Succesful week, at the high school level
SPORTS SHORTS
BYU should have taken a lesson about overcoming adversity from the Monticello Buckaroos in their fiasco against Utah Saturday night.
The Bucks, perhaps a little butterfingered after traveling 377 miles to play the Rich Rebels, fumbled on their first three possessions Friday afternoon in Randolph. This led to a goose egg for points in the first half, tough for the team with the third largest winning margin in the state.
When Rich scored a touchdown on the last play of the first half after another Buckaroo turnover, the tide looked all blue for the Buckaroo faithful as the Rebels went up 13-0. Almost lost in the despondency is the fact that Gunnar Hollingsworth broke through to block the extra point attempt, leaving the score at 13-0.
Buckaroo Head Coach Lee Chadwick preached persistence and do what you do and something good will happen. Unlike BYU, who distressingly folded in the second half against Utah in their mortifying ...gulp... 54-10 forfeiture, the young Bucks came out firing in the second half.
Monticello rapidly turned a couple of turnovers into scores. The first score was by Austin Wilcox and the second was a nifty Brian Robinson to Jake Duncan 23 yard pass to quickly bring the score to 13-12.
Coaches called for a fake kick on the extra point. But after realizing his teammates were in the wrong line-up for the fake, quick thinking holder and QB Robinson stood up with the hike and fired a successful pass to the also quick-thinking wideout Dillon Maughan for the two point conversion.
Suddenly, Monticello had the lead and momentum. When Wilcox scored again in the fourth quarter on a six yard run, the comeback was complete, and all the Bucks needed to do was hold on.
After scoring late in the game to get within two points, the Rebels were forced to go for two to tie thanks to Hollingsworth’s block and Robimaughn’s quick thinking.
Remarkably, the Bucks rose up and stopped the Rebels attempted two point conversion. The Buckaroo defense first stuffed the run, and then Robinson intercepted the Rebel QBs desperation pass.
The 4-1 Bucks were jubilant with the road win over a bellwether team like Rich. All felt the wonder of getting the comeback win. The win jumps the Bucks to second in the 1A rankings behind Duchesne, at least in some polls.
This week finds the Buckaroos and Whitehorse Raiders meeting in the WHS corral on Friday at 7 p.m.
San Juan
The 5-0 San Juan Broncos are the third highest scoring team in the state, in addition to being the toughest to score on. The Bronco kept their current state-highest winning streak alive with a convincing 27-7 win over Richfeld.
The Broncos, averaging 43 points a game, used their defense to make a statement and take over the game. With the score 14-0 near the end of the half, the Wildcats were knocking on the goal line with a first and goal inside the ten yard line.
The Wildcats moved the ball to the two yard line. Then with fourth and goal with just seconds left in the half, the Bronco defense rose up and stuffed the Richfield running play as the half ended.
Then, when the Broncos took the second half kickoff and scored quickly, it was 20-zip and the team allowing only six points per game had things well in hand.
Richfield managed a third quarter touchdown, but the Broncos scored again on their next possession to shut down any thoughts of a comeback on Richfield’s part.
The Broncos had their 15th win over the Wildcats, to just four losses. Richfield last beat the Broncos in 2007. San Juan does their best Monticello impression this week, traveling the same distance of 377 miles to Enterprise to take on the Wolves.
According to Felt’s Facts, “San Juan leads state in winning margin, 37 points-per-game, and has allowed just 17 points in four games.
“With Enterprise (3-2) and South Sevier (0-5) the next two weeks, the Broncos have a shot a maintaining that top position.
“San Juan has the longest active winning streak at 24, tied for the fourth longest in state history and just two behind Bingham’s third-place, 26-game streak, which ended two weeks ago. Duchesne has the second longest active streak at 14.”
Volleyball
The Monticello Bucks continued their dominating, dictating ways, sweeping the powerful Grand County Red Devils, 3-0. The 16-2 Buckaroos have won 10 matches in a row without losing a game.
Against Grand, Monticello employed the comeback method used by the football team to come from behind in games one and three to squeak out the win, 25-23 in both games. The second game was a powerful 25-19 win.
The number two ranked Bucks also took and pounded Navajo Mountain in three straight on Tuesday night at Navajo Mountain.
San Juan
San Juan retains the number one ranking in 2A volleyball with a glossy 15-6 record. After beating 3, 4, and 5A schools Juab, Brighton, Westlake, and Copper Hills the week before at a tournament, the Broncos won three dual matches with Dolores, CO and Emery County high schools, 3-0 in both and a tight 3-2 win over Carbon.
Cross country
I didn’t think this ever happened, but the cross country meet in Shiprock was canceled due to weather on Saturday.
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