High school football playoff roundup for Friday, Oct. 20
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6A Playoffs
Layton 24, Copper Hills 20
No. 18 seed Layton shocked No. 15 Copper Hills with a 6A first-round comeback as quarterback Madden Sargent threw three touchdowns to senior Gabe Lopez including a 14-yard score coming in the final minute of the third quarter that put the Lancers ahead 24-14. This win couldn’t be any sweeter for the Lancers as they were winless in their regular season, but pulled out the win to make it to the second round, where it will face No. 2 Corner Canyon.
Westlake 31, Fremont 14
In a battle of Class 6A underdogs, No. 17 Westlake rallied for a resounding 31-14 victory over No. 16 Fremont in a first-round game. Trailing 7-3 at the half, Westlake outscored Fremont 28-7 in the second half to pull away. The Thunder’s comeback was underscored by three touchdown passes from Aiden Bayless in the second half, connecting with Mason Jenkins, Peyton Barclay and Griffin Faamausili. Fremont had taken an early lead on a 3-yard run by Brigg Grange in the first quarter, adding a late score in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to stave off Westlake’s offensive surge. With this win, Westlake advances to challenge the No. 1 seed American Fork in the second round.
5A Playoffs
Woods Cross 52, Taylorsville 13
Woods Cross started the 5A playoffs in emphatic fashion with a 52-13 victory over Taylorsville. The Wildcats wasted no time in finding the end zone as Carter Freestone returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and touchdowns through the air from Lock Smoot and on the ground from Ben Smith-Mecham had Woods Cross up 31-0 after one quarter. Isaac Johnson finished with two touchdown runs as well for the Wildcats. Woods Cross advances to face Brighton in the 5A second round.
Orem 48, Wasatch 24
No. 17 seed and defending state champions Orem Tigers jumped to a 27-3 lead over No. 16 Wasatch in the first half and never looked back, cruising to a 48-24 road victory over the Wasps in the first round of the 5A playoffs. Orem quarterback Mack Ellison connected with Kaue Akana on two touchdown passes for the Tigers. As the No. 17 seed, Orem travels to play No. 1 seed Timpview next week.
West Jordan 21, Northridge 12
After jumping to a 14-0 lead early, No. 2 12 West Jordan held off a late Northridge charge in the 6A first round, winning 21-12, and advancing to the second round versus No. 5 Olympus. Quarterback Kyle Curtis led a balanced attack from West Jordan, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another. Northridge battled back in the second half and cut the deficit to 14-12, but a celebration penalty prevented it a chance to go for the two-point conversion and it missed the extra point.
Bonneville 24, Hunter 21
In a closely contested 5A first-round game, No. 14 seed Bonneville Lakers (6-5) edged out No. 19 seed Hunter Wolverines (5-5), clinching a 24-21 victory. Bonneville’s quarterback Paden Toula had an eventful game, throwing three touchdown passes. Leading 17-14 at the half, Bonneville stretched the lead to 24-14 late in the third quarter on a 5-yard TD pass from Toula to Kyler Welch. A notable highlight on Hunter’s side was Siope Havea’s fumble recovery touchdown in the first quarter. With this win, the Lakers advance to the second round, facing No. 3 seed Roy
Maple Mountain 35, Viewmont 13
In the 5A first round, No. 13 Maple Mountain rallied past No. 20 seed Viewmont with a 35-13 victory after a scoreless first half. The Golden Eagles flipped the script in the third quarter, racking up 21 points highlighted by a nine-yard touchdown pass from Banks Jackson to Sawyer Leifson with less than two minutes left in the frame. This scoring spree extended into the next quarter as Nic Hofheins rushed in two of his three touchdowns for Maple Mountain. Despite Jordan Jones’s 34-yard touchdown catch for Viewmont in the fourth quarter, it wasn’t enough to overcome their deficit. With the win, Maple Mountain advances to play No. 4 Box Elder in the second round.
Alta 34, Highland 10
No. 11 Alta soared past the No. 22 Highland in the 5A first round with a decisive 34-10 win. The game started slow with Alta leading 6-3 at the half with the all the scoring coming on field goals. After the teams traded TDs in the third quarter, Alta’s offensive got hot in the fourth quarter as Matt McKea, Anthony Cottis, and Nolan Lohness each scored rushing touchdowns to secure the victory. The Alta Hawks now move onto the second round where they will face No. 6 West.
East 33, Kearns 21
The No. 18 seed East Leopards charged to a 33-21 victory over No. 15 seed Kearns in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs on Friday. East fortified its lead in the second quarter with an impressive offensive push including touchdowns from Michael Nunu Fonua and Damian Otukolo as East built a 27-7 halftime lead. Kearns attempted a comeback late in the game with a touchdown pass from Teki Finau to Kayden Morrey, but the rally fell short. The high-scoring face-off saw a combined total of 54 points. East’s win propels them to a second-round showdown against No. 2 seed Springville.
Bountiful 51, Cedar Valley 7
No. 10 seeded Bountiful routed No. 23 Cedar Valley 51-7 in the 5A first round on Friday. Tied 7-7 late in the first quarter, the Redhawks pulled away scoring the final 44 points on its way to a dominant win. Siake Fekitoa rushed for three touchdowns in the first half for Bountiful, with quarterback Emerson Geilman also throwing three touchdowns in the win. The convincing victory propels Bountiful into the second round against No. 7 Granger.
4A Playoffs
Stansbury 62, Jordan 7
Coleman Dearden threw four touchdowns in the first half to lead Stansbury to the lopsided victory over Jordan in the 4A first round. Falanisi Vaka got the scoring started for the Stallions on the ground, before Dearden connected with Kanden Hadlock on two lengthy touchdowns. Tyson Ferry pushed the lead to 28-0 with his touchdown and then Dearden threw two more scores in the final three 1/2 minutes of the second quarter to make it 42-0 at half. Jordan finally got on the board in the third quarter but by then the damage was already done as the Stallions got their first win in the playoffs in the 4A semifinals. Stansbury will next travel to Ridgeline for the 4A second round.
Dixie 55, Logan 13
The No. 13 seed Dixie Flyers racked up 42 first-half points and never looked back in their 4A first round matchup against No. 20 Logan, winning by the final score of 55-13. Wyatt Truman accounted for four touchdowns — two rushing and two passing — with David Barschi adding a pair of TD catches i the win. Junior Coughlin also added an interception return for TD in the second quarter to complete the thoroughly dominant half. Dixie advances to face No. 4 Park City in the 4A second round.
Bear River 47, Spanish Fork 33
No. 17 seed Bear River defeated No. 16 seed Spanish Fork in a first round offensive shootout. The scoring started slow for both teams, with only a field goal each during the first quarter. The turning point of the game came in the third quarter when Bears’ quarterback Owen Olsen connected with Talon Marble for two touchdowns, a 32-yard and an 11-yard pass. In spite of late fourth-quarter efforts from the Dons, including an 18-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Olsen to Tyson Mansfield, the Bears maintained their lead to clinch the victory. Bear River will have the tall task of facing undefeated No. 1 seed Sky View in the second round on Oct. 27.
Desert Hills 49, Hurricane 20
The 10th-seeded Desert Hills Thunder began their 4A title defense with a resounding 49-20 victory over 23rd-seed Hurricane Tigers in the opening round on Friday. Tytan Mason rushed for three touchdowns in the win and also added a receiving touchdown from Gerritt Grondel. Tigers started strong with a 68-yard pass to Gage Huntsman in the opening quarter but succumbed to Thunder’s relentless attack. Grondel also connected with Javiyen Cummings for a 50-yard touchdown pass and added his own 10-yard run. With this win, Desert Hills advances to face No. 7 Snow Canyon.
Cedar City 34, Pine View 23
No. 15 seed Cedar City survived a late rally from No. 18 seed Pine View to advance to the second round of the 4A playoffs. Jonathan Jeter caught two touchdown passes from Everett Kelling and ran for a third touchdown for the Reds. Pine View showed resilience, particularly in the fourth quarter, where they put up 16 points, including a 68-yard touchdown pass from Adam Moore to Colby Richardson and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mohe Tonga, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Cedar City will face Region 9 powerhouse, and No. 2 seed, Crimson Cliffs on Oct. 27.
Payson 35, Mountain View 17
Breaking a dry spell that stretched back to 1986, the Payson Lions posted a decisive 35-17 victory over the Mountain View Bruins in the 4A first round on Friday. The Lions (5-5) roared to life in the second quarter, featuring standout performances from Cooper Swasey, who caught two touchdown passes from Trevyn Wall and returned an interception 45 yards for another score. While Payson’s offense dominated, the Bruins (3-7) were held to a field goal and late touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters. Payson will now advance to the second round to face No. 3 seed Provo on Oct. 27.
Mountain Crest 63, Tooele 14
No. 12 seed Mountain Crest dominated the No. 21 seed Tooele Buffaloes with a decisive 63-14 victory. The Mustangs took control of the game early with Will DeKorver returning an interception for a 20-yard touchdown just seconds into the game. Dax Benson contributed notably with two touchdown runs and a touchdown pass reception. Despite the Buffaloes trying to rally with a 7-yard touchdown run by Bram Gustin and a 3-yard run by Erick Rojas, the Mustangs continued their offensive onslaught to secure the win. Mountain Crest will face No. 5 seed Timpanogos in the second round on Oct. 27.
Salem Hills 44, Uintah 7
No. 9 seed Salem Hills came into its first round matchup as a heavy favorite over Region 8 foe Uintah. The Skyhawks led from the start, with QB Jedi Nelson throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another. Salem Hills’ Roper Kay contributed in the third quarter with a standout 75-yard run, increasing the Skyhawks’ significant lead. While Uintah did manage to get on the board in the second quarter with a 9-yard dash from Treycen Jarman, the No. 24 seed Utes couldn’t rally against a stalwart Salem Hills defense. Salem Hills will look to continue its momentum in the second round against No. 8 seed Green Canyon on Oct. 27.
3A Playoffs
Union 13, Ben Lomond 10
Union got some sweet payback with a 3A playoff road win against Ben Lomond. The Cougars were able to get revenge from last month’s 23-10 loss at the same field. After a first quarter scoreless stalemate, the Scots struck first with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Manase Tuatagaloa to John Suka. In the third quarter, Union’s Bo Earl answered with a 13-yard rushing TD, then in the fourth Rylind Wood’s 21-yard run gave the Cougars the lead. The Cougars face Morgan next week in the 3A second round.
Ogden 28, Juan Diego 14
After three quarters of a defensively dominant game, No. 8 Ogden turned it all on in the fourth quarter and literally “ran” past No. 9 Juan Diego, 28-14, with three rushing scores in the final frame. The win moved Ogden past the first round of the 3A state tournament and constituted the Tigers first win over the Soaring Eagle in program history. Senior running back Max Trujillo accounted for three rushing TDs, all in the fourth quarter, and backup quarterback Will Minkevitch added a passing score on a trick play. Junior running back Antonio Archulete provided Juan Diego’s only TD while kicker Indra Suarjana added field goals from 22 and 47 yards. The Tigers will advance to the 3A quarterfinals and face off against No. 1 Richfield on the road next Friday.
Related
Juab 41, North Sanpete 13
In a high scoring Class 3A first-round game, No. 7 Juab soared past 10th seed North Sanpete with a resounding 41-13 victory on Friday. Austin Park came up big as he threw one touchdown and then rushed for two more. On the Hawks’ side, Rafael Contreras put North Sanpete on the board with field goals in both the first and second quarter, as his team only trailed 14-6 until a late TD in the first half by Juab. The home team carried the momentum into the second half as Porter Anderson returned an interception 85 yards early in the third quarter to seal the win. Juab advances to face second seed Manti in the second round.
Grantsville 39, Carbon 0
No. 5 seed Grantsville trounced No. 12 seed Carbon 39-0 to advance to the second round of the 3A playoffs. The Cowboys’ scoring dominance was led by Jayden Atkinson, who scored two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter. Keegan Kinsman chipped in with a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and Krue Warren added to the scoring with a 17-yard pass reception. The unyielding defense of the Cowboys contributed considerably to the win, shutting out the Dinos’ offense throughout the game. Grantsville will travel to No. 4 seed Canyon View on Oct. 27.
2A Playoffs
Judge Memorial 27, Grand 19
Judge Memorial is moving on in the 3A playoffs after defeating Grand in the first round. Quarterback Thomas Gutierezz passed for two touchdowns — connecting with Tyrese Boyce and King Long — and also added one on the ground — a 27-yard run in the fourth quarter. JT Dowd ran for three touchdowns for the visiting Red Devils but it wasn’t enough to keep the season going. The win gave Judge Memorial their first playoff win since 2015, snapping a five-game losing streak. Judge will visit Richfield in the quarterfinals.
Providence Hall 38, American Leadership 28
Sixth-seed Providence Hall jumped out fast on its way to a 38-28 win over No. 11 American Leadership Eagles in the 2A first round. The Patriots started hot with a 17-0 lead in the first quarter, featuring an 80-yard pass from Tui Fonua to Cade Fox. American Leadership rallied in the second and third quarters cutting the lead to 24-21, with Kannon Huntsman tossing one touchdown and rushing for two more. Both teams added a defensive TD in the second half, but Fonua helped ice the win with a 10-yard score with 9:48 left in the game. Providence Hall advances to play No. 3 seed Layton Christian in the second round.
Delta 42, South Sevier 0
No. 7 seed Delta rolled to a 42-0 shutout victory against No. 10 seed South Sevier Rams in the first round of the 2A playoffs. Delta’s scoring spree started in the first quarter with a 13-yard run by Kadance Lovell, followed by a 27-yard pass from Hunt Robinson to Ty Stefanoff, who also closed the game with a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter. Blade Brandow added a 20-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Despite no score in the third quarter, the team’s defense, highlighted by Alex Walker’s 15-yard fumble recovery, prevented any scoring efforts from the Rams, sealing Delta’s victory. Delta will face No. 2 seed South Summit in the second round on Oct. 27.
1A Playoffs
Milford 60, North Sevier 16
The Milford Tigers put up 35 points in the second quarter to take full control of the game against North Sevier (1-10) on their way to the 1A first round win. The Tigers kept up their dominant play in the second half, outscoring the Wolves 25-0 in the third quarter to win the blowout game. Kielen Tsosie played a standout game, throwing three touchdowns and running one in for a score. Griffin Walker added a third-quarter interception return as well for Milford, which advances to face No. 2 seed Duchesne in the quarterfinals.
Gunnison Valley 46, Parowan 0
In the first round of the 1A playoffs, No. 8 Gunnison Valley (6-4) trounced No. 9 Parowan Rams (1-10) 46-0, registering its first playoff win since 2013 and ending a nine-game playoff losing streak. The Bulldogs pulled ahead significantly in the second quarter with touchdowns from Pearson Judy, Tyson Tucker and Andres Valencia putting them 21-0 by halftime. A dominant third quarter saw Valencia scoring twice with a 68-yard and a 29-yard pass from Tucker, and a 6-yard run from Judy increasing the Bulldogs’ lead to 43-0. With this victory, Gunnison Valley is set to play against the top-seeded Beaver in the second round.
