Broncos win fifth straight game

THE ROUNDUP
by Tad Barton
It took San Juan a half to really get going last Friday night against the North Sevier Wolves. While the Bronco defense played tough all night, the offense only flashed glimpses in the first half of what they had in store for the Wolves.
Leading 6-0 to start the third quarter, San Juan found some rhythm and added two scores in the third and two more in the fourth to roll to a 31-7 win and improve to 5-0 in Region play.
Defense was the name of the game in the first quarter, as neither team was able to find the end zone. The Broncos got on the board with 7:09 left in the second quarter on an eleven-yard pass from Corbin Palmer to Ryan Imlay.
The point after attempt by Levi Ward was no good, making the score 6-0 where it remained until halftime.
The biggest play of the game came on the first play of San Juan’s second possession of the second half. Pinned deep in their own territory, Palmer dropped back and found a wide-open Porter Ivins running down the sideline and the two connected for an 84-yard touchdown.
The two-point conversion attempt was no good, and San Juan led 12-0.
The duo wasn’t done, though, and hooked up for a 43-yard gain on the Broncos’ next possession which set up a one-yard Carlos Redd touchdown run. The PAT by Ward was good, giving San Juan a 19-0 lead.
Down by 19, the Wolves weren’t quite ready to lay down and die, as they opened the fourth quarter with a 35-yard touchdown pass and catch to cut the Bronco lead to twelve points, 19-7.
North Sevier wouldn’t get any closer, as the Broncos added two more scores down the stretch, a five-yard run by Isaiah Hannigan and a 35-yard scamper by Landen Pemberton. Both point after attempts failed, giving San Juan a 31-7 win.
The win was bitter sweet as six San Juan seniors, Tanner Black, Carlos Redd, Ammon Ward, Isaiah Hannigan, Corbin Palmer, and Landen Pemberton, played their last home game under the lights.
The win also improves the Broncos record to 6-2 overall and 5-0 in the 2A South Region and sets up a showdown with Grand for the South’s top seed in the upcoming 2A State playoffs.
The game with the Red Devils will be on Friday, Oct. 12, in Moab and is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Volleyball
The Lady Bronco volleyball team had a non-region match against cross county rival Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 2. San Juan won the match three sets to one to improve to 22-5 on the season.
The Broncos opened the match with a 25-15 win in the first set before taking a 2-0 lead with a 25-13 win in the second.
The Bucks came firing back in the third set, downing San Juan 25-19 to force a fourth game. San Juan was able to finish off the Bucks in the fourth set, 25-17, to record the win.
Ta’ssi Su’esu’e led the attack for the Broncos, finishing with 26 kills. Jerika Torgerson had nine kills, and Delaney Palmer had seven for San Juan.
The Bucks had a more balanced attack with Presley Lewis leading the way with six kills. Journey Baird and Shalee Bradford finished with five kills apiece.
Setting those ladies up all night was Bodell Nielson for San Juan, who passed out 38 assists while her counter-part, Tristen Esplin, led the way for the Bucks with 14 assists.
Both teams had a player finish with four aces from the service line, Su’esu’e for the Broncos and Morgan Maloy for the Bucks. Hope Holliday and Nielson both put all their serves into play for San Juan, while Rianna Shumway, Esplin, Baird, and Bradford did the same for Monticello.
Defensively, Palmer had three blocks for the Broncos, followed by Nielson with two Blocks. Megan Black led the Bucks in blocks with five and Bradford added three blocks.
San Juan had two players finish with double digit digs, Holliday with 18 and Nielson who had 14 on the night. For the Bucks, Baird led the way with 14 digs followed by Esplin with nine and Shumway who had seven.
Up next for the Broncos will be on the road on Friday, Oct. 12 to take on the South Sevier Rams in Monroe at 6:30 p.m.
The Broncos will then take on Richfield on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 3:30 p.m.
Up next for the Bucks will be a face off with Pinnacle on Oct. 11, set to start at 6:15 p.m.