The Grand County football team continued its early season dominance Friday night, Sept. 6 in Moab, scoring 49 points in the first half on the way to defeating North Sevier 55-7 in the Red Devils’ homecoming game.
The Red Devils, who have yet to punt this season and have not trailed in a game, raced out to a modest 14-7 lead after one quarter before exploding for 35 points in the second frame. Less than one minute into the game, junior Ronnie Dolphin intercepted a pass from the Wolves’ Fisher Anderson and brought it back 33 yards for the Grand’s first non-offensive touchdown of the season, giving the Red Devils a 7-0 lead and setting the tone for the Red Devils to continue their strong defensive play.
After senior Jacob Francis scored on a 20-yard run to put Grand up 14-0, North Sevier answered back with its only score of the game on a 63-yard pass from Anderson to Collin Rasmussen that almost got intercepted by Red Devil senior Wade Kemmsies.
“I hope it stays that way,” senior Edgar Gomez said of the Red Devils’ defensive play. “That’s what will take us to state.”
Grand football coach Dennis Wells said the Wolves’ touchdown awakened the Red Devils.
“That kind of fired us up when they scored that touchdown,” he said. “We were a little flat, and that touchdown woke us up.”
Grand senior Koi Cook scored the first play of the second quarter on a 2-yard run to cap off the Red Devils’ next drive and within the following 11 minutes of game play, Grand tacked on 28 more points and put the mercy rule into effect for the second half with touchdowns coming on a 33-yard punt return by senior Cameron Taylor, a 16-yard pass from Francis to senior Layton Call, a 1-yard run by Taylor and a 49-yard interception return by Francis. Cook added a 6-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to round out the final score.
Francis finished the game 4-of-4 passing for 118 yards and a touchdown to go with his 49-yard defensive interception return and 74 rushing yards and a score on nine carries. Cook rushed 15 times for 101 yards and two scores and Taylor rushed nine times for 54 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 76 yards to go along with his punt-return score. Defensively, 22 different Red Devils recorded a tackle, led by Cook with 10.
The Red Devils are scheduled to play an away game for the first time this season at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 against South Sevier, who beat the Deseret News’ previously-No.2-ranked San Juan 10-7 on a last-field goal on Friday, Sept. 6. The Red Devils, who were already ranked No. 2 in the Salt Lake Tribune, assumed the No. 2 ranking in the Deseret News as well with the Broncos’ loss – South Summit is ranked No. 1 in each paper.
“I’m glad (South Sevier beat San Juan),” Wells said. “That will make our guys focus – going on the road against the team that just beat San Juan.”
Wells said if the Red Devils can get through the next two weeks unscathed, they may stay 1-2 with South Summit the rest of the year.
“The main thing is bringing the intensity week in, week out,” he said. “In my experience in Moab after we get a big win, we get cocky and don’t come ready to play. I get a different feeling from this team, though. Don’t just show up to play, show up ready to play and expect a good game from your opponent.”
Gomez said the Red Devils plan to keep their feet on the gas as they stray from the friendly confines of Meador Field
“Anywhere, everywhere: We’re going to take care of business,” he said.
