Brighton football head coach Casey Sutera went on record last August in an article in the City Journal (published in September) that the Brighton football team would be battle tested this season by the time the playoffs roll around in November. The Sutera hypothesis was that exposing the Bengal team early in the season to the toughest competition in the state would yield grit, toughness and confidence for the Region 6 competition that would follow and for the playoffs leading to Rice Eccles Stadium. 

“I need my players to know who they are and what they are capable of,” noted Sutera.

Brighton is back at Rice Eccles Stadium as football semifinalist. (Photo courtesy CSD Office of Public Communications)

August and September were brutal months on the gridiron as Brighton traveled to St. George to play No. 1 ranked 4A Crimson Cliffs and to No. 10 in the nation ranked Corner Canyon – the 6A powerhouse where Sutera coached prior to coming to Brighton (Corner Canyon honored Sutera at Charger Stadium for the three state championships he helped Corner Canyon win). Back at home in Freestone Field, Sutera hosted the 5A state champions of 2024, Bountiful, 4A standout and nationally ranked Ridgeline and 6A Davis. Predictably, Brighton lost each of those early games. But they did win confidence and self-awareness. The team rallied in Region 6 play, as Sutera predicted, to hoist the region trophy at the end of the season and win the crucial first-round bye in the state playoffs.   

Coach Casey Sutera cheers on his players: Cole Heemeyer, Marshall Huber, Slade Taylor, and William Little. (Jerry Christensen/City Journals)

 But the spotted record of 5-5 came back to haunt Brighton when the state playoff seedings were determined. Brighton was going to have to earn its return to the coveted Rice Eccles final four games. The No. 7 seeding in the 29-team 5A playoff pitted the Granger Lancers against the Bengals for the last time the seniors would play on the home turf. Marshall Huber, a three-sport senior OL and team captain recalled, “I am so proud of my boys. We played the best teams in the state and we got better each week. We were going to make it to the ‘turf’ two years in a row to end my four years at Brighton. After all the stiff challenges, we were playing our best football in the playoffs.”

Brighton prevailed in the second playoff round but drew No. 2 ranked Fremont in the quarter finals – the last obstacle before the promised land at Rice Eccles Stadium turf. Down at the half, the underdog Bengals leaned heavily on Sutera strategy. The August and September losses to powerful teams paid off. Brighton dug deep and outscored Fremont 18-3 in the final 24 minutes of play. The parade to Rice Eccles began. 

 For the second year in a row, Brighton is Region 6 champion and 5A semifinalist. (Photo courtesy CSD Office of Public Communications)

 One four-year football player’s mother remarked: “I am proud to be a part of the Brighton football family where athletes demonstrate dedication to both sport and academics. Coach Sutera has taught our boys valuable life lessons.”

Brighton ended a stellar season as a top-four team in the semifinals against Springville. With six minutes left in the game the Bengals were down only two points. The hope of a finals appearance came to an end on an errant quarterback throw that was intercepted. 

The Sutera strategy continues into next year as each of those power teams completes a “one and one” commitment to play Brighton again next season. This time around, the team and the Brighton community will know the value of being battle tested.