SANDY – After a 21-0 start, the Jordan Beetdiggers probably thought they were headed for a blowout win over Desert Hills. Not so much, as Jordan held on for a 28-21 win Friday night in the season-opener for the two squads at Beetdiggers Stadium.
“We could have folded up the tents and gone home, but we didn’t,” Thunder coach Carl Franke said. “We challenged the kids at halftime and asked them if they were going to roll over or if they were going to fight to the end. And they fought to the end. I’m very proud of them.”
Desert Hills went on an 11-play, seven-minute drive to open the second half with Marco Jordan rushing it in from eight yards out to make it 21-7. Early in the third quarter, Quinn Kiser passed to Braxton Porter from 22-yards out to make it 21-14 and the Beetdiggers knew they had a ball game on their hands.
Jordan pushed the lead out to two touchdowns again at 28-14 when Crew Wakley hit Isaiah Jackson from 46 yards out with six minutes to play.
Undaunted, Desert Hills responded with another TD drive. This time the 87-yard drive ended with a Kiser sneak from a yard out with 1:59 left on the clock to cut it to 28-21. After an unsuccessful onside kick, Jordan was able to get one first down and then run out the clock to take the close win.
Jordan’s three TD drives in the first half were all longer than 60 yards while DH struggled to move the ball. The Thunder had a chance to cut it to 14-7 before half, but committed a penalty in the red zone. Jordan then scored in less than a minute to push the advantage to 21-0 at intermission.
D-Hills, 0-1, plays a home against Salem Hills next Friday night.
For more on this game, including more photos and stats, check out St. George News’s Saturday Breakdown Saturday morning.
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