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Syracuse's Kaleb Hall is jubilant following an interception during a region football contest vs. Layton on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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Syracuse's Ryker Van Komen, left, runs upfield during a region football contest vs. Layton on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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Layton's Lincoln Wilcox, middle #10, prepares for the snap during a region football contest vs. Syracuse on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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Syracuse's Ledger Wight, middle #4, calls out ahead of the snap during a region football contest vs. Layton on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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The Layton road student section gets loud during a region football contest vs. Syracuse on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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Syracuse's Ryker Van Komen adjusts his facemask during a region football contest vs. Layton on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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Syracuse coach Mitch Tulane watches a play closely during a region football contest vs. Layton on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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The Syracuse home student section gets loud during a region football contest vs. Layton on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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The Syracuse football team takes the field before a region football contest vs. Layton on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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A paratrooper lands on the football field before a region football contest at Syracuse High School on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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A paratrooper lands on the football field before a region football contest at Syracuse High School on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Syracuse.

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SYRACUSE — Kaleb Hall might’ve just invented the new gameday ritual for the Syracuse High football team: two McDonald’s breakfast burritos and a sausage McMuffin.

While fast food for breakfast isn’t generally recommended, Friday morning’s drive-thru visit by the Titans’ junior defensive back prompted four takeaways — a school-record three interceptions, as well as a fumble recovery — during a 52-7 steamroll over Layton to begin region play.

Hall picked off Layton senior quarterback Lincoln Wilcox twice in the first half. Syracuse junior quarterback Ledger Wight, meanwhile, piled up ponits by orchestrating two touchdown passes and two touchdown rushes (his second totaling 68 yards) for a 28-0 lead by the second quarter.

Coming off what Hall described as two disappointing showings — a 42-38 home loss to Rigby (Idaho) and a narrow 25-20 win at Alta last week — the 165-pound starter was itching for his first takeaway through the air.

“I was due for some picks,” Hall said. “I didn’t have any in the first five games, just a bunch of tackles. I think after this, I’m going to go get some more.”

Switching to the backfield due to injuries, Layton senior Gavin Hurst finally provided an answer with a 70-yard touchdown run following four unanswered Titan scoring drives. That theme carried into halftime, with two goal-line touchdowns by 6A top-10 rusher Ryker Van Komen for a 35-point Syracuse lead.

Biting at the region’s leading passer, Tradon Bessinger, with 1,164 yards, Wight relies on the offense’s multiplicity each week. Friday was another opportunity for Syracuse, now in its second season under head coach Mitch Tulane, to sharpen its lead before heading to Davis next week.

“It’s everywhere,” Wight said. “We’ve got it everywhere.”

Tallying his third takeaway on the first drive back, Hall scooped up a Nathan Mecham fumble on a hard hit by fellow senior and defensive back Madden Nelson. Hall saved some postgame praise for Nelson, who’d made a key special teams tackle in the first quarter, pinning the Lancers deep on their first drive of the game.

“He’s been doing great, honestly,” Hall said of Nelson. “He had that fumble that I recovered. I think he’s a great player and he’s honestly one of our better DBs.”

Rather expectedly, Syracuse logged the first points of the second half, this time on a 25-yard touchdown by freshman running back Kao Prom, diving over the pylon for his first points of the night. Titans senior kicker Skyler Orton later missed a 53-yard attempt, but bought those points back with a 28-yarder during a running-clock fourth quarter.

With the exception of Hurst’s breakout run for six, Layton’s largely muted offense managed little following a change at quarterback, swapping Koen Doane under center following Wilcox’s second pick.

Seven points allowed matches a season-low by the Titans and defensive coordinator Caden Hall, previously limiting defending 5A champ Bountiful, in a 35-7 win.

“I know we needed our confidence built back up after the last few games,” Hall said. “We haven’t been playing the greatest, against Rigby and Alta, but this definitely brought our confidence up, and I think we’re going to be ready for Davis next week.”

Connect with reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.