CEDAR CITY — The Cedar Redmen only allowed 128 yards in the entire game in a solid 28-8 win over cross-town rival Canyon View Friday night at Redmen Stadium.
Canyon View recorded 352 rushing yards alone in last year’s shootout, but Cedar’s coaches were not about to let that happen again.
“Our defensive coordinator Mark Esplin and our defensive coaches came up with a great game plan this week,” CHS coach Josh Bennett said. “And they executed that game plan.”
Cedar scored first on its second possession of the game when quarterback Mason Fakahua found Braden Garrett wide open on the sideline for an 80-yard catch and run.
The Redmen defense kept their offense in good field position in the first half by holding CV deep in its own territory. CV only gained 31 total yards in the before halftime (26 rushing, 5 passing). Canyon View’s defense was able to create timely turnovers as they picked Fakahua off at the 1-yard line in the first quarter and recovered two fumbles in the second quarter, but the offense just couldn’t get anything going.
Cedar scored two more touchdowns on consecutive drives in the second quarter. The first was a 7-yard pass from Fakahua to Parker Haynie; the second was a 2-yard rush by Travis Tait.
Cedar seemed to pick up where it left off and scored on its first possession of the second half on a 37-yard drive capped by another 2-yard rush by Tait. But CV’s defense would only allow 62 yards the rest of the game.
The Falcons scored early in the fourth quarter on a 39-yard pass from Brayden Lowry to Abe Huxford, but a four-minute drive by Cedar ended all hopes of a fourth-quarter comeback.
Cedar’s loss to the Falcons from last year was avenged.
Cedar next will host Juab Friday at 7 p.m. Canyon View will continue looking for its first win as it hosts Dixie on Friday at 7 p.m.
For more pictures, quotes and insight from the game, see the Saturday Breakdown Saturday morning on St. George News.
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