Broncos continue to roll through regular season with lopsided Homecoming win

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The San Juan High School football team demolished another 2A South Region opponent this past Friday, September 27, taking down the South Sevier Rams 71-7 in the 2024 Homecoming game.
The Broncos improved to 6-1 on the season with their sixth straight win, and remain the number-one team in the 2A RPI standings.
They’ve outscored their opponents 345-101 through the first seven games of the season and are the highest-scoring team in the nation. Their 51 total touchdowns also leads the nation.
The 71 points San Juan put up on South Sevier this past Friday marked the first time they scored 70 or more points in a game since they scored 70 on…South Sevier on September 20, 2019.
It was their 25th straight win on the SJHS football field, dating back to September 13, 2019 when they lost at home to…Grantsville.
This past Friday the Broncos opened a 14-0 lead on the Rams with two quick-strike touchdowns – a 44-yard run from JD Palmer 2:32 into the game and a 39-yard pass from Jaiten Knight to Jake Ivins a minute later.
South Sevier cut the Broncos’ lead in half late in the first quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by quarterback Kanyon Okerlund. Then, early in the second quarter they were threatening to tie the game with possession in the San Juan red zone.
But the Bronco defense stepped up for a big stop, and from that point the home squad was off to the races. They scored three more touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 34-7 lead into halftime.
They added four more in the third, including a 66-yard kick return from Javin Montella following the first safety for the San Juan defense this season.
Jaiten Knight’s 127 passing yards moved him to 1,801 on the season, good enough for tenth-most in the state. He connected for two touchdowns in the win.
Jagger Nieves got his first touchdown pass of the season on a tricky 26-yard double-pass from Knight to Nieves to Montella in the first half. Junior varsity QB Beau Yeomans threw for his first two TDs of the year also.
JD Palmer was an unstoppable force in the win. All three times he carried the ball he ran for touchdowns. He ended the night with 121 yards rushing and averaged over 40 yards per carry. He also made ten tackles on defense and caused two fumbles.
Nieves had seven carries for 115 yards and a touchdown in the win. He also had two catches for 34 yards and seven tackles on defense.
Jake Ivins led receivers with three catches for 66 yards and a TD. Javin Montella had a great night with 41 yards receiving, a touchdown reception, and the kick return TD.
Branten Bethea caught a 40-yard touchdown pass and led the defense with 11 tackles, including three for loss, two sacks, and two quarterback hurries.
Tripp Palmer was 7-for-7 in the PAT department. His 31 PATs so far this year leads the 2A and is second in the state. Incidently, he took the 2A lead over South Sevier’s Peyton Gibson during the game this past Friday.
Other San Juan state statistical leaders of note through the first seven games include Jagger Nieves’s 15 total touchdowns, which ranks first in the 2A and sixth in the state. His 90 points scored is second in the 2A and eighth in the state.
In addition to his passing yards ranking, Jaiten Knight’s total yards leads the 2A and is fifth in the state. Tripp Palmer’s three interceptions is tied with a number of players for 17th in the state.
The Broncos will open the month of October on the road this Friday, October 4 with a short trip north to Moab to take on the Grand County Red Devils.
Grand is struggling mightily on the football field. They come into this Friday’s game with a 1-6 record, ranked tenth in the 2A. In the past five seasons they’ve mustered just six wins.
The Red Devils will be looking for a huge upset and the Broncos will be looking for their seventh win in a row when the rivals clash on a newly-surfaced GCHS football field.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and as always you can catch all the action live on Redrock 92 Radio with video on StreamUtah.Live beginning with the pregame at 6:30.