TOOELE – A team can’t start any faster than the Dixie Flyers did Friday evening. An first-play score gave the Flyers the lead and they never looked back en route to a 20-13 win over the Stansbury Stallions in the 3A state quarterfinals.
Chris Wetton took the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and provided the Flyers with the momentum they would need to hold off the Stallions throughout the game.
“We got off to a quick start,” coach Blaine Monkres said. “It kind of got everybody into the game real fast. The players on the sideline and everybody was up after we returned the opening kickoff. That was a big play.”
The kickoff return would prove to be the only points scored in the opening quarter and the Flyers remained on top until Stansbury equalized with a touchdown midway through the second quarter.
The Flyers answered and regained the lead on a Blake Barney touchdown run as the first half expired and took a 14-7 lead into the locker room.
Neither team managed a touchdown until late in the third quarter, when Chase Christiansen plunged into the end zone for a Stansbury touchdown. However, the Dixie defense put pressure on the kicker and forced a failed extra point to keep the lead at 14-13.
The Flyers capped the scoring with 10 minutes left in the game on a 3-yard run from Barney. The ensuing extra point also failed, but the Dixie defense held on for the victory.
Dixie improves to 9-2 with the win and moves on face to Juan Diego (12-0) in the state semifinals on Friday at 6:30 p.m at Rice Eccles Stadium. The Soaring Eagles pummeled the Hurricane Tigers 38-0 in their quarterfinal match-up and will be the second consecutive undefeated team the Flyers have faced.
“Hopefully we’ll have two games there instead of just one,” Monkres said. “It’ll be a tall order, but I think the kids are up to the challenge.”
Boxscore: dixsta12
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