REGION 10 FOOTBALL WEEK 7 WRAP UP

September 26, 2022

 



(ST. GEORGE, Utah – Sept. 26, 2022) Another week, another set of Region 10 football games to recap. The race for the Region 10 championship is heating up, and with just three weeks of regular season games left, the title of Region 10 Kings is still up for grabs.

Week four of Region 10 play saw a last-minute thriller, an early-game upset bid, and a blueprint of how to take advantage of turnovers to blow a close game wide open in the second half.

Let’s jump into the breakdowns of each game.


SNOW CANYON 42, DESERT HILLS 20

After Desert Hills ran away from Dixie in week three of the Region 10 season, Snow Canyon knew it couldn’t let Noah Fuailetolo get comfortable in the pocket. Doing so would result in a similar fate suffered by the Flyers. The Warriors defense only recorded one sack, but forced Fuailelolo out of the pocket on nearly every pass play. The senior quarterback was forced to throw on the run, resulting in hurried throws and three Snow Canyon interceptions. Add in two Thunder fumbles for a total of five turnovers, and there was only one way this game could play out.

Snow Canyon set the tone on the first play of the game, as Hunter Johnson tossed a 39-yard dart to Jake Hill to quickly move into Thunder territory. Six plays later, Johnson found Will Warner in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead.

Desert Hills countered later in the first quarter. Operating on a short field after holding the Warriors on fourth down, the Thunder tied the game at 7-7 when Fuailetolo connected with Tayven Mortensen for a 39-yard touchdown.
The Warriors answered with another scoring drive on their next possession, driving 65 yards in 13 plays while taking more than five minutes off the clock. Snow Canyon converted twice on third down on the drive, and took advantage of a defensive pass interference penalty on fourth down before Johnson plunged into the end zone from the 1-yard line to retake a 14-7 lead.

The Thunder would cut the lead to 14-13 in the second quarter as Alexander Jones split the uprights on a 32-yard field goal and a 42-yard attempt as time expired on the first half.

With momentum on its side and the first possession of the second half, Desert Hills seemed poised to make a run in the third quarter. But the Warriors had other plans, forcing two third-quarter turnovers to score 21 unanswered points and take control of the game.

The Thunder received the third-quarter kickoff, and seemed to pick up a first down on the second play of the drive. But, a holding penalty erased a run by Tyden Morris and set Desert Hills back. Two plays later, Brooks Esplin jumped in front of a Fuailetolo pass for an interception. After a DH penalty on the return, the Warriors were in business on the Thunder 3-yard line. Carson Nowatzke found pay dirt on the next play, taking a jet sweep around the left edge for a touchdown and a 21-13 lead.

The Warriors snagged another interception on the next Desert Hills drive, as Kolter Stuart picked off a Thunder pass at midfield and raced 50 yards for a pick-six and a 28-13 advantage.
Snow Canyon put the finishing touches on the third frame with a 14-play scoring drive, capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Esplin. After holding Desert Hills on fourth down at the SC 13-yard line, the Warriors marched 87 yards to the end zone for the 35-13 lead.

Desert Hills snapped Snow Canyon’s streak of 21 consecutive points early in the fourth quarter when Morris capped an 8-play, 80-yard scoring drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to pull the Thunder within 35-20.

The Thunder looked to make it a one-score game on their next drive and quickly drove to the Warriors 29-yard line, but the promising possession ended in an 80-yard fumble return for a Snow Canyon touchdown.

As Kona Crowell was tripped up near the end of a 9-yard run, he fell on an SC defender, allowing Makaio Swensen to strip the ball into the air and into the waiting arms of Warner, who raced the other way to seal the win with a touchdown to push the score to the final tally of 42-20.

Snow Canyon Game Ball: The SC defense. The Warriors forced five Desert Hills turnovers and scored two defensive touchdowns en route to the 22-point victory. Snow Canyon leads Region 10 with 20 total turnovers forced during the 2022 campaign.

Desert Hills Game Ball: Tyden Morris. On a night where the Thunder struggled to find consistent success, Morris powered his way to his fifth 100-yard rushing performance of the year, scoring one of two DH touchdowns along the way.


DIXIE 25, CEDAR 24

The latest edition of one of the oldest rivalries in Region 10 did not disappoint, as the outcome of the game was not completely decided until less than 30 seconds remained on the clock.

The Flyers struck first when Jonathan Bibiano nailed a 27-yard field goal to give Dixie a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter.

The lead didn’t last long as Cedar responded with its first scoring drive to take a 7-3 lead midway through the second quarter. The Reds capped the drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Koden Lunt to Tredyn Elliott.

Dixie countered with a touchdown with less than a minute remaining before halftime when Jalen Schultz fired a 46-yard strike to Blake Watson. After the point-after attempt failed, the Flyers took a 9-7 lead into the break.

The Reds scored first in the third quarter when Lunt again found Elliott, this time for a 46-yard touchdown to stake Cedar to a 14-9 lead.

The Flyers responded with Schultz’s second touchdown pass of the night to Watson, this time from 20 yards out, then converted a 2-point try when Schultz again found Watson to build a 17-14 lead midway through the third frame.

The Dixie lead would hold until Cedar kicker Parker Kucifer converted a 27-yard field goal at the halfway mark of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17-17. One drive later, the Reds would take a 24-17 lead when Lunt tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Elliott, their third touchdown connection of the night.

With just more than three minutes remaining, the Flyers needed a touchdown to keep the game alive. Starting at its own 24-yard line, Dixie moved quickly into Reds territory, but saw the drive stall at the Cedar 27-yard line. Facing a 4th-and-10 situation, Schultz delivered a perfect strike to Jaxon Barben as he was hammered to the ground. Barben made an improbable catch between two Cedar defenders in the end zone to cut the lead to 24-23. Head coach Blaine Monkres then decided to go for two and the win. After a defensive pass interference penalty on the first try, Schultz kept it himself on the second, and dove across the goal line to give the Flyers the 25-24 lead with less than a minute remaining.

The Dixie defense sealed the win two plays later when Watson jumped in front of a Lunt pass across the middle for an interception.

Dixie Game Ball: Blake Watson. Watson made eight catches for 105 yards and scored two of Dixie’s three touchdowns. He also snagged two interceptions, including the game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter.

Cedar Game Ball: Tredyn Elliott. Elliott caught five passes for 106 yards and scored all three Cedar touchdowns.


CRIMSON CLIFFS 49, HURRICANE 17

Hurricane found itself playing in its second Homecoming game in as many weeks as Crimson Cliffs kicked off its Homecoming festivities with a date against the Tigers. But before they could blink, the Mustangs found themselves in a 10-0 hole as Hurricane look to spoil the party with an upset.

The Tigers took an early 3-0 lead when RJ Wright capped a 14-play drive with a 39-yard field goal. The successful attempt gave Hurricane its first lead and marked its first points scored since a 28-19 win over Pine View on Sept. 2.

After forcing a Crimson Cliffs three-and-out, Hurricane extended the lead to 10-0 on its next drive. Ethan Staples accounted for 43 yards of the 64-yard scoring drive, including a 27-yard catch and a 10-yard touchdown run.

The Mustangs countered with their first touchdown midway through the second quarter when Steele Barben connected with Jordan Eaton for a 7-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 10-7.

Unfazed, the Tigers added another touchdown on the ensuing drive, marching 67 yards in nine plays to push the lead back to 10 points at 17-7. Sophomore quarterback Gerritt Grondel capped the drive with a 3-yard, read-option run around the right edge for the touchdown.

With just over two minutes before halftime, the Mustangs seemed destined to enter the locker room with a two-score deficit. Until Crimson Cliffs decided enough was enough.

The Mustangs quickly responded to the Hurricane touchdown, needing less than 90 seconds to drive 80 yards for a touchdown. Barben found Eaton for a 12-yard score on the seventh play of the drive to cut the lead to 17-14.

The Crimson Cliffs defense got in on the action, forcing a Hurricane fumble on the first play of the ensuing drive. One play later, Barben found McCord Christiansen for a 5-yard touchdown pass. In the blink of an eye, the Mustangs turned a 10-point deficit into a 21-17 halftime lead. And with that, the floodgates opened.

The Mustangs added four more touchdowns, scoring two in the third quarter and two in the fourth, while shutting out the Tigers in the second half to roll to a 49-17 Homecoming victory.

Crimson Cliffs Game Ball: Steele Barben. The Utah 4A passing leader completed 15-of-25 passes for 215 yards and six touchdowns in three quarters of work.

Hurricane Game Ball: Gerritt Grondel. The sophomore quarterback completed 13-of-22 passes for 155 yards, while rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown.



    REGION 10 STANDINGS

 

                              Region   Overall

CRIMSON CLIFFS     3-0     6-1

SNOW CANYON       3-1     4-3

DIXIE                       2-1     4-2

CEDAR                     2-2     3-4

DESERT HILLS         1-2     4-3

HURRICANE             1-3     1-6

PINE VIEW               0-3     0-5

 

 

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE

 

Dixie at Snow Canyon, 7 p.m.

Crimson Cliffs at Pine View, 7 p.m.

Desert Hills at Hurricane, 7 p.m.




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