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 Real Salt Lake

Xfinity H.S. Football Challenge Set for Saturday, September 29 at Rio Tinto Stadium

September 6, 2012 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah (Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012) - Rio Tinto Stadium is proud to announce the pairings for the second annual edition of the Xfinity High School Football Challenge, a gridiron doubleheader featuring Sandy-based teams playing host to high-caliber, nationally-ranked, out-of-state competition. The 2012 Xfinity High School Football Challenge will be played on Saturday, September 29, with the 2:00 p.m. MT matinee featuring Jordan High School squaring off against Bellflower, CA-based St. John Bosco High School before the 7:00 p.m. MT nightcap between Alta High School and Don Bosco Prep from Ramsey, NJ.

"Outside of the UHSAA championship games, this doubleheader is the best high school football event in the state," said Rio Tinto Stadium President Bill Manning. "Rio Tinto Stadium is excited to grow this event and welcome two nationally recognized out-of-state football programs this year. The Xfinity High School Football Challenge provides a high-profile opportunity for both Alta and Jordan to carry the banner for Utah high school football nationally. We also thank our sponsors Comcast, Sports Med Utah & Sandy City for their support in hosting the games at Rio Tinto Stadium."

"Comcast is proud to once again help bring these talented high school teams together to compete," said Comcast Regional Vice President Rodrigo Lopez. "Our Utah Regional Offices are located in Sandy City and the XFINITY High School Football Challenge is another example of our continuing commitment to this community, as well as providing a showcase for high school football in Utah as we compete with teams from across the country."

Tickets for the Xfinity High School Football Challenge are now on sale to the public, with advance and day-of-event pricing as follows:

Advance Prices Day-of-Event Prices

Student General Seating - $5 Student General Seating - $6

Adult General Seating - $10 Adult General Seating - $12

Club Seating Areas (Students & Adults) - $15 Club Seating Areas (Students& Adults) - $20

Tickets can be purchased online on www.RioTintoStadium.com or at the Rio Tinto Stadium Box Office, open 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday. In addition, parking for the doubleheader will be available on-site at Rio Tinto Stadium in the facility's West, South and North lots for $5. Both contests will be televised locally over Comcast cable systems, while football fans across Utah can listen to both games live on ESPN 700 and ESPN700Sports.com.

The New Jersey-based "Ironmen" from Don Bosco Prep were the 2011 USA Today & MaxPreps National Champions, and are ranked #21 in this summer's MaxPreps preseason poll. A school that has produced NFL star RB Ryan Grant and linemen Justin Trattou and Corey Wootten, Don Bosco Prep has amassed a 267-35-2 mark in the last 13 seasons. However, the Ironmen are reloading after last year's national title, similar to the 2010 campaign, as a team called "young and inexperienced" in the preseason reeled off an undefeated season and finished top 3 in all national polls. This season Don Bosco Prep is led by MaxPreps #93 ranked recruit in the country Al-Quadin Muhammad, a 6-4, 230-lb defensive end who wears the #8 jersey for the Ironmen.

"We look forward for our young men to embrace the opportunity to gain the life experience brought by traveling to Utah to participate in the Xfinity Football Challenge," said Ironmen Head Coach Greg Toal. "Alta High School presents stiff opposition on the field, and we value the unique prospect of competing against out-of-state programs."

St. John Bosco competes in the highly-regarded "Trinity League" in Southern California high school football, and advanced to the 2011 Pac-5 quarterfinals, nearly upsetting traditional power San Clemente. The Braves' Head Coach Jason Negro - a graduate of SJB in the Class of '91 - enters his third year at the helm, and was named the Long Beach Press-Telegram's "Dream Team" Coach of the Year for his turnaround at the school, which had not made the playoffs prior to last year since 2006. On the field, the Braves are led by USC Trojan offensive line recruit Nico Falah, a 6-5, 275-lb tackle, ranked #2 in his position by Scout.com, #12 by Rivals.com, and #17 by ESPN.com and was named to the ESPN 150 for the Class of 2013. Falah has also been invited to play at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio on January 5, 2013. Sophomore QB Josh Rosen already has college scholarship offers swirling, despite featuring for the Braves' JV side a year ago.

"We are extremely honored and excited about the opportunity to bring our St. John Bosco football team to Utah to participate in the Xfinity Football Challenge," said Braves Head Coach Jason Negro. "The upcoming matchup with Jordan High School of Sandy provides us the valued opportunity to compete against one of the premier football programs in Utah."

Representatives from all four teams will be made available via a media conference call in the week leading up to the event, with final details for the call to be released later this month.

Aside from being an entertaining event for spectators, the Xfinity High School Football Challenge will offer students from the four schools the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of scouts from across the collegiate football landscape. Rio Tinto Stadium's convenient location in the Salt Lake valley will allow easy access for scouts from some of the NCAA's elite conferences to attend this inaugural event, including the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision's PAC-12, Mountain West Conference (MWC) and Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

Already serving as Utah's home for all things soccer, Rio Tinto Stadium has earned the reputation as one of the country's finest multi-purpose facilities, with the building having hosted multiple football and rugby contests, snocross and monster truck races and several high-profile concerts since opening its doors to the public in October 2008. The building is no stranger to fans of football, having served as the home of the National Junior College Athletic Association's annual Zions Bank Top of Mountains Bowl Classic since 2008. In addition, Rio Tinto Stadium hosted its first-ever high school football game in August 2010, featuring the local rivalry match-up between Hillcrest and Murray High Schools.

"Having the Xfinity Football Challenge take place at the stadium means so much to our local athletes." says Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan, "It provides an opportunity for local teams to come together to create a sense of community through sports as well as providing an experience of a lifetime for the players and their families. Good luck to our local teams, Alta and Jordan!"

A year ago, the inaugural Xfinity High School Football Challenge featured a full weekend of events, as Notre Dame H.S. (Lawrenceville, NJ) and Taft High School (Woodland Hills, CA) arrived in Sandy for practices and a banquet featuring all four squads at the Stadium prior to the doubleheader. Jordan High School led a competitive game at halftime 14-0, before elevating their play in the third quarter and cruising to a 39-0 victory, as Beetdiggers RB Austin Grant finished with 148 total yards and a rushing touchdown, while then-freshman QB Austin Kafentzis threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns in the opener of the doubleheader. In the nightcap, Alta crushed Taft, 56-0, in a dominant performance led by Hawks RB Bryan Engstrom's 86 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while Alta QB Tyson Blackner would toss for 154 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half.

About Alta High School

Located in Sandy, Utah, Alta High School plays an important role in the education of students in the communities of Sandy and Draper. With approximately 2,500 students enrolled in grades 10-12, Alta is the second-largest High School in the state of Utah.

After a rare down season in 2010, the Alta football program hired former assistant Bob Stephens to the head coaching position last December. The former Brigham Young University center (1987-90) will lead one of Utah's most storied high school football programs, the school winning four state championships in the Beehive State's largest division, including 4A titles in 1983 and 1988 and, more recently, back-to-back 5A championships in 2007 & 2008, which were preceded by a runner-up finish in 2006. Alta finished the 2011 football season with a 9-1 regular season record, before being upset in the first round of the 5A playoffs by Syracuse 16-10.

About Jordan High School

Located less than a mile down State Street from Rio Tinto Stadium, Jordan High School enrolls nearly 2,000 students yearly and is one of the major contributing schools in the Canyons School District in Sandy, Utah. The Beetdiggers have a proud tradition of football, having won 11 state championships between 1931 and 1994, and they seek to add to that tradition under head coach Eric Kjar (Pronounced "care"), who was appointed during the 2009 offseason. After playing football at Wayne State in Nebraska, Kjar came to Utah and served as a member of the Jordan football coaching staff for six years before being named its head coach. During the 2011 season Kjar led the Beetdiggers to a 10-3 overall record, with their high-octane offense featuring MaxPreps National Freshman of the year QB Austin Kafentzis carrying Jordan all the way to the 5A Semifinals, where it lost to eventual champion Lone Peak 45-41.

About Don Bosco Prep

While the Ironmen football team has gained recognition as a national powerhouse, the winning does not stop there. Over the years the Ironmen athletic programs have combined for 53 State Championships and 4 National Championships. Don Bosco Prep prides itself on building men of character. Coach John Wooden said "Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character."

After graduating Division I talents Darius Hamilton, Elijah Shumate, Leonte Carroo and one of the deepest senior classes in school history, as well as enduring other off-season issues, 2012 could seem like a very down year by Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) standards. However, a down year for arguably the top high school football program in the country over the last five years will still yield a very good football team.

The offensive line, Don Bosco Prep's bread and butter during head coach Greg Toal's incredible run, returns starters Sean Carey and Anthony Siciliano, while highly touted junior Tyrell Smith should nab another spot. Mitch Arthur and Billy Leinart are in the mix for the other spots, along with 6-foot-6, 275-pound sophomore Nate Greig.

There's currently a three-horse race for the quarterback spot, featuring Frank Nutile, Eric Meile and Nick Crusco. At 6-4, Nutile resembles former Ironmen quarterback Gary Nova while Meile and Crusco are more similar to dual-threat signal-caller Mike Yankovich, who led the team last year.

The real strength of the team lies on the defensive line. Top 100 defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad is a physical specimen. Tall with long arms, he has excellent reach that allows him to trip up runners as well as harass quarterbacks.

About St. John Bosco High School

St. John Bosco High School is proud of its rich heritage, its long-standing tradition of educational excellence and its commitment to Christian values. The St. John Bosco High School Athletics Department was established and exists to offer lessons in spirituality, stamina and teamwork. The interscholastic program teaches the Salesian qualities of sacrifice, self-discipline and dedication.

These character-building tools -- along with perseverance, the desire to play fairly and grace in winning and losing --further the school's goal of fostering individual growth and physical activity, which lead to mental and physical health.

The Braves compete in the Trinity League, recognized as the most competitive league in California. The school currently boasts 260 All-CIF, 24 All-State and 8 All-American Student-Athletes, while offering 12 CIF-sponsored sports with 38 separate teams. Eighty-five percent of the student population participates in one or more sports, and six of the 12 CIF-sponsored sports are "non-cut," giving all student-athletes an opportunity to participate.

At all times, the program is complementary and supportive of the Salesian Educational System, which emphasizes the concepts of teaching and serving youth while incorporating the all-important tenants of religion, reason, and kindness.


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