This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Kearns • There's a good vibe going around the Kearns High School football program these days, despite the Cougars' early exit in the 5A state football playoffs.
A three-game improvement in the win column and the return of several starters have raised the team's expectations for next year.
The team took a big leap forward this past season by winning seven games (the most since 1993) and reaching the first round of the state tournament.
Led by the running and passing of senior quarterback J.R. Finai, Kearns (7-4) took third place in Region 3 but fell short of its quest to snap Skyline High School's home playoff win streak, which now stands at 36 consecutive victories.
Poor tackling, turnovers and a lack of execution against the Eagles' option attack left Kearns on the wrong end of a 39-22 final. Yet, with a strong group of juniors and sophomores returning next season, optimism runs high.
"We knew we had the potential to be a better team than 7-3 [regular season record], but sometimes we didn't step up to that potential," said linebacker and leading tackler Peter Malaga. "We took a big stride [this season]. For those of us returning, we found out a lot of things we need to work on for next year."
Kearns safety Afuvai Le'iato cut right to the chase. He said beating the top two teams in the region has to be a priority for next season. "My expectations are to beat Bingham and Riverton. We've got to beat the big dogs." That's a bold outlook, considering Kearns lost to Riverton 40-7 and then got mowed down by Bingham 52-7.
A bigger priority is finding a quarterback.
Replacing the production of signal caller Finai, who led the team with 15 rushing touchdowns and nine passing TDs, will be one of Kearns' biggest challenges next year. "It's important," said Cougars coach Bill Cosper. "[Finai] can do so many different things. It's obviously a loss [because] he's a good player."
Waiting in the wings is Justin Summers. Cosper said the junior quarterback isn't as dynamic an athlete as Finai, but knows the offense and brings varsity experience to the table.
The departure of three-year starter Finai isn't the only blow to the offense. The defense at Kearns also takes a hit. Several starting positions are in flux, and younger players will need to step up to fill the voids in the secondary and along the defensive line. Key losses include cornerback Brady Sawsak, linebacker B.J. Faleafaga and defensive end Andrew Lokeni.
Still, the fifth-year coach believes his squad will be improved. Cosper will hang his hopes on a beefy offensive line and a budding star, running back Keanu Solovi. As a junior, Solovi ran for 841 yards and led Kearns running backs with seven touchdowns.