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Hurricane Tigers head to state championship
Published: November 18. 2010 4:55AM - Last modified: November 18. 2010 6:10AM
| Students hyped for game
By David DeMille •
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• Published: November 17. 2010 3:07PM
HURRICANE — School spirit was soaring this week at Hurricane High School, where the football team’s chance at an elusive state championship had even students with little in common cheering for the same goal.
“Third time’s the charm,” Ernie Garcia, a senior at the school, said, echoing a thought many students had about the Tigers’ chances this time.
The Tigers suffered two heartbreaking defeats the last two seasons, losing in the championship game against Juan Diego each time.
Last year’s game ended on a Hail Mary pass.
The year before, it was a last-second field goal.
Students have waited 12 long months for their team to have a chance at redemption.
They get it today, with Juan Diego again waiting in the wings and the student body is expecting to come home celebrating.
“We’re going to win,” senior Danny Lindhardt said confidently. “We’re better.”
“People think it was kind of a fluke, losing on a Hail Mary and a last-second field goal, and we should beat them,” said Colton Barney, another senior.
Barney said Hurricane will seem like a ghost town on today, with huge crowds making the trip to Salt Lake City to watch the game.
“It’s basically like the whole town shuts down,” he said. “Everyone I know is going to be there.”
It’s going to be a huge event for the school, said Cole Rogers, a sophomore.
“Maybe it’s because we don’t have anything to do,” he said. “Football’s the biggest thing here. We don’t have malls and stuff to go to.”
Even for students who aren’t involved with the team, the game seemed to be on everyone’s mind this week. Team colors and “Go Tigers” posters covered the walls in the hallways, and students who said they aren’t usually sports fans were pulling for the team.
“Different groups and everything come together,” said Kaila Smith, a sophomore, indicating that the football team’s success has helped bring students closer.
The Tigers’ success has also helped students feel a little extra pride about their school, and their city.
“My friends in St. George are always asking why we win,” said Jorge Delbillar, a sophomore, indicating that “probably 70 percent” of the school planned on making the trip.
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School spirit was soaring this week at Hurricane High
School, where the football team’s chance at an elusive
state championship had even students with little in
common cheering for the same goal.
| Familiar foes ready for title tilt
By Develon Isom • For The Spectrum & Daily News • Published: November 17. 2010 3:05PM
HURRICANE — It would be understandable if the maintenance staff at Rice-Eccles Stadium decorated the locker rooms in Juan Diego blue and Hurricane Tigers black since the two prep football teams frequent the place so often.
Hurricane and Juan Diego meet in a third consecutive 3A state title game Friday at 11 a.m. in a match-up of two teams that have simply piled up victories over recent years.
Since 2008, the teams have a combined mark of 73-8, including a playoff record of 14-2.
Juan Diego has been the better of the two, beating the Tigers in the 2008 title game 21-18 and also in last year’s title game, 12-10, thanks to a Hail Mary touchdown pass by Cody Stevenson.
Hurricane coach Chris Homer is preparing his Tigers once again for the title shot, and perhaps most crucial for his team is how he disassociates the past from the present.
“The fact is; this Juan Diego team has not won a state championship,” Homer said. “The last couple have; this one hasn’t. Our current team has not lost a championship game. Each season brings a different team.”
Homer would like to see the Tigers benefit from compartmentalizing and separating, but Juan Diego probably uses relativity and association in their approach. “We need to separate this opportunity from the past outcomes,” Homer said. “They (Juan Diego) might use the past for their thinking, but we need to separate from our perspective.”
Juan Diego coach John Colosimo appreciates the success that Hurricane has had.
“It is quite an accomplishment to get to the state championship three years in a row,” Colosimo said. “I know it has been disappointing to them the last couple of years because we have been able to pull games out of the hat. But you have to put things into perspective and look at Hurricane’s record. They have hardly lost in the last three years.”
Juan Diego’s 38-2 mark and the Tigers’ 35-6 record demonstrate an impressive three-year ownership of the 3A ranks by the two programs, but Juan Diego has what the Tigers lack: a title.
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Hurricane and Juan Diego meet in a third consecutive 3A
state title game Friday at 11 a.m. in a match-up of two
teams that have simply piled up victories over recent
years. Since 2008, the teams have a combined mark of
73-8, including a playoff record of 14-2
| Tigers have support of community
By David DeMille •
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Published: November 17. 2010 3:10PM
By David DeMille •
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Published: November 17. 2010 3:10PM
With the Hurricane High School Tigers playing in the 3A football state championship game for the third consecutive year, but still seeking an elusive title, the community has rallied behind the team and a large portion of the population is expected to head to Salt Lake City for the game.
Two buses full of students will be making the trip to see the Tigers take on rival Juan Diego, and a large number of residents said Tuesday that they plan on heading up as well.
“Got to support that team,” said Alasaundra Langston, a Hurricane resident, while shopping at a local grocery story. “They’ve been through a couple of tough losses, but everyone is pretty optimistic this time.”
The Tigers lost the past two years to Juan Diego on late plays and residents said the losses have almost bonded the team more than wins would have.
“Everyone is pulling for them,” Langston said.
Many local businesses posted encouraging signage with school colors and “Go Tigers” everywhere and a lot of residents are driving with HHS stickers or other Tiger-themed odds and ends decorating their cars.
What’s more, the support has transcended any social lines, with people new and old, with high school children or without, rooting for the home team.
“It’s really a unifying thing for the community,” said Steve Stout, another resident. “Even people who don’t go to the games are excited.”
Kevin and Siobhan Atkinson, who became absorbed with the team when their son played in 2006, said the success of the high school team in recent years has not only filled the stands, but energized the community.
“It’s been good for the town,” Kevin Atkinson said. “To me, it’s brought the community together.”
Young people especially have become big fans, said Darrin Thomas, a Hurricane City Council member and fifth-grade teacher.
The sports teams from the high school came to the elementary school and interacted with the children and came away with a lot of young fans.
“These students just think the world of these high school kids,” he said. “You see them wearing the school shirts, the Tiger shirts and everything. I think it’s a good thing to foster sportsmanship and see how these young kids have rallied around (the team.)”
The team has also brought the different municipalities together, Thomas said, with students from every community making up the team.
“I think that’s why it has such an impact,” he said. “It involves the whole valley and not just the city of Hurricane.”
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With the Hurricane High School Tigers playing in the 3A
football state championship game for the third consecutive year, but still seeking an elusive title, the community has
rallied behind the team and a large portion of the
population is expected to head to Salt Lake City
for the game
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