Broncos fall behind Emery but rally for blowout win

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
In the initial release of the Utah 2A football RPI standings released on September 16 the San Juan Broncos were ranked second and the Emery Spartans were ranked first.
The teams had identical 4-1 records, but Emery’s opponents have had better winning percentages than San Juan’s. That’s how this new mathematical ranking system works.
But when the folks in Blanding applied a little human brainpower to the situation, they felt they were the better team going into their matchup with the Spartans this past Friday, September 20 in Castle Dale.
They weren’t wrong, but for most of the first quarter it didn’t seem all that simple.
The game started with a bang – or maybe explosion is a better word. Emery senior Hayden Abrams returned the opening kickoff 81 yards to the San Juan nine, setting up a five-yard touchdown pass from Treven Gilbert to Abrams to open the scoring.
Never to be outdone, the Broncos were ready to try their hand at some special teams fireworks as Jagger Nieves took the ensuing kickoff 94 yards to the house, tying the score at 7-7 just 41 seconds into the game.
The furious pace settled into a midfield standoff for the next eight minutes with the teams trading scoreless possessions until the Spartans struck again.
With the ball at the San Juan 33 Treven Gilbert found Hayden Abrams on a pass to the left flat. Following some strong blocking, Abrams weaved his way down the sideline to the endzone for his second touchdown catch of the night.
Down 14-7 with 2:50 to go in the first quarter, the Broncos went to work. Starting at their own ten, they put together a 90-yard drive that took just 1:39 and culminated in a 23-yard touchdown run from Jagger Nieves. A Tripp Palmer extra point kick tied the score again at 14-all.
San Juan began to seize control of the game when, with 15 seconds left in the quarter, Nieves recovered a Spartan fumble at his own 42. The Broncos drove to the three where Nieves punched in his second rushing TD of the night 1:16 into the second quarter.
San Juan forced an Emery punt on the next possession and took over at their own 31. From there, Jagger Nieves took another handoff and ran nine yards before fumbling the ball into the air.
Center Cutler Baker was johnny-on-the-spot, snagging the loose ball, and running it 23 more yards to the Emery 27. The effort not only saved the Bronco possession, it also set them up for their fourth touchdown of the night a minute later on a four-yard run by JD Palmer.
The San Juan defense continued to shut down the Spartan offense and the Broncos scored three more touchdowns in the quarter – two on long-bomb Jaiten Knight passes – to lead 48-14 at halftime.
With a four-yard touchdown pass from Knight to Jake Ivins 2:37 into the second half San Juan earned a running clock for the remainder of the game. They scored one more touchdown and the Emery JV scored on the Bronco JV with no time left, closing out a 61-20 win for San Juan.
It was a statement win for the Broncos, but they had to overcome a slow start to earn it. Jaiten Knight had his best passing night of the season, with 404 yards and four touchdowns. Jagger Nieves accounted for six of the team’s nine TDs, with the kick return, three rushing TDs, and two receiving.
He led running backs with 94 yards on the night and recievers with 161 yards. Jake Ivins had a good night also, catching ten passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. Javin Montella had the other receiving touchdown for San Juan.
The Bronco defense once again completely smothered the opposition. Though Emery led 14-7 late in the first quarter, they ended the first half with zero yards rushing (unofficially) and just 115 yards passing.
They began earning legitimate offensive yardage only after the San Juan JV entered the game. The Bronco defense tallied 14 tackles for loss in the win.
Following the game San Juan Head Coach Barkley Christensen said his only disappointment stemmed from how his team began the game as if the win was just going to fall into their laps.
“I truly believe we’re the team to beat. We’re the best team in 2A,” he explained. “But that’s the challenge. When you’re not…chasing something or somebody it’s easy to…get complacent.
“I love the effort they came out with once they picked it up,” he concluded. “They played great. These are just the little things we can still work on.”
The Broncos are 5-1 on the season, 1-0 in 2A South Region play, and have officially taken over the top spot in the 2A RPI standings. They’re back home to host #5 South Sevier in the 2024 homecoming game this Friday, September 27.
The Rams are 3-3 so far this season and are coming off a 48-21 loss to Delta this past Friday. Senior quarterback Kanyon Okerlund is averaging 74 passing yards per game. He leads running backs with a 44 yard-per-game average.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday on the San Juan High School football field. Catch all the action live on Redrock 92 Radio and StreamUtah.Live starting with the pregame at 6:30.