HIGH SCHOOL DIV. IV FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

For Pinetop-Lakeside Blue Ridge, it’s another state championship game. For River Valley, it’s the state championship game.

Blue Ridge is used to being in this position, having madeatitle-gameappearance every year since 2008 and winning in 2009 and 2011. River Valley is in uncharted territory, playing in its firstever championship.

Blue Ridge hopes to continue its recent every-other-year trend and bring home its16th title. River Valley hopes to continue its impressive rise and bring home history.

That’s the prominent story line of Division IV championship, to be played between No. 4 Blue Ridge (11-2) and No. 6 River Valley (12-1) at 6:30 p.m. today at Phoenix North Canyon High: the regular vs. the newcomer.

“They’ve been dominant for so long,” River Valley coach Terry Staggs said of Blue Ridge. “We’ve been under the radar, but it doesn’t matter. That’s why they have the playoffs.”

Blue Ridge has gotten here with the same tried-and-true formula as years past: a power run game, a steady quarterback and an opportunistic defense. You won’t get anything fancy out of this team and longtime coach Paul Moro.

“We just have to be consistent and try not to make mistakes,” Moro said. “That’s the way it is always.”

River Valley, on the other hand, owes much of its sudden success to a single person — junior running back Brandon Where: Phoenix North Canyon High, 1700 E. Union Hills Drive. When: 6:30 tonight. When Round Valley has the ball: RB Brandon Long will get it and get it often. Blue Ridge will have no choice but to load the box and challenge QB Derek Advocate to win the game with his arm. When Blue Ridge has the ball: Establishing the run will be the priority, as always, but QB Spencer Hall is a capable passer. River Valley will have to pick its poison but needs to be physical and tackle well, regardless. Long, who has been a one-man wrecking crew this season.

Long has touched the ball on 48 percent of River Valley’s offensive plays.

His 303 carries rank second in the state and his 2,204 rushing yards are fourth, making him a nightmare for any opposing team unlucky enough to face him. What’s Moro’s strategy? “Well, they won’t let us play with more than 11 guys,” he cracked, “so we’ll just do the best we can. We’re just hoping we can slow him down a little bit, because you’re not going to stop him.”

One’s team run to the championship will be stopped. Whether that’s the regular or the newcomer will be decided today.

“We know that we’re the underdog,” Long said. “But that doesn’t scare us.”