 0-0 3, Weixler 2-5 0-2 4. Totals: 19-42 7-12 53.

BRIGHTON (59) - Richards 1-3 4-4 7, Newell 0-5 1-2 1, Cannon 1-4 2-2 5, Felix 0-2 0-0 0, Masina 0-0 2-2 2, Wertz 0-3 0-0 0, Wunderli 2-8 7-8 12, Lotulelei 4-8 3-4 13, Ricketts 1-2 0-0 2, Hudson 3-4 5-8 11, Barker 3-7 0-0 6. Totals: 15-46 24-30 59.

Total fouls: Skyline 22, Brighton 17. Fouled out: Judkins (Skyline), Cannon, Ricketts (Brighton). Rebounds: Brighton 33 (Wunderli 11), Skyline 23 (Weixler 8). Turnovers: Skyline 11, Brighton 9. Three-point goals: Skyline 8-18 (Wagstaff 4, Taylor 2, R. Osterloh, Orr). Brighton 5-18 (Lotulelei 2, Wunderli, Cannon, Richards).

Olympus Buries Highland With Threes

We're in the middle of the Utah prep basketball season now, and watching hoops is a great way to escape the doldrums of January.

I'm not a skier anymore, so prep sports has become my passion at this time of year. I like to follow - in particular - the schools in Region 6 because they are often so competitive.

Tonight I watched the Olympus at Highland game. I went there for a couple of reasons:

* - Recently, I met Tony Parks, who is the best PA announcer in the valley, and I wanted to see him in action.
* - I wanted to meet with Highland football coach Brody Benson on a particular matter.
* - I had heard that Highland had one of the best home-court advantages in the valley, mostly because their fans really get into it. I found that to be true.

It's the students ... really. Highland has good student involvement at its football games. It also has a band - at least it did for a portion of the first quarter. Those kinds of things really help a basketball team get wins on its home court.

Olympus won the game 51-35. Will Watkins and Corbin Green scored 13 points apiece as the Titans built a lead in the second quarter and never let Highland within six points.

Highland's problem was that it couldn't shoot. The Rams were 14-50 from the field (28%), and were particularly bad from three-point range (2-18).

Highland's coach is Keith West, and I like him. He preaches defense. The Rams are among the state's best in that category, and they force opponents to change their game. The Rams also had a 35-23 rebound advantage, so they got second chances on some of their missed shots.

For Olympus, the Titans couldn't find an inside scoring threat, but they have at least a half a dozen players who are comfortable shooting the three-pointer. Watkins was 3-3 from three-point land. Green, Connor Brady, Nick Paulos and Spencer Harris also canned long shots.

Last year, Spencer Hille was the top scorer but he is not the main player in this year's offense. Hille also seems to have a temper that he needs to control. I don't think he has found his niche on this year's team. When he does, this team will be tough to beat.

Green was funny. He's a big kid who can score inside and shoot the three-pointer. He didn't get a break on this night. He had foul troubles, although it wasn't his fault. When he got nailed with his second foul, the referees made a mistake and called it on him when the foul should have gone to another player. He sat out most of the second quarter. Still, he came back to nail a bunch of free throws in the second half and he played a decisive role in the outcome.

I figure Oly will challenge West for the Region 6 title. Highland might be lucky to earn a post-season berth. It needs to find someone who can score. Spenser Bowen, Taylor Brightwell or Jordan Crayton would be good candidates. We'll see what happens.

The next morning, I discovered there was a Deseret News reporter at the game - John Coon. I read his story, and he did a nice job. The mark of a good reporter is one who tells you things you didn't know, even if you were at the game. John did that here. I should have introduced myself to him. Oh well. Maybe next time.

While at the game, I kept detailed statistics. Here they are:

Olympus 14 12 8 17 - 51
Highland 12 4 8 11 - 35

OLYMPUS (51) - Hille 1-3 1-3 3, Bourne 0-3 2-4 2, Watkins 4-6 2-2 13, Green 1-5 10-13 13, Brady 2-5 0-0 6, Paulos 2-4 1-2 7, Harris 2-2 0-0 5, Spafford 0-0 2-2 2. Totals: 12-28 18-26 51.

HIGHLAND (35) - Bowen 1-7 0-0 3, Brightwell 3-9 0-0 7, Orchard 1-7 2-2 4, Crayton 1-4 0-0 2, Heimuli 4-6 1-2 9, Angstman 0-1 0-0 0, Jensen 3-7 0-0 6, Fakahafua 1-8 2-2 4. Totals 14-50 5-6 35.

Total fouls: Highland 17, Olympus 10. Fouled out: none. 3-point goals: Olympus 9-16 (Watkins 3, Brady 2, Paulos 2, Harris, Green). Highland 2-18 (Bowen, Brightwell). Rebounds: Olympus 23 (Green, Brady 4), Highland 35 (Heimuli 13). Turnovers: Olympus 11, Highland 12.

Is Granger for real?

On Friday night, I noticed that the Granger Lancers upset the Jordan Beetdiggers in the first round of Jordan's "holiday" tournament. That struck me as the biggest upset of the day.

I like upsets. It makes sports interesting. That's why I closely monitor the NCAA basketball tournament and I relish watching games like Boise State-Oklahoma. It's nice when the little guy wins once in a while.

I went to Jordan the next day because I wanted to see if Granger was for real. I watched the end of the Lehi-Jordan game, and then all of the Granger-Riverton contest, which was to be for the tournament championship.

Here are some things I noticed:

* - The guy who runs the show for Lehi is Jacob Obiamo. I would like to see Lehi be successful because the deck seems stacked against them in Region 4. The Pioneers had a tough football season, and it's great to see them win. Without Obiamo, they wouldn't be. He ran the offense and, in the final seconds, he was the guy with the ball. He made some nice moves, then flipped it to his center for a layup and the 60-58 victory.

* - Granger was a disappointment. The Lancers don't know how to play team basketball. They have a lot of athletic ability, but Riverton schooled them. The Silverwolves are 8-0 because they play team ball. Granger's first four shots were from three-point land. They ran plays only after timeouts. Then it back to playing one-on-one basketball. Tre Musgrow is about the only guy who can do that with any success.

* - One of Granger's other good players - T.J. Tapusoa - was given a lesson. It's questionable whether he learned it or not. Tapusoa hit the game-winning three-pointer to beat Jordan the night before. Against Riverton, he hit another three to start the game, but then it went to his head. As the clock was winding down in the first quarter, he got the ball. He tried to dazzle the crowd with his dribbling, then he went for the shot. Everyone knew it, including Riverton. Three guys converged on him and his shot was blocked. There might have been a foul, but it doesn't matter. Tapusoa got upset, and got a technical. He sat on the bench for several minutes of the second quarter. When he got into the game again, he was whistled for a foul and mouthed off to the ref (again). He was ejected.

* - Granger needs to sit down and watch "Hoosiers." Granger could win Region 6, or finish last. It's up to them. Play the game like it's supposed to be played guys, and you will be successful. Riverton won 55-35.

* - The fan support for the games I watched was dismal. Jordan has a beautiful gym, but the thing I noticed the most was the lack of student support. During the Riverton-Granger game, I noticed six Riverton students making noise. That's all. But I didn't see any Granger students. Maybe they were there, but they were silent.

* - What's the story with the Jordan holiday tournament? What's the purpose of it? I like the idea of holiday tournaments, but it's missing something. It's missing student support, of course. I'd like to talk to Jordan athletic director Marc Hunter and see what can be done to make it better.

* - Riverton's Scott Friel is fun to watch. He's a good, but not great, player who just does everything to help his team win. He was the tourney's MVP, and he deserved it. He has the size and skills to help his team. He's the primary reason Riverton is 8-0.

Since I was at the game, I kept detailed statistics. Here is my box score:

Granger 5 12 6 12 - 35
Riverton 13 15 11 16 - 55

GRANGER (55) - Thorup 0-3 0-0 0, Musgrow 2-9 8-12 12, Scott 1-5 2-3 5, Tapusoa 2-5 0-0 5, Koyom 1-8 1-2 3, Ulugia 0-1 3-4 3, Caputo 1-2 90-0 2, Algic 1-1 0-2 3, Daniels 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 9-35 14-23 35.

RIVERTON (55) - M. Trujillo 1-3 4-4 7, Friel 5-10 1-1 11, Neilson 2-5 4-6 8, Valdez 0-1 3-4 3, Thomas 3-8 0-1 6, Gunderstrup 4-6 1-1 9, Tanner 2-2 2-4 6, A. Trujillo 0-1 1-2 1, Peterson 1-1 0-0 3, Gamblin 1-1 0-1 2. Totals: 19-38 15-22 55.

Total fouls: Granger 17, Riverton 16. Fouled out: None. Technicals: Tapusoa 2 (ejected). Rebounds: Riverton 30 (Friel, Thomas 7). Granger 24 (Koyom 7, Thorup 6). 3-point shots: Granger 3-9 (Scott, Tapusoa, Algic), Riverton 2-6 (M. Trujillo, Peterson). Turnovers: Granger 16, Riverton 13.

West Jordan-Brighton game recap

I try to attend as many high school sporting events as possible. This weekend, I chose to go to the West Jordan vs. Brighton basketball game?

Why? The Deseret News has West Jordan ranked No. 1 among 5A schools. Also, I view Brighton as an up-and-coming team, even though the Bengals are in last place in their region.

It was a great game. It was a good atmmosphere. West Jordan had its gym "open." The facility itself is huge. It has three basketball courts. They can close them off, but they didn't Friday night. It's a great facility, and eliminates the scheduling problem of all the groups that need gym time.

West Jordan beat Brighton 58-49. Jordan Weirick scored 21 points, and he and D.J. Tialavea controlled the rebounds in the second half as the Jaguars rallied for the victory.

Brighton jumped on the Jags early in the game, taking an 18-10 first-quarter lead and 33-25 at halftime. At the start of the third quarter, West Jordan got back into it, tying it 40-40 and never looking back.

Here are some things I noticed:

* - West Jordan may be No. 1 by the Deseret News, but have a ways to go. Brighton outplayed the Jags in the first half with crisp passing. The Bengals hit 14-25 shots in the first half, primarily due to its passing.

* - West Jordan played like a championship team in the second half. Weirick was a star on both offense and defense, but the real key might have been Reyes Gallegos. He had an "off" night offensively, only scoring 10 points. But he had to guard Brighton's Corbin Miller. The sophomore guard hit three treys in the first half, but then Gallegos pressured him into moving further away in the second half, and he was never the same.

* - Early in the second half, Miller threw up an air ball from way past the three-point line. The Jaguars' fans really got on him, and I think that made a difference. He was not the same player. Miller may eventually become all-state, but if he wants the attention, he has to accept what might happen. Gallegos won this battle.

* - Where were the Brighton fans? The only noise I heard - and I was sitting in the Brighton cheering section - was from the home (West Jordan) crowd. Even though you're in an opponents gym, you can still cheer for your team. I also saw few Brighton students ... only adults.

* - West Jordan has four great players - Weirich, Gallegos and potentially Tyler Holt and Mason Sawyer. Tialavea can rebound, but he doesn't seem to understand the game. Who does West Jordan go to when they need points? Weirich had 21 points, and Gallegos took control a few times ... but there didn't seem to be a clear leader.

* - Sam Wunderli is Brighton's best player. He scored 15 points and had nine rebounds on this night, and was a pleasure to watch. He was always in the middle of things. Miller has potential (he had four three-pointers for 12 points), but he's the only outside threat. Brighton's point guard, Neil Richards, is not a scorer, and that means both opponent guard can focus on Miller on the perimeter. Someone ... and someone big (like perhaps Moses Lotulelei) needs to come outside and set screens for Miller, so he can score. Miller can potentially change games with his shooting. The kid is for real.

I was able to keep detailed statistics during the game. Here they are:

Brighton 18 15 9 7 - 49
West Jordan 10 15 22 11 - 58

BRIGHTON (49) - Richards 0-1 0-0 0, Cannon 3-10 2-8 8, Miller 4-12 0-0 12, Wunderli 7-11 1-2 15, Ricketts 2-3 0-0 4, Hudson 2-2 0-0 4, Lotulelei 2-2 0-1 4, Barker 1-4 0-0 2, Masina 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-45 3-11 49.

WEST JORDAN (58) - Sawyer 2-13 2-2 7, Weirick 7-12 6-6 21, Holt 5-6 1-2 11, Gallegos 3-8 2-4 10, Udy 2-7 0-0 4, Tialavea 2-3 0-0 4, Herrin 0-1 0-0 0, Knighton 0-1 0-0 0, Ashton 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-51 12-16 58.

Total fouls: Brighton 19, West Jordan 12. Fouled out: None. Three-point shooting: Brighton 4-13 (Miller 4), West Jordan 4-10 (Gallegos 2, Weirick, Sawyer). Rebounds: Brighton 30 (Wunderli 9), West Jordan 33 (Tialavea 9, Weirick 8). Turnovers: Brighton 17, West Jordan 18.

Cottonwood-Hillcrest great game recap

I attended the Cottonwood vs. Hillcrest basketball game last night. The reason? It was at Cottonwood, which was a convenient location, and this game is a good rivalry on the hardwood.

I wanted to go to a game that involved both schools where I handle game programs. I also felt the local media would not cover it (it wasn't a marquee game on the schedule), and it turns out I was correct.

It was a great game, too. Hillcrest won 55-50. There was a near melee with 6:03 left in the game, and Cottonwood's Alo Moli and an assistant coach were ejected.

Frankly, I agreed with the referee's decision. Moli and Hillcrest's Kyle Maughan got tangled up on a rebound and Moli seemed to take Maughan down. He also swung one of his arms, which could be viewed as a punch. One of the players - Maughan or Moli - was also grabbing the other's uniform and that contributed to both players hitting the floor.

I can't really fault the Cottonwood assistant. He ran out onto the court to get two of his players away from the melee. He never contributed to the incident, and was only trying to help end it. After Moli and Maughan went down, the referees blew their whistles and were trying to separate them. At the same time, players were running toward the scene and it could have been violent.

The game was close, and both teams were feeling the pressure. Hillcrest might also have become a bit frustrated because Cottonwood had the momentum - and the lead - at the same. Hillcrest had led most of the game.

I was sitting above the Cottonwood bench at the time, and the Colts coach - Dave McConnell - knew immediately that his assistant would be ejected. He confronted his assistant immediately and informed him that he was not allowed to the leave the bench area, regardless of what happened the court.

The result? Moli and the assistant was ejected. Moli was also given a flagrant foul. Unlike the assistant, though, he stayed on the bench. Moli is a gifted athlete, but was not a factor in this game. He never got a chance after the melee. I hope he learned his lesson.

Maughan went to the line and hit 1-of-2 free throws. The Huskies then got four more free shots (for the technical on Moli and the assistant) and Jeremy Ulrich nailed all of them.

Hillcrest then got the ball back and hit a basket, which turned into a 38-31 lead, which they never relinquished.

It's sad that the memory of this game will be that near-melee. At least the fans stayed in their places. Cottonwood principal Garett Muse, who was still dressed in a suit, and assistant principal Mitch Nerdin stayed in front of the Colts' loudest fans to make sure they didn't leave their spot.

Additional police were called, and they were placed near the Hillcrest fans, but they weren't needed. This matter DID NOT get out of hand. The referees handled it well, as did the Cottonwood hierarchy.

After about a 10-minute delay, the game restarted and was very entertaining. It was a good win for Hillcrest.

I have to congratulate both coaches. They showed their smarts in this game.

* - For Cottonwood, coach McConnell recognized early that Hillcrest was slowing the game and that would not benefit his team. The score was just 6-5 late in the first quarter. He sped it up by extending his defense to midcourt, then put in full-court pressure. Hillcrest didn't handle it well many times and it resulted in 26 turnovers.

* - For Hillcrest, coach Brad Tingey recognized McConnell's move and placed his best player, Maughan, on the perimeter (inside of down low), so his guards had a player who could catch a pass, break the press and take pressure off the guards. Tingey also called key timeouts late in the game when Hillcrest was having trouble breaking the press. That likely prevented two turnovers and additional Cottonwood points. I believe the Huskies score after each case, too.

In the last month, I have developed a new statistical sheet and I put it to use for the first time Friday night. Here are my unofficial statistics, but everything adds up correctly.

Hillcrest 6 15 11 23 - 55
Cottonwood 8 11 12 19 - 50

HILLCREST (55) - Dallimore 1-5 6-10 8, Maughan 4-5 10-17 18, Jackson 2-5 0-0 5, Blackmore 1-5 3-4 5, Jongejan 1-4 0-0 2, Ulrich 2-4 6-6 12, Lao 1-4 2-4 4. Totals 12-32 28-43 55.

COTTONWOOD (50) - Glen 0-2 1-4 1, Chavez 4-9 2-2 13, Lundquist 1-3 2-3 4, Nelson 4-9 0-0 8, Moli 1-4 2-4 4, Lundquist 1-2 0-0 2, Reynolds 3-7 4-6 10, Baricic 1-3 0-2 2, Ziegler 3-3 0-0 6. Totals 18-42 11-21 50.

Total fouls: Hillcrest 16, Cottonwood 25. Fouled out: Reynolds. Rebounds: Hillcrest 31 (Lao 9, Blackmore 8), Cottonwood 24 (Komenda 5). Turnovers: Hillcrest 26, Cottonwood 19. 3-point shooting: Hillcrest 3-10 (Ulrich 2, Jackson). Cottonwood 3-12 (Chavez 3).