BYU's slow start leads to another close loss

Week 2 of the UTFL saw us Cougars draw the 9 am game against the Black Knights. (I don't know why they where yellow jersey's either.) I think the earliness had an impact on both teams as the first four possessions ended with turnovers.

After that the game settled down considerably and turned into a defensive battle. The score was tied at zero when half-time was reached. Both offenses would find rhythm in the second half though with the Black Knights scoring first and taking a 7-0 lead.

The Black Knight quarterback became a big difference maker at this point. He kept the Cougars guessing mixing up runs and pass plays and keeping plays alive with his feet.

The Cougars were able to respond late in the game scoring a touchdown to bring the score to 7-6. BYU decided to go for two and got called for a false start and then were victimized by a bad snap. The Black Knights would score another TD as time expired to bring the final score to 13-6.

Please subscribe to the blog, and follow me on twitter @bigward77. Also check out the youtube page http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAOgUl6H3SvnJRoT6YY25_A?feature=guide for more videos from our games and the high school games I attend. For more pics check out the BYU 9 man face book page https://www.facebook.com/groups/401286106592032/ . Come check us out this Saturday morning at Lakeridge Jr High as we take on the Falcons at 9 am. Thanks for reading.

Spanish Fork Dominates

The lights shined bright this past Friday night as Spanish Fork hosted Carbon for their homecoming contest. I use the term contest loosely because the game did not stay competitive for very long. Spanish Fork jumped out to quick 12-0 lead and never looked back.

I don't know how Utah decides what schools are what class but it was very clear to me that Carbon was in over there head. They have a couple of solid athletes, number 13 and 7 had some solid plays, but those two were running for the life all night long.

The game was out of hand by half time with the score 33-0.

 Shortly into the second half the back-ups entered the game for the duration but they were still able to run all over the field and dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

 

This dominance was displayed throughout the second half concluding the game with this scoring drive and a 56-0 victory.

 

 

Player of the game: In games like this there isn't really a play that swings the momentum and no one players contribution is irreplaceable. That being said I give the player of the game award to Spanish Fork's athletic director for scheduling Carbon for homecoming.

Random Thoughts: The common practice of scheduling "cupcakes" for homecoming is interesting to me. I get that you want to have a win before the big dance and making sure returning alumni go home happy, but 56-0 game is boring. I am not saying to schedule the state powerhouse and hope for a huge upset or even your schools arch rival, losing to them would be a huge downer for all of the home crowd, but why not schedule somebody who will at least make you keep your starters in the game. Coaches know the games on there schedule that are games they "should" win pick one of those and have a way more interesting game.... Speaking of blow out wins. I feel for Carbon. 56-0 is disheartening and the players are kids for crying out loud. On the other hand I don't know what else Spanish Fork could have done. They put in the back ups and they still scored.... I really hope the game I go to this week is more competitive. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks for reading.

BYU 9-Man Football club Vs. Utah Warriors

This past Saturday was the first week of the fall football season for the UTFL, Utah Tackle Football League. This is my second season playing in the league. I played last spring for the Ibex. That's right there is spring ball too.

This season I am playing with the BYU 9-man club team. That is me in the Orange helmet, don't worry I will have a black one this week. Our first game was against the Utah Warriors. I don't know if they are affiliated with the University of Utah or not.

The first half saw some jitters and our inexperience showed through. We have two guys on the team that have never played before and I am the only player that has played offensive line before. I however have never played center before witch is the position I am playing. We drove down early but were stop on a goal line stand. We scored a safety when the opposing QB committed intentional
grounding in his own end zone. They scored a TD however and it was 7-2 at the half.

The second half saw our offense come alive. We scored a touchdown early to take a 8-7 lead. The Warriors answered scoring another TD through the air and added a two point conversion to take a 15-8 lead. This is when we showed our metal and drove methodically down to field to score again with only 1:30 left in the game. We converted on the two point conversion taking a 16-15 lead.

Sadly for us the Warriors proved themselves again scoring a TD as time expired to win 21-16.

This game has me really excited for the season. Last spring the team I was on was not very good but we have tremendous speed and talented skill position players.

We are still looking for some more players, especially lineman, if you are interested let me know here. I am working on facebook and youtube pages for this team and remember to follow me on twitter @bigward77.

I will be doing a blog soon on the UTFL but for now check out their website www.hitsomeone.com. Thanks for reading.

Westlake falls at home to Olympus

Westlake High School played host to Olympus. I chose this game because the teams had the same record going in, 1-3, and it was a school near to some friends of mine in Saratoga Springs. I am going to be up front about this game. We arrived late with Olympus up 7-0 and my son was fighting a bit of a cold so we left at half time with Olympus up17-0. According to the Deseret News Olympus went on to win 26-6. This has been the second least exciting game I have watched this season. Before I started the blog I went to the Spanish Fork against Park City game and left at half as well. The Don's were up 20-0 at the half and went on to win 49-0 if I remember right.

I am not surprised after watching that these teams had 1-3 records going in. They seemed very inexperienced and the game was sloppy with plenty of turnovers and penalties as I was watching. The one positive I saw in this game is that Olympus took advantage of the turnovers they created and scored points.

Seeing I don't have much to say about the game I will post some of the better pics I got from the game.

Please let me know if there is a game you want me to cover and follow me on twitter @bigward77

Maple Mountain mounts comback against Springville

This was the sight of the high school game I attended this week. The Maple Mountain Golden Eagles played host to Springville High School Red Devils.

For the second week in a row I was treated to a thriller of a football game. This game featured big plays, defensive stops, sustained drives, and clutch performances.

The Golden Eagles took a one score lead late in the first quarter when QB KJ Hall scampered in on a two yard score. Springville did not wait long into the second quarter to reply with a long pass play from Payton Thorpe to Rhett Clarke.

I swear I took this on the scoring play

It looked as though the game was destined to go to the half at a tie after Maple Mountain intercepted a Springville pass on there own two. With just over a minute left KJ Hall broke loose and broke school history with a 98-yard touchdown run. Putting the Eagles up 14-7 at the half.

After the break the Red Devils looked to dominate as Peyton Thorpe looked like Peyton Manning finding open receivers everywhere and leading two third quarter touchdown drives. Including this incredible play after a bad snap.

Trailing by 7 heading into the final quarter Maple Mountain needed to regain the momentum. It seemed it was not to be as Thorpe continued his excellent play. Part way through the 4th quarter they finally struck pay dirt on this play.

That is when the drama really ramped up. On the extra point the ball hit the post hard and was no good. With the Eagle defense struggling for most of the second half things weren't looking so good. Lady Luck however decided to smile on Maple Mountain when the Devils fumbled on their first play from scrimmage following the kick off giving the Eagles the ball at the Springville 9 yard line. The Devils held there ground and forced MM to attempt a field goal.

As you can see the refs say it was no good. I watched this video several times and it seems to be good to me. It crosses in front of the right post and behind the left post and crossbar. Never the less it was no good.

Springville took possession and looked to kill the clock and seal their first win of the season. Misfortune struck them again when they were called for a false start on a 4th and 1 forcing them to punt.

KJ Hall turned into Houdini Hall when he broke off this touchdown run with 30 seconds remaining.

The Eagles failed on their two point attempt but held on after the kick off seal the win.

Honorable Mention for Player of the Week:

Payton Thorpe, QB, Springville. This young man played a wonderful ball game. He played smart and found open receivers, as well as made some athletic plays with his feet. Watching him dual with KJ Hall was truly awesome. It made me think of what it might have been like if RGIII and Andrew Luck had crossed paths in college or high school.

Player of the game/Play of the game:

KJ Hall, QB, Maple Mountain. Simply incredibly performance. I can't say this for certain not knowing the quality of his back up but I feel comfortable in saying that if he had not played this game Springville would have won this game. His fakes were sound and his speed was blazing. Very few players have the speed and stamina to out run everyone else on a 98-yard run  and his clutch run in the 4th quarter, willing his way in the final two yards is very inspiring play from a position you expect to inspire his teammates. That 4th quarter run was the play of the game.

Random Thoughts:

I did take all the pictures and videos in this blog. Forgive the shaky camera at times. I was using a FujiFilm finepix 5. Which is not a video camera and trying to stay steady in the bleachers isn't very easy.... Another ball field with no play clock. What the heck? Help the kids out a get some play clocks out there so we don't have to kill the pace of the game with delay of game penalties.... So I am going to expand the blog beyond high school football to include all amateur football. I will still do a high school game of the week, but I will also be letting you into my season. That is right I am playing in a full contact 9-man league in Utah County called the UTFL check out their website www.hitsomeone.com. I will recap games and maybe practice and talk about why I play. I may or may not also talk college ball..... Please follow my twitter @bigward77 or find me on facebook. Michael Ward. If you try to add me there tell me it is because of the blog so I know who you are. Thanks.

 

The Battle of the Forks

This game was one heck of a ride to watch. As Spanish Fork outlasted American Fork 19-13. Big plays and penalties were the theme of the evening and this was clear from the opening kick as AF returned it for a touchdown that could have set the tone for the entire game. This was not to be as it was called back on the first of many penalties on the night.

The Dons of SF drew first blood going up 6-0 in the first quarter but turnovers and penalties saw them squander the lead and allow 13 unanswered points. The Cavemen seemed to be in control of the game using there superior size to control the line of scrimmage and the clock.

Midway through the third quarter Cooper Beck intercepted an attempted bubble screen and ran it back for a pick six. The momentum swung on this play and reguvinated the Spanish Fork crowd.

This led me to wonder how AF would respond, there ground and pound approach had clearly started to wear down the Don's defense and time was still on there side in a tie ball game. So AF stuck with there strengths and pounded away. But then something happened, the Caveman D gave up the big play. The first SF offensive score came with great field position after a terrible punt back the first quarter. All of that staunch play went for not when they let Braxton Argyle break off a 53 yard scamper for a score with only a little over six minutes left.

Much to American Fork's credit they battle hard and embarked on last stitch effort when they got the ball with 1:28 left in the game and 60 yards of field in front of them. Jeremiah Evans orchestrated what appeared to be at least a game tieing touchdown drive only to have the pass and catch called back on a holding penalty. Evans kept his team composed in the final seconds as he managed to spike the ball with .9 seconds left on the clock. Making the last play all or nothing for the Cavemen. A delay of game penalty pushed them back five yards and an incomplete pass in the end zone capped off one of the most exciting high school games I have ever been at.

Honorable Mentions for Player of the Game:
Jeremiah Evans, QB, AF: He led two touchdown drives, capping one off himself. He would have been the player of the game if that last pass was caught to win the tie the game. His pick six pass didn't help either.

American Fork Cavemen defensive and offensive lines: They controlled most of this game. The defensive line gave up the one big play and the offensive line let the Cavemen control the clock. They would have won player of the game honors if this game had ended 13-6 or 20-6 like it looked like it was going to until Beck's took it back to the house.

Colton Olson, WR, SF: This young man had a whale of a game for a high school receiver catching 10 balls by my count. Having seen SF's first two games I'm sure AF was keyed on fellow wide out Cam Money who had dominated Park City and Springville the previous two weeks. He would have won player of the week if he hadn't fumbled the ball away twice.

Player of the Game/ Play of the game:
Cooper Beck, WR/DB, SF: His pick six changed the game and swung the momentum just enough to hold of AF. My hat is off to this young man on the play he made. From my perspective as football enthusiast he had studied film and new the WR screen was coming. He knew where to be and when to be there and he took advantage.

Random Thoughts of the Week:
My heart goes out to the young man who was called for holding on the called back touchdown pass. I'm sorry I don't recall his number. He had to have the biggest pit in his stomach when the ref made that call, which was a good one.... Why the heck does SF not have play-clocks at their field? I can think of three delay of game penalties. I could forgive only having one on the scoreboard itself and none on the other side but they don't even have one on the board! What is up with that? Oh and no timeout remaining indicators. I know coaches and refs can keep track of that in the head or piece of paper but it would be nice from a fan perspective.

Till next week.

Purpose

This blog, as you may have guessed, is about high school football in the Utah Valley. I am writing this blog for a communications class at UVU and will be updating it weekly.

The blog will follow this format: I will attend a high school football game in Utah County of my choosing and give a recap of the game, choose a play of the game, and a player of the game. The blog will very from time to time with random thoughts on football at large, how I think the game could have been better coached, or any number of things.

If you have a game you would like me to go to feel free to suggest as I am not a native to Utah County I'm not sure who the annual power houses are or the schools that produce the most college players may be.

My first game of the week is on the game between the American Fork Cavemen and the Spanish Fork Dons.