Broncos crush Bulldogs for fourth win in a row

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
Though the San Juan High School football team won’t be playing to set a new Utah win streak record this November, they’re showing every indication they’ll be vying for their fourth straight 2A state championship.
They walloped Judge Memorial 53-7 in Blanding this past Friday, September 13 in their second straight blowout victory and their fourth straight win since losing the season opener in Grantsville.
The Broncos have won 41 of their last 42 games going back to August 20, 2021. The most recent victory, like the previous Friday’s win over Summit Academy, could have been a lot worse for the visitors.
San Juan scored all 53 of their points in the first half. Friday Night Lights Player of the Game Jaiten Knight passed for an incredible 306 yards and six touchdowns. He also ran for 33 yards and an additional touchdown.
Running back Jagger Nieves led receivers with 109 yards and caught two of Knight’s TD passes. Branten Bethea, Owen Adams, Javin Montella, and Jake Ivins all caught one apiece. Nieves was also the leading rusher with 68 yards.
The offensive line dominated, opening huge running lanes for Bronco ballcarriers and giving Jaiten Knight all the time he needed to locate open receivers.
The defense dominated too, allowing -17 rushing yards and 74 passing yards – a paltry 57 yards of total offense – before they were replaced by the JV team in the second half.
Since the passing game was on fire Friday night JD Palmer didn’t get a whole lot of work offensively. He did rush for 16 yards and a touchdown though.
There wasn’t a pick-six in this game, but Nache Young got his second interception of the year, which eventually led to a San Juan touchdown. Stetson Black and George McNaughtan sacked Judge quarterback Adrian Palmer once each.
JD Palmer and Jake Ivins led the team with six tackles apiece. George McNaughtan had five while Nache Young, Rigley LaGiglia, and Jonas Jeppesen got four each. The Bronco defense combined to tackle Bulldog ballcarriers for a loss ten times and hurried the quarterback eight times.
Though he’s excited and proud about what he’s seeing from his team, San Juan Head Coach Barkley Christensen will be the first to tell you there’s still a lot of work to be done this season.
In fact, Christensen and the rest of the Bronco coaches grabbed a 7-11 pizza and hit the film room immediately after their win this past Friday, like they do every time the team plays at home.
After road games you’ll find them reviewing film on the bus ride home. It’s just part of the relentless hard work that goes into producing what we see on the field – an exceptionally successful football program that spoils its fans week in and week out.
Another part of the work that still needs to be done is twofold: making sure the players don’t allow confidence to morph into cockiness, and honing on-field assignments and other issues that require mental discipline.
The Broncos will be tested a bit more than the past two weeks this Friday, September 20 when they open 2A South Region play against Emery on the road.
The Spartans are the top-ranked team in Utah 2A football according to the initial RPI standings released September 16 by the Utah High School Activities Association.
San Juan is #2 in the 100-percent mathematical RPI standings. The Deseret News 2A rankings, which are actually determined by humans, have San Juan first, Layton Christian second, and Emery third.
The Broncos have scored 213 points this season for an average of 42.6 per game while allowing just 77, or 15.4 per game. The Spartans have scored 149 points (29.8 per game) while allowing 110 (22 per game).
Emery relies on senior quarterback Treven Gilbert for a good portion of their yardage. He has passed for 1,048 yards and ten touchdowns this season while nine different players have combined for 622 rushing yards and seven TDs.
The Spartan defense is credited with seven sacks this season and six takeaways – four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
It should be a good road matchup between two of the top 2A football teams in the state. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Join Redrock 92 Radio and StreamUtah.Live for the Friday Night Lights broadcast with the pregame starting at 6:30.