The Region 9 football season continued on Friday night with four exciting games that showcased the talent and competitiveness of the teams. Crimson Cliffs and Dixie both improved to 4-0 in region play with convincing wins over Hurricane and Cedar, respectively. Desert Hills bounced back from a loss to Dixie last week and handed Snow Canyon its second region loss. Here is a recap of the action:
Crimson Cliffs dominates Hurricane 62-7
The Mustangs showed no mercy to the Tigers as they scored seven touchdowns in the first half and cruised to a 62-7 victory. Quarterback Steele Barben threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, while running back Ran Sawyer scored twice on a 72-yard run and a 66-yard punt return. The Mustangs also got a defensive touchdown from lineman Parker Andrus, who intercepted a pass and returned it 38 yards for a score.
Hurricane’s only points came in the third quarter when quarterback Kaden Langston connected with receiver Kaleb Langston for a 10-yard touchdown. The Tigers fell to 0-5 in region play and 1-7 overall.
Crimson Cliffs improved to 4-0 in region play and 7-1 overall, tying with Dixie for the top spot in the standings. The Mustangs will face Pine View next week, while Hurricane will host Snow Canyon.
Dixie edges Cedar 31-28 with late field goal
The Flyers pulled off another thrilling comeback as they rallied from a 28-21 deficit in the fourth quarter and beat the Reds 31-28 with a field goal by Jonathan Bibiano as time expired. Dixie quarterback Wyatt Truman threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, while running back Junior Coughlin added a rushing score.
Cedar led for most of the game, thanks to four touchdown passes by quarterback Devin Crenshaw. He found receiver Jaron Garrett twice, tight end Hunter Esplin once, and running back Kolby White once for scores. The Reds had a chance to extend their lead in the fourth quarter, but missed a field goal that would have made it a two-possession game.
Dixie took advantage of the missed opportunity and drove down the field to tie the game at 28-28 with a touchdown pass from Truman to receiver Carter Jarnagin with less than two minutes left. The Flyers then forced a turnover on downs and set up Bibiano’s game-winning kick from 32 yards out.
Dixie improved to 4-0 in region play and 4-4 overall, tying with Crimson Cliffs for the top spot in the standings. The Flyers will face Desert Hills next week, while Cedar will host Canyon View.
Desert Hills tops Snow Canyon 31-21
The Thunder snapped a two-game losing streak and beat the Warriors 31-21 in a homecoming game. Quarterback Beau Wall threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, while running back Tytan Mason added a rushing score. The Thunder also got a field goal from Tristan John and a safety from Ocean Taufa.
Snow Canyon scored three touchdowns, all on passes from quarterback Landon Frei. He found receiver Logan Mendenhall twice and receiver Braxton Hickman once for scores. The Warriors trailed by five points in the fourth quarter, but could not stop Desert Hills from running out the clock.
Desert Hills improved to 2-2 in region play and 3-4 overall, keeping their playoff hopes alive. The Thunder will face Dixie next week, while Snow Canyon will visit Hurricane.
Pine View has bye week
The Panthers had a bye week this week and did not play. They are currently 1-3 in region play and 3-4 overall. They will face Crimson Cliffs next week.
