At home, No. 1 Trojans thump Canyon View 43-10 in 3A quarterfinal round
Nov 15, 2024 10:48AM ● By Brian Shaw
Senior Drew Korth zigzags past several opponents on a 10-yard touchdown run, giving the Trojans a 15-3 lead. Morgan would go on and defeat No. 8 Canyon View 43-10 Nov. 1 in the 3A quarterfinals. Photo courtesy of Jessica Jorgensen
All season long, the Morgan Trojans have been working toward another shot at Manti.
After a 43-10 win at home Friday Nov. 1 over No. 8 Canyon View in the 3A quarterfinals, they’ll finally have a chance to play the avenger.
“We have an opportunity to play a very good Manti team this week, the same team that beat us in the semis,” said Morgan head coach Jared Barlow about Friday’s 3A semifinal opponent at Zions Bank Stadium. “Playoff football is exciting, and we are thankful to be part of it.”
The Trojans took a minute to get going after a two-week break, admitted Morgan’s coach. But Morgan was helped by two defensive mistakes by Canyon View that gave the Trojans first half points. The first came when Canyon View’s punter kicked the ball off the back of his teammate, resulting in great field position.
Five plays later, senior Lincoln Gilson curled the ball into his lap for a 5-yard TD reception. On the extra point, junior Jack Hurd, the placeholder, instead lofted a pass to senior Boston Zack in the end zone, handing the Trojans an 8-0 lead.
After giving up a field goal, the Trojans offense made Canyon View’s defense pay for their over pursuit on the edges. Sheffield found Drew Korth out in the flat. The senior did the rest, zigzagging through Canyon View’s defense for a 10-yard TD and 15-3 Morgan lead.
“Canyon View was very prepared and had a good game plan,” said Coach Barlow of the Trojans quarterfinal opponent that made the trek up from Cedar City. “We hurt ourselves in the first half with penalties and a couple turnovers but came out the second half and cleaned things up a bit. Defensively we gave up a few big plays, but overall played great.”
In the second half, Morgan came out with a different mentality. The senior-led Trojans defense forced Canyon View into several bad situations. Nik Preece and Bridger Ostrander stuffed runs in the gaps and Krew Galbraith blew up a screen pass, forcing a fourth down and long deep in Canyon View territory. It led to a punt that was downed at the Morgan 47, flipping the field for the Trojans.
In the next 10 minutes and 14 seconds of the third quarter, Morgan would score four TDs, two each from Gilson and Korth.
Morgan [11-0] scored its third TD of the game in just three plays. Hurd spun away for 14 yards, Gilson gobbled up 20 more on an inside run and Korth burst into the end zone from 14 yards out, untouched, giving Morgan a 22-3 lead with 9:02 left in the third.
A miscommunication in Morgan’s secondary led to a 78-yard passing TD for Canyon View, cutting the Trojans lead to 22-10, just two minutes later.
On offense, Gilson was Mr. Versatile, rushing for 115 yards on just eight carries and 102 more on eight catches as a receiver. On a give, the senior busted through an arm tackle for a 24-yard rushing TD and 29-10 Trojans lead.
While Canyon View was grabbing handfuls of maroon jersey in the third quarter, Morgan’s linebackers tossed aside the opposing quarterback’s hand warmer.
This was football weather, bro.
Korth added 91 yards on the ground for the Trojans, who tacked on two more third-quarter TD runs for good measure on a brisk evening in Morgan County.
“It was good to be back on the field again after a bye week, “said Barlow. “Hard to believe that was our last home game of the season, but grateful for all the memories we made on that field together this year.” λ
