ST. GEORGE — For the second straight week, Crimson Cliffs left no doubt.

The Mustangs beat Snow Canyon 41-7 in Week 6 of Region 9 football action Friday night, one week after defeating Desert Hills 49-7.

In a thriller at Pine View, Dixie outscored the hosts 20-7 in the fourth quarter to complete a 29-28 comeback victory. The Flyers’ Sylas Russell went over from eight yards out with 1:52 left in the fourth quarter, and Jonathan Bibiano split the uprights with the deciding extra point.

Cedar dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage in a 56-7 defeat of Hurricane. The Reds wasted no time with TreDyn Elliott running back the opening kickoff 80 yards for a score.

Desert Hills was idle this week but returns to action in Week 7 against Dixie.

Crimson Cliffs 41, Snow Canyon 7

The Warriors kept up with Crimson for the first half, but the Mustangs used physicality and execution to dominate the second half.

Crimson took its second possession right down the field, starting with a big run by Mason Topalian and finishing with a touchdown pass from Steele Barben to Ty West.

Snow Canyon responded with a touchdown pass from Tank Kelly to Makaio Swensen and the home team knotted the score 7-7.

The Mustangs took the ball right back down the field, this time behind a big run from McCord Christiansen and a touchdown pass from Barben to Boston Adamson.

A critical play happened right at the end of the first half, when Kelly was sacked at Crimson’s 6-yard line and the Mustangs came up short, trailing 14-7 at the break.

The Mustangs struck quickly to open the third quarter as Barben called his own number and ran in a 7-yard score and Crimson took a commanding 21-7 lead.

Snow Canyon’s front line, worn out by Crimson’s constant pressure, couldn’t keep the Mustang defenders off Kelly and the Warrior offense was stymied.

On the other side of the trenches, Crimson’s offensive line started moving people and created open lanes for the Mustangs’ running backs to gallop through.

Christiansen had a 15-yard touchdown scamper and Topalian took a 9-yard pitch to the house as Crimson put the game away late.

“We feel like we can run the ball against any team, honestly,” Topalian told St. George News after the win. “Our O-line sets the course with our big men up front and we just run the ball. That’s how we do it.”

Crimson’s offensive line of Jacob Zarate, Brooks Jensen, center Easton Webster, Connell Barton and mammoth right tackle Spencer Arnold gave Barben plenty of time to operate against the Warriors.

“We watched film and we believed in ourselves and our coaches,” Arnold said. “We look at the big goal in life, the goal at the end of the season. Win state.”

Darius Strickland’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Luke Childs completed the scoring in the contest as Crimson Cliffs moved to 5-1 overall and remained unbeaten in Region 9 at 3-0.

Snow Canyon slipped to 4-2, 1-1 after the setback.

Dixie 29, Pine View 28

A safety in the first quarter and a 20-point rally in the fourth quarter resulted in a dramatic comeback win on the road for the Flyers.

Mohe Tonga scored on a 2-yard burst and Brock Harris collected a 44-yard touchdown pass from Adam Moore and the Panthers led 14-2 at halftime.

Dixie got back into it with a 60-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Junior Coughlin a little over 3 minutes into the third quarter.

But Pine View answered right back, first on a 12-yard TD run by Moore and then with another touchdown reception by Harris, and the Panthers led 28-9 at 11:27 of the fourth quarter. 

Coughlin started the rally for Dixie, this time taking a 63-yard touchdown toss from Wyatt Truman 16 seconds after Harris’ score.

Truman found Ran Sawyer for a 7-yard TD pass almost six minutes later, and then Dixie went ahead for good behind an 8-yard scoring run from Silas Russell. Jonathan Bibiano kicked the PAT to provide the final margin.

Dixie improved to 2-4 overall and is 2-0 in Region 9. Pine View is 3-3 and 1-2 in Region 9 play.

Cedar 56, Hurricane 7

At Hurricane, the Cedar Reds scored on the opening kickoff and never looked back as they ran away with a convincing win to spoil the Tigers’ homecoming game.

TreDyn Elliot took the opening kick 80-plus yards for a touchdown, giving Cedar a 7-0 lead.

After Hurricane went three-and-out and punted, Cedar drove and scored again quickly, with quarterback Everett Kelling capping off the drive with a 15-yard TD pass to Ammon York that gave Cedar a 14-0 lead with 7:05 left in the first quarter.

Late in the first quarter, Kelling found Elliott in the end zone for a 33-yard TD reception. Running back Devin Crenshaw later scored on a 1-yard TD run with 9:18 left in the second quarter, giving the Reds a 28-0 lead.

With the Reds looking to score again late in the second quarter, Hurricane’s Kellan Pledger scooped up a fumble and ran it back 83 yards for a touchdown, putting the Tigers on the board with their only score of the game.

Cedar’s Elliott caught his second TD pass with 7 seconds left in the first half, giving the Reds a 35-7 halftime lead.

Early in the third quarter, Kelling found Jonathan Jeter in the end zone for a 30-yard TD pass that put the Reds ahead 42-7, thereby activating the “mercy rule” running clock for the remainder of the game.

Cedar’s last two touchdowns were a 4-yard run by Krue Giles late in the third quarter and a 9-yard run by Jayden Orr late in the fourth.

Cedar head coach Josh Bennett called the decisive win “an overall team effort in all three phases of the game.”

“We opened up the game with a kick return TD, which gave us momentum,” he said.

Bennett credited the offensive line for opening up the running game and allowing the quarterback more time to throw.

“Quarterback Everett Kelling did a great job of making reads and the receivers did a good job of creating separation on passes,” Bennett added.

Cedar made it through the entire game without having to punt. The Reds faced fourth down just one time late in the contest when they picked up a first down on a short run.

“Defensively, we had a couple breakdowns but most of the time all 11 guys did their jobs,” Bennett said. “That was one thing we challenged the defense this week to do, was to be more disciplined. We still have a lot to work on and will work hard next week to continue to get better.”

Cedar improved to 2-4 overall with the win, 1-2 in Region 9. The Reds host Pine View next Friday. Meanwhile, Hurricane fell to 1-5 overall, 0-3 in region play. The Tigers host Snow Canyon next Friday.

– written by Jeff Richards

1A/2A/3A results

Canyon View 49, North Sanpete 7

Quarterback Jaxon Jensen rushed for one touchdown and passed for another four in the Falcons’ 49-7 victory over the Hawks. Canyon View, ranked No. 1 in 3A, remained undefeated (6-0), while the North Sanpete fell to 1-5. JT Paule had a defensive touchdown, while Deegean Davies had three TD receptions and Daltan Malcom and Traie Buhler added one apiece. Next up for Canyon View is No. 4 Manti.

Enterprise 22, Milard 14

Ryker Phillips, Brayden Gardner and Jaden Drake each scored touchdowns as the top-ranked 1A Wolves improved to 6-0. Gardner crossed the goal line with 4:09 left in the fourth quarter, Dallin Aylworth added the conversion run and Enterprise’s defense held off Milard (2-4) down the stretch.

Beaver 42, Kanab 7

Bodie Wheatley rushed for two touchdowns and threw for one more as the No. 4 1A Beavers improved to 5-1 and the No. 3  Cowboys fell to 4-2. Tavyn Hollingshead also had two TDs on the ground and Tate Gale had one TD reception and one TD rush for Beaver. Kanab’s lone score came on a 14-yard pass from Maddex  Bone to Drey Stubbs.

Milford 45, Parowan Rams 7

Hunter Bettridge had a scoring run and and extra point as the Rams fell to 0-6 against host Milford (3-3)

Monument Valley at Water Canyon: no report available.

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