Instead of Rio Tinto, the Alta-Bingham regular-season football game may be headed for Rice-Eccles Stadium. Boo. Here‘s why. 
Zach Liston, Alta
File photo by Dave Argyle
Talks with the home of Real Salt Lake are breaking down due to price, so the University of Utah’s home field is now in play. While it’s great to have the state’s signature game at big venue, Rio Tinto would have been perfect.
1.) The stadium is literally in the middle of both teams. The U is a 30-minute haul.
2.) The capacity is 20,000, which would be closer to a sellout given the overflow crowds of the past few years. Rice-Eccles sits about 45,000, which make a great Rio Tinto crowd appear disappointing.
A formal announcement is expected in the next few weeks.
BUSY TIME:
Basketball is getting close to tournament time and swimming and wrestling are taking the spotlight with state championships being contested. The highlights:
4A SWIMMING:
Mountain Crest used strategy to end Springville’s two-year hold as boys state champions. Jake Taylor went in the 50 free and 100 breast stroke as well as relays for team points. It worked. He won all four, and helped the teams set records, and the Mustangs took a narrow victory. The girls contest belonged to Logan, who moved up from 3A last year. Janessa Gammill‘s two wins keyed a 100-point Grizzlies victory over Olympus.
3A SWIMMING:
Park City won its first boys 3A team title since 2001, beating heavily favored Wasatch 339-320 while the Judge Memorial girls team defeats Park City 380-372 to win its seventh state title in eight years. 5A swimming is this weekend at BYU.
WRESTLING:
4A and 5A state meets are underway at UVU. Here’s the cool storyline: If Box Elder can win the 4A title and Viewmont the 5A title, you’d have a father-son coaching sweep. Mike Ripplinger (Box Elder) and Brandon Ripplinger (Viewmont) have won seven between them, but never in the same year. Also, can Mountain Crest’s Raider Lofthouse match his brother Ethan and take a fourth state title?
BASKETBALL:
Davis moved into a first-place tie with Fremont with a 62-44 rout Tuesday night. West is on a 15-game winning streak and leads Region 2 while Bingham controls Region 3. Region 4 continues to beat itself up with Alta, Brighton and Jordan battling for the lead. Lone Peak is 13-5 and is fifth in the league. Wow. 4A is just as cluttered. Olympus lost to Bountiful to fall out of No. 1, then Provo lost at home to Lehi. The last 3A undefeated girls teams fell Tuesday when Morgan lost at Juan Diego.
RECRUITNG UPDATE:
Bingham High junior defensive lineman Moses Kaumatule and Hunter offensive lineman Ului Lapuaho committed to sign with BYU as part of the Cougar class of 2011 Monday.
