Manti Templars fall big to Juab Wasps, still headed for playoffs
Bob Bahlmann
Staff writer
10-20-2016
NEPHI—After clinching a playoff berth, the Manti High football team lost to the undefeated Juab Wasps, 35-3, last week in the final game of the regular season.
All year the Templars have struggled to stop a good running attack. The game at Juab on Friday Oct. 14 was no different. The Wasps ran for nearly 200 yards and added another 190 in the air. They had a total of 388 yards in offense.
“They have good speed and good size,” said Manti coach Cole Meacham, who expressed disappointment with Manti’s performance. “It’s tough to find any positive spin to it.”
Manti finished the game with 76 rushing yards and 41 passing for a net of 117 yards.
The only Templar score of the game came in the fourth quarter when Jorge Lemus booted a 41-yard field goal.
The Templars 2-3 league record is good enough to earn them the fourth-place seed from the 3A South region. That sets up a matchup with Morgan, the top team from the 3A North and also the top-ranked 3A team in the state.
Manti will travel to Morgan on either Friday Oct. 28 or Saturday Oct. 29 to take on the Trojans.
Morgan has an overall record of 7-2. They lost their first two games of the year to Bear River, 14-0, and then South Summit, 22-20. Since then, the Trojans have won seven straight with one more non-league game on their schedule, a contest with North Sanpete this Wednesday.
The Templars do not have a game scheduled for this week.
