Two area football teams take the field Friday in 6A quarterfinal matchups that could send them to the state semifinals.

Top-seeded Skyridge (9-1) hosts No. 8 American Fork (7-4) at 6 p.m. in Lehi. Across the valley, No. 7 Lone Peak (6-5) travels to No. 2 Mountain Ridge (11-0) in Herriman at the same time. Both games were previewed by the Deseret News on Tuesday.

Skyridge hosts American Fork in a rematch

The Falcons and Cavemen met Oct. 14 in Region 3 play. Skyridge won 21-15, but American Fork made it interesting after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter.

That first meeting was backup quarterback Nate Childs' first start. Starter Jake Matsen broke his collarbone early in an Oct. 8 loss to Corner Canyon, and Childs, a senior who started much of last year, stepped in with six days to prepare. He threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Zack Cowie and ran in the two-point conversion himself to pull American Fork within 21-15 with 8:21 left. That was as close as the Cavemen got.

Childs has looked sharper since. He threw two touchdown passes in a 32-21 first-round win over Copper Hills, and he now has three more weeks of first-team reps than he had in the first meeting. On the season, Childs has completed 53 of 94 passes for 526 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions.

American Fork's defense gives it a real shot. Noah Behm has six interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. Dalin Afu and Sam Thompson each have four sacks. Skyridge quarterback Jagger Fountaine has thrown 11 interceptions this season, so turnovers are the Cavemen's clearest path to an upset.

Head coach Aaron Behm, in his 17th season, has taken American Fork to three state title games. Skyridge has won five straight in this rivalry, including a 56-29 quarterfinal win a year ago.

Skyridge has won nine straight since a season-opening 41-26 loss at Mountain Ridge. Six of the Falcons' eight regular-season wins came by eight points or fewer. They won Region 3 outright at 4-0, and their 37-27 victory over defending champion Corner Canyon stands as one of the best wins in 6A this season. Head coach Justin Hemm took Skyridge to the 6A title game in his first season and to the semifinals last year.

Fountaine has thrown for 2,559 yards and 22 touchdowns. Beckham Bennett has 13 total touchdowns, 10 rushing and three receiving. On defense, Ethan Schriever has five interceptions and a defensive touchdown, and Sa Tanuvasa has 78 tackles and three picks.

Parry's Power Guide picks Skyridge by 9.1 points. The winner faces the Herriman-Davis winner in the semifinals.

Lone Peak chases another upset run at Mountain Ridge

The Knights know something about playoff upsets. A year ago as the No. 6 seed, Lone Peak beat No. 3 Davis 41-38 in the quarterfinals and No. 2 Skyridge 13-7 in the semifinals before losing the championship to Corner Canyon.

Now they need another road upset against 6A's only unbeaten team.

Mountain Ridge leads 6A in scoring offense at 45.9 points per game and scoring defense at 11.0 points per game. Quarterback Jaxon Hunt has completed 68% of his passes for 3,556 yards and 47 touchdowns with only six interceptions. Head coach Nick Robins' squad has beaten No. 1 Skyridge, No. 4 Herriman, No. 5 Davis and No. 6 Westlake this season.

Lone Peak's record is misleading. Two of its five losses came against national powers IMG Academy (59-3) and Bishop Gorman (38-14). In its other nine games, the Knights allowed 16.1 points per game. They have won three straight and held every opponent in that stretch to 14 points or fewer.

Kicker Zachary Zolman could be the difference. He has made 14 field goals this season, the most of any kicker in the Deseret News' 6A previews. In the first-round win over Lehi, Zolman hit from 48 and 38 yards in a 20-8 victory. Silivenusi Schaumkel sealed that game with an 89-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Kingston Stroshine anchors the defense with 128 tackles and four sacks. Justin Thayer adds 91 tackles. On offense, Ayden Laws leads the rushing attack with 545 yards and Pili Mounga has 362.

Ball security is the concern. Lone Peak's quarterbacks have thrown 14 interceptions, and Mountain Ridge's defense creates turnovers. Cole Uluave has four interceptions and Jayce Helm has three.

Parry's Power Guide projects Mountain Ridge by 1.3 points. The winner faces the Corner Canyon-Syracuse winner.