One of the storylines swirling Friday’s 6A semifinal battle between perennial powerhouse Corner Canyon and the on-the-rise Mountain Ridge is a good-natured question of allegiances: Which team will Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins be cheering for during the 11 a.m. game at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Will Dr. Robins, a Hall of Fame quarterback for Southern Utah University, be cheering for the Chargers in the playoffs?  Or will he be donning the colors of the Sentinels, the team coached by his son, Nick? 

Dr. Robins tackled the issue directly in an insightful conversation with Coach Kjar and Coach Robins on this week’s edition of Connect Canyons, CSD’s podcast.

The coaches and the Superintendent, a former head prep football coach himself, spoke about the lessons the come with facing fierce competition, the importance of providing opportunities to students, and the thrill of making it to Rice-Eccles in the post-season.

“You know, every once in a while, there’s a moment in sports that transcends the game, and I think this week is one of those — and I am speaking selfishly,” said Dr. Robins.  “It’s an interesting storyline being the Superintendent in Canyons District, where Corner Canyon is, but also being the very proud father of Nick Robins, the head coach at Mountain Ridge. These are just two amazing coaches and stories.” 

The No. 1-ranked Chargers will take the field on Friday with their eyes on getting past the Sentinels for a chance to win back-to-back-to-back championships.  It also means they have a target on their back for teams like the Sentinels, who seek to bring down the Goliath of 6A Utah prep football. 

While the Chargers have earned multiple appearances at Rice-Eccles, this will be first time in No. 4-ranked Sentinel history that they have made it to “The Rug,” Dr. Robins noted in the podcast.

“So, a lot of people are asking me, ‘What’s that going to be like for you, Rick, on Friday?’ And I’m just so humbled and inspired by both these guys and all that they’ve done in their football careers at their respective schools,” Dr. Robins said. “It’s one of those moments in history that, you know, me and my family will certainly remember. It’s bittersweet that one team has to win, one team has to lose.”

For his part, Kjar said it’s a good reminder to reflect on the effort that it takes to get so far in the bracket, even after Corner Canyon’s consecutive appearances. “The kids have put in a ton of time, not just throughout the year, but in the off-season, along with parents, our community, our administration, and all the people around us. It’s a team effort,” he said.  “It’s a big accomplishment that you want your kids to appreciate … because, like you said, it doesn’t happen very often.”

As a first-year head coach, Nick Robins, who stacked his pre-season with big challenges to test the mettle of his team, said he’s seeing how their run to the Utah High School Activities Association’s semifinals has punched up the spirit of the entire school community. 

“What I didn’t realize is how big of an impact it has not only on the football team, but the drill team, the cheer team, the students who … want to go to the game,” he said. “It’s kind of cool to see these kids being excited for something at school.”

Charger and Sentinel fans alike would be hard-pressed to find a bigger cheerleader for both teams — and their coaches — than Dr. Robins, who noted the physicality of CCHS and Mountain Ridge. With the drive and strength of both squads, it’s sure to be a clash of the titans. Dr. Robins also commented on the commitment of the players — and not just during Friday Night Lights.

“You hear coaches say that you don’t win championships in June and July, but it’s necessary, right?  You got to put in the work, and I think that teaches our kids a great lesson about resiliency and perseverance and that anything you want to achieve, you have to put the work in,” Dr. Robins said. “It’s not just going to be handed to you.”

In the podcast, Kjar says that making the team — or participating in any extracurricular — encourages students to become engaged in school, become more confident, and find a place to belong. 

“You know, it’s something beyond the game, where I can help some of these students out differently besides just from an athletic standpoint,” Kjar said. “I think activities tied in with that help them a ton. It gives them a purpose something beyond their own struggles — and then they learn some things by persevering through those hard things.” 

Coach Robins echoed Kjar, saying that “as educators and coaches, we (should) make kids feel like they are wanted, that they are welcome. You know, it goes a long way. I think the game of football does that for kids because you become a part of something bigger than yourself.”

In the spirit of a good-natured rivalry in advance of the game, Coach Robins pointed out during the podcast that one of his assistant coaches jokingly posted on social media that Kjar would be a good fit for a newly opened head-coach spot at a Utah university. 

“When the Weber State job opened, he said, ‘Coach Kjar needs to take that job before Friday.’”

Responded Kjar: “Yeah, we were laughing about that.  That was funny.” 

The respect between the coaches — the veteran and the first-year guy — was evident in the conversation.

“It’s been awesome to see what you guys have done in your first year. It’s crazy. Big congrats to you,” Kjar told Coach Robins.

To that, Coach Robins responded: “Appreciate it — but, yeah, you guys are the standard, and we want to match that.”

The winner of Friday’s semifinal game will face either Skyridge or Lone Peak at the Nov. 20 championship game.  This week’s match-up will be live-streamed on KSLsports.com.