ST. GEORGE – The Panthers decided to pound the rock.
With quarterback Kody Wilstead out with a broken leg, Pine View coaches decided a change of identity may be in order. And they weren’t kidding around.
Scrapping their trademark spread offense, Pine View came out in an I-formation and ran, ran, ran against Orem in a 24-21 victory Friday night in Utah County.
Prentiss Miller carried an astounding 51 times for 270 yards. The yardage amount isn’t a record, but the number of carries for the senior Miller is. Someone get that kid a hot tub.
“We were missing several starters and key players tonight,” Pine View assistant Dale Stott said. “Really, what we had was our horse, Prentiss Miller, and a great offensive line. And we rode them to victory.”
It was a severe contrast in styles with the Tigers running no-huddle and throwing on every play and the Panthers taking full huddles and running almost the entire game.
Dylan Draper, making his first start at QB in place of Wilstead, was efficient, completing 7-12 passes for 96 yards and two scores, including a key fourth-down conversion that went for a touchdown to Colton Miller.
That play, early in the third quarter put the Panthers ahead for good. The six-yard score made it 17-14.
Orem responded to the score with a long drive of its own, but a goal-line stand by the Panthers defense preserved the lead.
After that defensive stop for Pine View, Prentiss Miller scored to make it 24-14. The Tigers scored with just over a minute left in the game to cut it to 24-21. But Pine View recovered an onside kick and then killed the clock to clinch the victory.
Pine View was without starters Wes Moeai (D-line, concussion), Jack Bangerter (WR, concussion), Wilstead, Justice Santiago (linebacker, broken leg) and Tristan Duran (WR/DB), but still managed to get the key preseason road win.
“It was big for us,” Stott said. “We were able to overcome some real questionable penalties and just own the line of scrimmage. The offensive line did a great job.”
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