Football playoff roundup: Layton returns 3 INTs for TDs to win; Fremont upsets Granger
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- Layton running back Braxton Martin (21) stiff-arms a Herriman defender during a 6A first-round playoff game Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Layton. (ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)
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- Layton receiver Elias Parkinson (11) rises for a ball against Herriman’s Chachi Pan (2) during a 6A first-round playoff game Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Layton. (ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)
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- A Layton player carries the ball through contact from a Herriman defender during a 6A first-round playoff game Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Layton. (ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)
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- Layton running back Braxton Martin (21) takes on Herriman’s Michael Falatea (3) during a 6A first-round playoff game Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Layton. (ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)
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- Layton offensive lineman Spencer Hill (71) lifts a teammate in a touchdown celebration during a 6A first-round playoff game against Herriman on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Layton. (ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)
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- Layton’s Tyler Wensel (7) runs to the end zone against Herriman during a 6A first-round playoff game Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Layton. (ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)
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- Layton’s Teague Farr (5) arrives to tackle a Herriman ball carrier as a teammate pulls him from behind during a 6A first-round playoff game Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Layton. (ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)
LAYTON — No. 16 Layton High football’s defense used three interception return touchdowns to outscore No. 17 Herriman for a 36-14 playoff win in a 6A first-round playoff game Friday night in Layton.
Tyler Wensel tossed two touchdown passes to Elias Parkinson for Layton (6-4). Parkinson caught a 13-yard scoring pass, followed by a 2-point conversion, to give Layton an 8-0 with 11:56 left in the second quarter, then a 17-yarder for a 22-7 lead in the fourth quarter.
Jaxson Henderson returned a third-quarter interception 83 yards to give the Lancers a 15-7 lead. Parkinson added a 92-yard pick-six with 3:15 left in the game, then Teague Farr housed a 28-yard interception return nine seconds later to give Layton a 36-7 lead.
Herriman (4-7) returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for the final margin.
The Lancers advance to face top-seeded Corner Canyon (8-2) in the second round.
FREMONT 23, GRANGER 13
WEST VALLEY CITY — Dax Iverson booted three long field goals — from 46, 47, and 47 yards — to boost No. 18 Fremont to an upset win at No. 15 Granger (5-4) in the 6A first round.
Freshman Slade Parker tossed two touchdown passes for Fremont (3-7). Parker hit Luke Shulz for a 41-yard score to give the Silverwolves a 10-0 lead late in the first quarter. Jace Hadley took a Parker pass 8 yards to paydirt with 4:55 left in the third quarter for a 20-7 lead.
Parker threw 15 of 31 for 118 yards. Brigg Grange rushed 13 times for 41 yards.
Fremont advances to face No. 2 Skyridge (9-1) in the second round.
BOX ELDER 21, HIGHLAND 14
BRIGHAM CITY — With No. 24 Highland (3-8) driving for the tying score, Cooper Stevenson intercepted the Rams with 50 seconds left to secure the win for No. 9 Box Elder (8-3) in a 5A first-round playoff win.
Ryan Griffin threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mason Jeppsen to give Box Elder (8-3) a 6-0 lead with 4:20 left in the first quarter. Griffin connected with Damon Rodriguez for a 39-yard score. Cole Mortensen returned a punt 76 yards to give the Bees a 21-0 lead with 3:13 left in the first half.
Highland scored just before the break, then again in the third quarter, setting up Stevenson’s heroics.
The Bees will travel to face No. 8 Provo (6-3) in the 5A second round. Box Elder will be looking to avenge a 44-38 overtime loss at Provo on Sept. 19.
CEDAR VALLEY 52, VIEWMONT 34
EAGLE MOUNTAIN — No. 20 Viewmont ceded a 21-14 halftime lead as No. 13 Cedar Valley rallied for a huge second half in a 5A first-round game.
Viewmont led 21-7 late in the first half before Cooper Thomson threw one of his four touchdown passes with 52 seconds left. That started a run of 45 unanswered points for the Aviators (8-3), a rally capped with two interceptions returned for CV touchdowns early in the fourth quarter.
Viewmont went up 14-0 in the first quarter when Luke Jacobs hit Kingston Mickens for a 55-yard passing touchdown, then Jacobs ran for a 73-yard score. Jacobs’ 20-yard touchdown pass to Scott Noel with 2:21 left in the first half put Viewmont up 21-7.
Daren Tovey threw a fourth-quarter TD pass to Nathan Savage for Viewmont and Miles McGrath rushed in a late touchdown to cap the scoring.
Viewmont ends the season with a 4-6 record.
MANTI 48, OGDEN 15
MANTI — No. 9 Ogden fell behind No. 8 Manti (5-6) by a score of 20-0 and could not recover in a 3A first-round playoff loss.
Adam Wilson booted a 41-yard field goal to get Ogden on the board with 6:57 left in the third quarter. Chino Furniss threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes: a 31-yard catch-and-run to Kire Thompson and a 9-yard scoring strike to Chet Colvin to cap the scoring with 5:06 left in the game.
Furniss passed for 280 yards. The Tigers end the year with a 3-7 record.
NORTH SANPETE 28, BEN LOMOND 7
MT. PLEASANT — Manase Tuatagaloa scored on a 5-yard run to pull No. 11 Ben Lomond to a 7-7 tie with 1:13 left in the first half, then No. 6 North Sanpete (5-6) responded with three unanswered touchdowns to win the 3A first-round contest.
The Scots finish the season with a 3-8 mark.
MTN CREST 35, BEAR RIVER 15
HYRUM — Kyver Jensen kicked a 36-yard field goal to give No. 11 Bear River a 9-0 lead with 5:47 left in the first quarter, then No. 6 Mountain Crest (7-4) responded with 35 consecutive points to take control in the 4A first-round contest.
Ryker Jeppsen scored the game’s first and last touchdowns, each on 3-yard runs. On the final score, which came with 23 seconds left, Jeppsen spun the ball in the endzone in celebration, and the officials promptly ejected him.
Bear River outgained MC 264-231. The Bears finish the year with a 3-8 record.
Brett Hein contributed to this report.
