Broncos overcome penalty-laden game to secure third straight win

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
It’s hard to describe exactly what happened on the San Juan High School football field this past Friday, September 4. Some of the time there was a football game. Other times there was not.
Though San Juan’s home opener was marred by a coach being ejected, players receiving multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and an inordinate number of penalty flags being thrown, ultimately the Broncos did what they normally do…look past all the drama to execute and dominate their opponent.
San Juan welcomed Summit Academy to town this past Friday for a cross-region showdown with what has become one of their biggest rivals in 2A football.
Put simply, the Bears have developed an acute distaste for the Broncos after taking multiple beatings from them over the course of the past few seasons. There is no love lost between the two teams, and it boiled over on Friday.
Right from the opening kickoff, coaches and players on the Summit Academy sideline and field began to argue with the officiating crew…after almost every play.
Referees began to take exception. Flags began to fly. The game ground to a halt. A coach was ejected. Summit Academy’s sophomore quarterback – the new head coach’s son – was nearly ejected.
Other than those things, it was a normal, hard-fought, physically punishing football game. And the Broncos definitely had a fight on their hands.
But, like they do more times than not, they also had a quick start. San Juan received the opening kick and, on the first play from scrimmage, Brigg Palmer broke free and ran 54 yards down the sideline for the game’s first touchdown just 14 seconds in.
The Bears’ offense came onto the field believing they could also drive the ball on San Juan and tie the game. But the Broncos forced a punt just three plays later and had the ball again with good field position.
With the ball at midfield Beau Yeomans found Miken Keith wide open in the middle of the field and he hit him for a stunning 50-yard touchdown pass, giving the Broncos a 13-0 lead just 2:21 in.
It looked like the home team was going to run away with the game, but the scoring abruptly came to a halt.
The teams traded scoreless possessions for the next 13 minutes until, on their fifth possession, Summit Academy scored to cut San Juan’s lead in half.
Quarterback Rigby Young hit star receiver Beckham Meredith for a two-yard touchdown pass, making the score 13-6 in favor of San Juan with 7:37 left in the first half.
The Broncos answered on their next possession, though it took almost five minutes off the clock. A nice 18-yard pass from Yeomans to Quincy Singer set San Juan up with a first-and-goal from the one.
It took four tries, but they finally punched the ball across the goal line when Yeomans carried it himself for his third rushing touchdown of the season.
The Broncos took a 19-6 lead into halftime and that’s where it would stay through a scoreless third quarter. Finally, just over one minute into the fourth quarter San Juan struck again.
Yeomans threw to Randall Black who caught the ball on a comeback pattern, then proceeded to weave his way through the Summit Academy defense and slice down the middle of the field for a 52-yard touchdown catch.
That made the score 25-6 and in essence was all San Juan needed for the win. There were three more touchdowns scored in the fourth quarter, and two of them were by the Broncos.
Brigg Palmer ran in a one-yarder and a 44-yarder to seal the game 38-14. San Juan Head Coach Barkley Christensen praised his players’ effort after the game.
“That was physical football and that’s why we work as hard as we do in the summers is for games like this one,” he said.
“Those were some big kids,” he continued, “and we didn’t care. The kids matched it and never backed down. They just showed up and hit them in the mouth.”
The San Juan defense was outstanding again, allowing just 131 yards passing and 170 yards rushing for 301 total, while the offense collected 245 yards rushing and 232 yards passing for a total of 479 yards.
Not surprisingly, Brigg Palmer did most of the work on the ground with 235 yards on 31 carries and three rushing touchdowns. That brings his season total to 12 rushing TDs.
Beau Yeomans was well under his completion percentage for the season but still threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns. He was 15-for-31 on the night and also ran in the one-yard rushing touchdown.
Yeoman’s main targets were Randall Black and Miken Keith. Black had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown and Keith had four catches for 77 yards and a touchdown.
Andrew Nielson got into the mix with two catches for 30 yards. Quincy Singer had one 18-yard catch. And Brigg Palmer caught a couple passes for seven yards.
Thomas Hardin led the defense with eight tackles in the win. Brigg Palmer collected seven tackles, and Liam Lacy had six in the game. Several players had four tackles each for San Juan.
The Broncos got their second sack of the season with Thomas Hardin doing the honors. Trai Bass hurried Rigby Young three times, Keilan Hutchins had two hurries, and Pearce Holliday had one.
Brigg Palmer collected two tackles for loss and Thomas Hardin had one. Though San Juan didn’t get any takeaways in the game they most importantly also didn’t turn it over for the second week in a row.
The Broncos improved to 3-1 with the win over Summit Academy. By the time they get one game past the midway point of the season on September 18 they will have played the #2 3A team in the state, the #1 and #2 teams in the 1A, and all of the top four teams in the 2A besides themselves.
This week they will face the #2 team in the 2A and one that is truly looking for some revenge. It’s a rematch of the 2025 2A State Championship Game that San Juan won 57-10 over South Summit.
Like San Juan the Wildcats are 3-1 on the season with their only loss coming against 3A #3 Juab, and they’re coming off a 43-7 beatdown of South Sevier.
South Summit visits Blanding this Friday for a cross-region showdown starting at 7 p.m. Catch all the action live on Redrock 92 Radio and StreamUtah.Live beginning at 6:30 p.m.