A perfect night: Manti, North Sanpete and Gunnison Valley all pick up wins

MANTI—Last Friday night gave Sanpete County football plenty to celebrate as Manti, North Sanpete and Gunnison Valley all picked up victories. Manti rolled past Juan Diego Catholic 54-7, North Sanpete rallied to edge Deseret Peak 22-21 in overtime and Gunnison Valley earned its first win of the season with a 22-18 victory over Providence Hall.

Manti 54, Juan Diego Catholic 7

DRAPER—Manti turned a strong start into a dominant road performance Friday, Aug. 21, rolling past Juan Diego Catholic 54-7.

The Templars scored 14 points in the first quarter, added 19 in the second and scored three more touchdowns in the third to build a 54-7 advantage before a scoreless fourth quarter.

Kingston Wright completed 11 of 14 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns, while Stetson Thomson provided a big-play threat on the ground with three carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns.

Manti finished with 308 yards of total offense, including 200 passing yards and 108 rushing yards.

Trever Christensen was Wright’s most productive target in the end zone, catching three passes for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Christensen also contributed on defense with eight tackles and two interceptions, returning the picks for 67 yards.

Thomson added three receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown, while Isaiah Wright caught three passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. Hudson Crane had one reception for 9 yards, and C. Lund caught one pass for 8 yards.

The Manti defense kept Juan Diego out of the end zone for three quarters and forced three turnovers through the air. Cooper Lund led the Templars with nine tackles, followed by Christensen with eight. Kolten Layton and Tevon Vakautakakala each recorded seven tackles, with Vakautakakala adding two tackles for loss. Isaac Meacham had six tackles.

Manti also received a strong performance from its special teams. Tyler Steinfeldt averaged 53.3 yards on nine kickoffs and recorded four touchbacks. Vakautakakala averaged 44 yards on two punts, including a 50 yard boot.

The victory moved Manti to 1-1 on the season, while Juan Diego Catholic fell to 0-2. Manti will return to action Friday, Aug. 28, when the Templars host Grantsville.

North Sanpete 22, Desert Hills 21

ST. GEORGE—North Sanpete rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit and scored on a two-point conversion in overtime to edge Deseret Peak 22-21 Friday in Tooele.

The Hawks trailed 6-0 after the first quarter but answered with touchdowns in the second and third quarters to take a 14-6 lead. Deseret Peak scored with 11:19 remaining in the fourth quarter and added the two-point conversion to force a 14-14 overtime.

North Sanpete struck first in overtime when Chaetton Osborne scored on a 5-yard run. Trevor Mann then ran for the two-point conversion to give the Hawks a 22-14 lead.

Deseret Peak answered with a touchdown, but North Sanpete stopped the Golden Eagles’ two-point attempt to preserve the victory.

The win kept North Sanpete unbeaten at 2-0, while Deseret Peak fell to 0-2.

The Hawks finished with 282 yards of total offense, including 169 rushing and 113 passing yards.

Mann led North Sanpete’s ground game with 95 yards on 17 carries. Osborne added 50 yards on eight carries and two receptions for 31 yards.

Quarterback Luke Lee completed 11 of 25 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown without an interception. Seth Burningham was his leading receiver, catching six passes for 77 yards and a touchdown.

North Sanpete’s defense recorded 73 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and six sacks. Milo Hendry had eight tackles, 3½ tackles for loss and 2½ sacks, while Jesse Nuttall recorded eight tackles, 4½ tackles for loss and 2½ sacks. Trexon Madsen and Stryker Lee also had eight tackles apiece.

North Sanpete will return home Friday to host Delta, which also enters the game 2-0.

Gunnison Valley 22, Providence Hall 18

HERRIMAN—Gunnison Valley overcame a sluggish start on offense to earn a 22-18 victory over Providence Hall, improving to 1-1 on the season.

The Bulldogs relied heavily on their ground game, rushing for 178 yards on 44 attempts while completing just two of six passes for 13 yards. Gunnison Valley finished with 191 total yards of offense.

Chance Hammond led the Bulldogs with 53 rushing yards on 11 carries. Bronsen Allen added 33 yards on 10 carries and scored two touchdowns, while Krew Donaldson also rushed for 33 yards on four carries. Kyle Keith carried five times for 25 yards and a touchdown.

Keith completed two passes for 13 yards, both to Daxton Knudsen, who finished with two receptions for 13 yards.

The Bulldogs’ defense helped preserve the victory, limiting Providence Hall to 18 points after the Patriots entered the game averaging 15 points in their first two games. Hammond led Gunnison Valley with six tackles, including five assisted tackles. Allen, Dillon Dyreng, Ryder Donaldson, Bear Bartholomew and Deegan Hill each recorded two tackles.

Gunnison Valley scored three touchdowns, with Allen accounting for two and Keith adding the other.

The victory was Gunnison Valley’s first of the season after the Bulldogs opened the year with a loss. Providence Hall fell to 0-2.

The Bulldogs will return home Friday to host Grand County. The Red Devils enter the matchup 1-0 after a 53-38 victory over Water Canyon.