Region 9 football: Thunder start slow, finish fast in rout of CV

File photo, Desert Hills vs. Canyon View, Football, St. George, UT, Sept. 22, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – Even after its slow start, Desert Hills High School made the most of its Homecoming game Friday night as it rolled the Falcons of Canyon View High, 55-7.

The Thunder proved to be a handful for the Falcons as the DHHS offense and defense were just too fast and too good. Though Canyon View scored first on its second play of the game (a 40 yard Kyler Bergener run), the Thunder proved they were not slightly worried as they scored 55 straight points. The only thing that dampened the DHHS trouncing of Canyon View was its plethora of penalties (especially on special teams) and turnovers.

“It took us a moment, after all the Homecoming distractions, to get our footing and start playing football,” Thunder head coach Carl Franke said. “We let a couple stupid runs there early [and] we weren’t ready to play. That is why these homecoming games drive me nuts, because of all the distractions. The team played hard and they played as well as I thought they should have played tonight.”

Desert Hills’ Peyton Pace (24), Desert Hills vs. Canyon View, Football, St. George, UT, Sept. 22, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

Noah Sewell, DHHS quarterback, yet again proved his ability to be both effective through the air and on the ground. Sewell, when needed, would look to create space on the occasional pass, but primarily relied on his mobility to shift and cut through the Falcon defense. Sewell helped lead his team to victory by throwing a touchdown pass and running one in himself.

“The coaches know what they are doing,” Sewell said. “I trust them and I do what they want me to do.”

Sewell’s short TD run late in the first quarter tied the game at 7-7, sparking the amazing 55-0 run by the Thunder.

Yet Sewell was not alone in carrying the weight of the high-productive offensive attack. Senior running back Brock Parry had himself quite the night. Parry seemed to have found every gap possible in the Canyon View D-line as he managed to collect several long runs while helping add points for the Thunder on the scoreboard.

Parry’s first score came on a 25-yard sprint early in the second quarter and he took off on a 42-yard TD run later in the second.

“The game plan, it seemed, was to try and practice throwing ball [and] give [Sewell] some experience,” Parry said. “It kind of failed us the first drive, so we kind of resorted back to our running game because it works for us. The plan was to throw, but we had to resort back.”

Desert Hills’ Gage Baird (23) and Canyon View’s Braydon Cavalieri (14), Desert Hills vs. Canyon View, Football, St. George, UT, Sept. 22, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

With a lot of glory going toward the Thunder offense, the defense showed it is willing to do the dirty work as it out-manned the Falcon offense. After allowing 84 total yards on the first two plays of the game, the Thunder’s “D” let down Thor’s hammer and completely shut down the Falcon offensive attack.

The Falcons did not get another first down the rest of the half.

The two teams seemed to be playing completely different games. The Falcons punted nearly as many times as the Thunder crossed the goal line.

Canyon View couldn’t help but shoot itself in the foot each time an opportunity arose to do something with the football. Whether it came from a Thunder turnover or a chance to get a third-down conversion, the Falcons just didn’t have the right plays in their repertoire.

The biggest example of this came in the middle of the second quarter, when D-Hills defensive end Cole Bailey recovered a fumble in the end zone after Falcon quarterback Colten Shumway pitched the ball to an invisible running back while under heavy pressure from Thunder defenders.

The Thunder also got TDs from Kolton Madsen (from 2 yards and from 3 yards), Kina Taufa (11-yard run) and Hayden Henrie (10-yard pass from Sewell).

DHHS will get the luxury of heading into a bye week this coming week before it faces its three hardest region teams to finish the regular season: Pine View, Dixie and Snow Canyon. The Thunder will face the Panthers at Panther Stadium on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m., with the hope of bettering its 4-2 overall record.

“We just need to move forward and execute the plays that need to be executed and don’t make mistakes that may cost us in the end,” Sewell said.

Canyon View (0-6), seeking its first region victory, will head to Walt Brooks Stadium to take on the Flyers of Dixie High School next week. The game will take place on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.

Friday’s Region 9 results
Cedar 14, Hurricane 8
Dixie 24, Pine View 14
Desert Hills 55, Canyon View 7

REGION 9 STANDINGS
1. Desert Hills 3-0 (4-2)
2. Dixie 2-0 (5-1)
3. Cedar 2-1 (3-3)
4. Snow Canyon 1-1 (4-1)
5. Hurricane 1-2 (2-4)
6. Pine View 0-2 (3-3)
7. Canyon View 0-3 (0-6)

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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