Game Details - Football

Mountain Crest and Uintah meet for the second time this season when the Mustangs host the Utes in Friday's 4A first-round playoff game. The 10th-seeded Mustangs (7-3, 4-3 Region 11) welcome the 23rd-seeded Utes (1-9, 0-5 Region 8) in a rematch of Mountain Crest's 62-8 victory on Aug. 22. That early-season contest saw Mountain Crest quarterback Brayden Larsen throw for five touchdowns, including a 70-yard strike to Kael Olsen, as the Mustangs built a commanding 56-8 halftime lead. Mountain Crest enters the postseason having won six of its last eight games, including a 35-28 victory over Green Canyon in the regular-season finale. The Mustangs' only losses during that stretch came against classification powers Ridgeline (34-10) and Stansbury (28-26), along with a narrow setback to Sky View (10-7). Uintah limps into the playoffs with just one victory — a 15-14 triumph over Union on Sept. 5. The Utes have lost five straight since that win, including a 42-0 defeat to Park City in their regular-season finale. They've been outscored 257-90 in region play, failing to score more than two points in two of their five region contests. The Mustangs' balanced offense is directed by Larsen, who has thrown for 2,102 yards and 26 touchdowns while completing 65.4% of his passes. His favorite targets have been Olsen (37 receptions, 568 yards, nine TDs), Mikah Clements (42 catches, 519 yards, seven TDs) and Kai Passey (39 receptions, 372 yards, five TDs). Mountain Crest's potent ground game is led by Carter Egbert, who has rushed for 744 yards and 10 touchdowns on 103 carries. Larsen adds another dimension with his legs, rushing for 609 yards and seven scores on 97 attempts. Uintah counters with a passing attack split between two quarterbacks. Braxton Hansen has thrown for 929 yards and three touchdowns, while Landon Woods has added 814 yards and six scores. Their primary target is Romeo Garcia, who has hauled in 57 receptions for 730 yards and five touchdowns. Daniel Logan provides another threat with 32 catches for 578 yards and three scores. The Utes' ground game is led by Kache Barney leading the way with 663 yards and two touchdowns on 205 carries. Defensively, Mountain Crest is anchored by Egbert (133 tackles, 10 sacks), Tayton Page (57 tackles) and Huerta (50 tackles, seven sacks). The Mustangs have been dominant on that side of the ball, recording four shutouts this season and holding six opponents to single digits. Uintah's defense features Cayden Young (71 tackles), Brody Chivers (65 tackles) and Oakley Shope (59 tackles, three INTs). Lukas Turner has been a disruptive force with 53 tackles and nine sacks. The winner advances to face seventh-seeded Stansbury in the second round on Oct. 31.