Lincoln Holmes (6) of Deseret Hills scores a contact down towards the Brighton Bengals in Cottonwood Heights on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022. Ben B. Braun, Deseret Information
There was a second on Thursday evening when directors for Brighton and Desert Hills began significantly speaking about potential options to their season-opening soccer recreation because the lightning outdoors flashed recurrently throughout Cottonwood Heights.
In actuality although, Desert Hills didn’t pack for a lodge keep, so except the 7 p.m. scheduled recreation kicked off earlier than 9, it was seemingly going to easily be canceled and Desert Hills would bus again to St. George having by no means performed a snap.
Whereas the directors frightened about logistics, Desert Hills gamers calmly sat within the halls of Brighton Excessive College ready for the storm to go.
It'd’ve even been a blessing in disguise, as a result of after the 90-minute climate delay, the Thunder have been amped to play.
They scored on 4 of 5 possessions to construct a three-touchdown lead after which made it maintain up with nice defensive stops within the second half for the 28-21 season-opening victory.
“I had a great feeling that once we got here out they have been able to go. They didn’t wish to not get this recreation in, in order that they have been excited. I actually wasn’t too frightened about it,” mentioned Desert Hills coach Rick Berry, whose workforce was pegged because the preseason No. 1 workforce in 4A this season.
Figuring out the expectations for his workforce, Berry actually needed to schedule a troublesome preseason, and the group responded very effectively towards a high quality Brighton workforce coming off a co-Area 6 title a yr in the past.
“It makes us higher. It offers us that motivation that we’ve bought to get higher and enhance earlier than we get to area as a result of our area is a dogfight. It is a good alternative for us to problem ourselves,” mentioned Berry.
Desert Hills’ offense appeared in midseason type within the first half in leaping out to the 28-7 lead, nevertheless it didn’t rating within the second half, which Berry mentioned offers all of the gamers a lot to remain humbled about and hold engaged on.
It was the protection that took middle stage within the second half for the Thunder.
After Brighton lower Desert Hills’ result in 28-21 early within the third quarter on a Nash Matheson 1-yard landing reception from Jack Johnson, the Thunder protection shut the Bengals down on 5 straight possessions to protect the win.
Two of these stops got here within the last 4 minutes. The primary got here after Brighton moved the ball all the way down to Desert Hills 20-yard line, however the drive stalled there after an enormous sack after which a 4th and 20 incompletion that was almost a outstanding catch within the nook of the top zone by Matheson.
The sport-clinching fourth down cease got here as Desert Hills held Brighton to a 3-yard run on 4th and 4.
Berry mentioned his gamers did a a lot better job within the second half of holding Brighton’s quarterback within the pocket because the Thunder lastly beginning getting strain on him with its blitzes.
One factor Berry mentioned he actually preferred out his workforce’s efficiency was the composure it confirmed within the second half when issues have been getting tense.
“Yearly is a brand new workforce, yearly there's a totally different persona. The one factor I preferred is I by no means heard something on the sideline that they have been panicked. They supported one another,” mentioned Berry.
Early on there was nothing to panic about as a result of every part went proper.
The Thunder scored first simply 90 seconds into the sport as quarterback Noah Fuailetolo hit Lincoln Holmes on a 75-yard TD go up the sideline on third down and lengthy.
Brighton shortly tied it up 7-7 as Matheson hauled in his first of two landing passes from Johnson.
Sadly for the Bengals, their subsequent three drives all stalled with Desert Hills interceptions.
The Thunder made the many of the turnovers, scoring three straight instances and pushing the result in 28-7 on speeding scores by Fuailetolo and Kona Crowell, after which a Javiyen Cummings 22-yard TD reception.
Regardless of the three-score deficit, Brighton stored it aggressive with an Easton Smith TD reception simply earlier than halftime after which one other by Matheson on the 9:11 mark of the third quarter.
The Thunder protection responded to the problem the remainder of the way in which, although, to protect the season-opening win.