Game Details - Football

No. 3 Davis (10-1) looks to end a 16-year semifinal drought when it hosts No. 6 Lone Peak (6-4) in the 6A quarterfinals at 4 p.m. Friday, in a matchup featuring the state's premier passer against a Knights squad bolstered by the return of their starting quarterback. The Darts, whose last semifinal appearance came in 2009, rolled past Bingham 42-21 in the second round behind another stellar performance from quarterback Tradon Bessinger. Davis has won nine straight games since a Week 2 loss to Fremont. Lone Peak, which reached last year's championship game, advanced with a dominant 41-14 victory over Farmington. The Knights received a boost with the return of starting quarterback Kepa Niumeitolu, who played his first game since Sept. 12 after recovering from injury. Niumeitolu showed no signs of rust, completing 14 of 21 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns in his return. Davis features the state's most prolific passing attack, led by Bessinger, who has completed an astounding 75.2% of his passes for 3,978 yards, 50 touchdowns and just two interceptions. The senior signal-caller has four receivers with at least 47 catches, headed by Bode Sparrow (69 receptions, 1,068 yards, 16 TDs) and Jaxton Itaaheau (62 catches, 886 yards, 11 TDs). The Darts complement their aerial assault with running back Makaio Byrd (434 yards, five TDs) and Itaaheau, who adds 292 rushing yards and four scores to his receiving production. Defensively, Davis is led by linebacker Ethan Lockwood (126 tackles, one interception), defensive end Bridger Young (79 tackles, one interception) and defensive lineman Johnny Parker (73 tackles, eight sacks). Lone Peak counters with a defensive unit that has held opponents to 20.9 points per game this season. The Knights upset previously unbeaten Corner Canyon 42-21 earlier this season, showcasing their big-game potential. Niumeitolu's return gives the Knights a significant boost after he had thrown for 560 yards and eight touchdowns in limited action before his injury. His primary target, Jaron Pula, has 49 receptions for 816 yards and 11 touchdowns. Running backs Tate Barney (410 yards, three TDs), Isaac Fonua (281 yards, two TDs) and Sean Tahi (280 yards, three TDs) provide balance to the Knights' attack. While these teams haven't met this season, both have experience against common opponents. American Fork defeated Lone PEak 31-28, while Davis toppled the Cavemen 29-15. Both teams also have victories over Farmington, with Davis winning 21-10 and Lone Peak defeating the Phoenix twice, including last week's playoff game. The winner advances to face either No. 2 Skyridge or No. 7 American Fork in the semifinals at Rice-Eccles Stadium.