Skyline takes a seven-game winning streak into its first state semifinal since 2008 when the No. 6 Eagles (9-3) face No. 2 Hurricane (11-1) at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at the University of Utah.

Parry's Power Guide favors Hurricane by eight points, according to the Deseret News. The Eagles are underdogs. Their season says they don't mind.

How Skyline got here

The Eagles lost three nonregion games early: to 4A Stansbury, to 6A quarterfinalist Lone Peak and to 6A semifinalist Skyridge. They haven't lost since. They won the Region 10 title outright at 6-0, outscoring region opponents 307-61. It was Skyline's first region crown, outright or shared, since 2012, according to the Millcreek Journal.

The quarterfinal win on Nov. 6 against Provo showed what this team is made of. Provo took the lead early in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard run. Quarterback Tate Johnson answered with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Will Black. With two seconds left, Josh Pinnock kicked a 40-yard field goal to win it 23-20.

Skyline's weapons

Johnson has thrown for 2,108 yards and 17 touchdowns on a 65% completion rate. He has also run for eight touchdowns. The concern: 12 interceptions.

Jonah Mailei has rushed for 1,023 yards and nine touchdowns, including five scores against Pine View in the first round. Judah Valle has 14 total touchdowns: nine rushing, three receiving and two on returns. Will Finau averages 22.4 yards per catch with eight touchdown receptions.

Skyline averages 35 points per game, eighth in 4A.

The defense creates the most big plays. The Eagles have 16 interceptions and five defensive touchdowns, plus four more scores on returns. Liam Whitworth leads with four interceptions and a defensive touchdown. Aniti Paiva and David Campbell each have five sacks, and Campbell has scored on defense. Adam Fredrick has three interceptions.

What Hurricane brings

The Tigers run the ball at nearly 8 yards per carry with 45 rushing touchdowns. Titan Borchardt has 1,342 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns at 10.5 yards per carry. He is also the leading receiver with 557 yards and 22 total touchdowns.

Quarterback Kannon Cowan, coach Jerry Cowan's son, has rushed for 870 yards and 11 touchdowns and thrown for 1,398 yards and 16 touchdowns with only four interceptions. When he throws, it tends to go deep: 17.5 yards per completion. He also plays defense, with two interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.

Hurricane allows 14.6 points per game, second in 4A. Tanner Matua has 11 sacks. Russ Ellison has 85 tackles and six sacks. The defense has 33 sacks total.

Hurricane's only loss was 28-27 at Snow Canyon on Oct. 2. The Tigers have won four straight since.

The matchup to watch

Both teams played Murray and Pine View this season. Skyline won those games by wider margins: 41-7 over Murray (Hurricane won 49-21) and 49-19 over Pine View in the first round (Hurricane won 38-21).

To win, Skyline has to slow that rushing attack and protect the ball. Hurricane's vulnerability showed in the quarterfinals: the Tigers led Salem Hills 21-0 going into the fourth quarter, then allowed 21 straight points before surviving 29-28 in overtime on a two-point conversion by Drake Gines.

Skyline's defense and return game can score quickly. That is exactly the kind of opponent that gave Hurricane trouble.

First-year coach, historic run

Head coach Brandon Matich spent 15 seasons at East High, compiling a 138-60 record and winning two state titles in 2015 and 2016, according to the Millcreek Journal. He stepped down in June 2025 to address medical concerns. He started his coaching career at Skyline in 1997 as a linebackers coach under Hall of Fame head coach Roger DuPaix.

Matich has the program one win from its first title game since its 2005 championship, according to the Deseret News.

The winner plays the Ridgeline-Crimson Cliffs winner for the 4A title. No. 1 Ridgeline (12-0) and No. 5 Crimson Cliffs (9-2) play their semifinal Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m., also at the University of Utah.