Best of the best clash when East visits Bingham in football's Week 2 slate

SOUTH JORDAN — It’s a game the state of Utah has wanted for a long time — and thanks to a bout of region and classification realignment, Utahns will finally get it.

Powerhouse football programs East and Bingham will square off in a Week 2 clash at 7 p.m. Friday in a heavyweight bout deservingly called the best game of the week.

The Leopards (1-0) are the two-time defending Class 4A state champions, and owners of a 24-game winning streak. The host Miners (1-0) have won three of the past four Class 5A titles, and because of realignment, they now play in the newly created Class 6A.

“This Bingham game has been a long-awaited thing for the state of Utah,” East coach Brandon Matich said. “I’m glad it’s happening. We just feel excited to play the game now; it’s no pressure, less emotion. It’s just exciting to have this game.”

Prior to the move to six classifications, it was difficult for the Miners and Leopards to fill in their non-region skills with bouts against one another. With Bingham’s national schedule and East’s building process, the timing rarely lined up.

Now it does, Bingham coach Rich Lambourne explained.

“It left a lot of openings in our schedule,” he said. “We only have four region games (in 2017) in a five-team league. It left openings, and their (openings) matched up with ours — so here we go.”

Both teams are ranked first and second in 6A, while East ranks No. 20 nationally in the USA Today Super 25 and Bingham comes in at No. 21.

“This doesn’t happen very often,” said Matich, whose team rolled Timpview 42-10 in last week’s season-opener. “This is a new thing. We’re trying to put Utah football on the map, and we’re following in Bingham’s footsteps.

“They’ve done it before. We’re just trying to follow them.”

The Leopards relied on a smothering defense — three interceptions and a pick-six by Bingham transfer Jaylon Vickers, as well as a 123-yard rushing day from Sione Molisi — to pull away from Timpview in the opening week. The Miners pulled away for a 41-14 win over Orem behind a balanced attack that included 160 yards and three touchdowns from running back Braedon Wissler, and an aerial threat powered by BYU commit Brayden Cosper and Dax Milne, the No. 29-rated recruit in Utah by 247 Sports who has offers from Air Force and Weber State, as well as interest from BYU and Utah State.

“Braydon and Dax are awesome,” Lambourne said. “They were terrific for us last year, and even as sophomores. This has been a four-year deal, and what better situation could you be in than to have almost four-year starters? We’re thrilled with those guys: They’ve worked really hard, and they deserve all the recognition they get.”

With all the hype and frivolity surrounding a game between two sides that haven’t gotten along in recent years for a variety of factors, it’s easy to forget that it’s only the second game of the season.

Prep Football Week 1

East overwhelms Timpview with 3 picks in 2017 football opener

Jaylon Vickers traded in last season’s blue uniform of Bingham for the red and white of East High School. <br> And he couldn’t have started off much better in it.

Keep that in mind if things don’t work out perfectly in the first quarter or two of a competitive atmosphere, Lambourne said.

“People have built this up, but it’s also Game 2,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of work still to do, and I’m sure East has a lot of work to do, as well.”

Both teams can change as they begin region play in the coming weeks.

But this also might not be the final meeting between the two powerhouses, either, when the 6A state playoffs begin.

“I think this is Round 1 of 2,” Matich said. “This won’t be the last time we play these guys.

“This is a very good Bingham football team. … It will be a tall feat for us, and our kids know what we’re up against. But we’re going to come ready to compete.”

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