San Juan, Beaver battle for the ages features renewed rivalry, rare play, and a bit of revenge

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The San Juan High School football team had beaten Beaver five straight times going back to 2018 before the two teams’ meeting in Blanding this past Friday, August 22.
There were some big games during that swing. In 2021 the Broncos ended the Beavers’ 34-game winning streak in Beaver, then beat them again in the 2A state championship game.
San Juan beat the Beavers two more times in 2022, including a win for their second straight state title. After that game the Utah High School Activities Association moved Beaver to the 1A classification and the storied rivalry, which goes back to 1981, took a three-year haitus.
But then Beaver came to visit the Broncos on Friday to renew the rivalry in a long-awaited, highly anticipated matchup between two multiple-year defending state champions.
Beaver came into town as the two-time 1A state champions, while it goes without saying that San Juan is the four-time defending 2a state champs.
Everyone expected a knock-down-drag-out battle between the two teams on the San Juan High School football field. And they weren’t disappointed.
Early in the game it looked like San Juan might run away with it after the Broncos scored two first-quarter touchdowns – a two-yard Jagger Nieves run two minutes into the game and a 13-yard Beau Yeomans run just two minutes later.
But the Beavers kept their heads down and kept battling, turning the game into a tale of quarters. Where San Juan dominated the first quarter, Beaver dominated the second.
They scored two touchdowns of their own in the frame – a three-yard run from quarterback Davin Orton midway through the quarter and a five-yard pass from Orton to Hayzen Albrecht with no time left on the clock.
When the Beavers failed on the point-after try following their second touchdown San Juan held a 14-13 lead at halftime. But the message had been sent that not only was Beaver not going to lay down for the Broncos, they were going to continue coming for them.
Beaver received the opening kick of the second half and Noah Wolff returned it all the way back to midfield.
From there the Beavers put together a methodical drive that took five and a half minutes off the clock and concluded with Orton scampering one yard into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the night.
Beaver was up 19-14 and though they failed on their PAT for the second time in a row, they were in a position few teams in the past four years have found themselves – leading the San Juan Broncos in a football game.
But the lead was short-lived. San Juan answered just two minutes later with an explosive eight-play, 95-yard drive capped off by a 13-yard Jagger Nieves touchdown run right up the middle.
The Broncos scored a two-point conversion when Yeomans ran the ball into the end zone on the next play, regaining a 22-19 lead.
The teams traded one scoreless possession apiece, taking the game into the fourth quarter. Then, 90 seconds into the final frame, the folks in attendance witnessed one of the craziest plays to ever grace the surface of the San Juan High School football field.
Facing a fourth-and-six, the Beavers lined up to punt the ball from the San Juan 39 yard line. But Hayzen Albrecht’s kick went straight up into the air and landed behind the line of scrimmage.
The ball miraculously spun backwards right toward Albrecht, who scooped it up at midfield and proceeded to run down the sideline with it as the Broncos stood and watched him, thinking the play was dead.
The ball was in fact still live since it had not crossed the line of scrimmage and, unbeknownst to almost everyone except the Beaver coaching staff and the officiating crew, could be advanced by any player.
The play resulted in a shocking 50-yard touchdown run for Albrecht and put the Beavers back on top 26-22. And the craziness wasn’t over. If that play wasn’t stunning enough, the next sequence of events completed the effect.
On San Juan’s very next play from scrimmage Beau Yeomans completed a pass in the flat to Cole Duke, but Duke was hit from the side. The ball popped free and was recovered by Beaver just 12 seconds after they had retaken the lead.
With all the momentum on their side they marched a short 29 yards, using seven plays and 3:20, into the end zone for their second touchdown in a row, stretching their lead to 33-22.
It was a tough swing for San Juan to be sure, but the Broncos have no quit in them and the offense stormed back on the field determined to answer the Beavers.
They took just 21 seconds to do just that. On second and two from his own 44, Beau Yeomans threw the ball to Tripp Palmer down the left side of the field.
Though he was in double coverage, Palmer snagged the ball, made both Beaver defenders miss, and cruised into the end zone to complete a 56-yard touchdown.
A successful two-point conversion for the Broncos made the score 33-30. Now the defense had to find a way to get the ball back from Beaver, a team that is notorious for being able to use the clock to their advantage.
The San Juan defense did what they were called on to do, holding the Beavers to a three-and-out and forcing a punt. The Bronco offense had the ball at their own 34 with 4:06 left in the game.
They moved into Beaver territory quickly on back-to-back first-down runs from Jagger Nieves. But then the drive began to struggle.
A penalty pushed them back five yards. A completed pass was stopped for a loss. Then Beaver administered the dagger as they sacked Yeomans on back-to-back plays, forcing a turnover on downs.
San Juan never got the ball back again as the Beaver offense used the remaining two minutes to drive it down to the five yard line and conclude the game in the victory formation.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the Broncos but it was truly a battle for the ages between two excellent teams, highlighting a rivalry that had been sorely missed during the three years they didn’t play each other.
San Juan quarterback Beau Yeomans was a very solid 20-for-29 in the loss, throwing for 282 yards and connecting for his first passing touchdown of the season.
Jagger Nieves ran for 137 yards and two TDs. Yeomans scored a rushing touchdown as well. Tripp Palmer was the leading receiver with 130 yards and a touchdown. Cole Duke had 76 yards receiving and Brigg Palmer had 64.
Jonas Jeppesen led the Broncos’ defensive effort with 13 tackles on the night. Tripp Palmer collected 12 while Thomas Hardin and Jagger Nieves racked up 11 apiece.
San Juan Head Coach Barkley Christensen expressed an obvious sorrow for his players after the loss, but emphasized that they would battle back for the remainder of the season and that there was every reason to be proud of their effort in the game.
It’s not going to get any easier during this season in which the Broncos will play numerous elite teams from a variety of classifications. This week they’ll come up against the #2 1A team in Kanab.
The Cowboys have dominated their first two opponents this season, beating Emery 45-20 in week one and North Sevier 36-0 this past Friday. Like Beaver, they’ll come into Blanding eager to upend the Broncos.
The kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. this Friday, August 29 with the pregame beginning at 6:30 on Redrock 92 Radio and StreamUtah.Live.