by Brendan Butterfield
The 5-1 Mountain Ridge Sentinels were host to the 4-2 Bingham Miners in a big Region 3 matchup. The Sentinels looked to avenge last year’s blowout loss to the Miners and take control of region three.
First Half
Bingham’s first drive was promising until it wasn’t, as a fumble cost them a chance at get any points on the board. Mountain Ridge quarterback (and former Bingham Miner) Jaxson Reiser took advantage of the great defensive play as as he went right up the middle for some 60-yard touchdown run, giving the Sentinels an early 7-0 lead (1Q 7:46).
Mountain Ridge worked their way down the field the ensuing possession but had to settle for a field goal by Brody Laga to make it 10-0 (1Q 3:36). They would take a 10-0 into the second quarter, but from there on it was all Miners.
Bingham converted a big 4th and one near midfield to keep the drive alive, and then Miners Quarterback Dallen Martinez ripped off a big touchdown run of his own to cut the deficit to 10-7 (Q2 9:55).
Mountain Ridge would score their last points of the night thanks to the leg of Laga again to make it 13-7 (Q2 5:26). The Sentinels inability to find the end zone would prove problematic the rest of the night.
Bingham was able to take advantage of Mountain Ridge’s poor play calling late in quarter and get the ball back on the right side of the fifty with plenty of time. The Miners executed to perfection on 4th down and then finished off the drive as Martinez found Carson Sudbury for 4-yard touchdown to give the miners a 14-13 lead (Q2 0:11).Â
Second half
The Miners simply dominated the second half. The Sentinels offense struggled to get anything going the rest of the night. Mountain Ridge running back Semisi Kinikini had a great night on the ground, but the presence of Cal commit Cade Uluave was certainly missed on both sides of the ball.
Bingham controlled the ball for much of the second half and just wore down the Sentinel defense on the ground. Martinez found Sudbury again for paydirt, this time for a 48-yard score to give the lead 21-13 lead (Q3 7:06).
Early in the fourth quarter Bingham added to their lead on a field goal tack onto their lead at 24-13. Bingham played keep away for much of the fourth quarter, and controlled the rest of the game, sealing a 24-13 victory.
Bingham now sits in the driver’s seat of region 3 alongside West Jordan, which could set up a big game in a couple weeks if both teams take care of business this week. Mountain Ridge will look to regroup and will have to figure out how to move forward without star player Cade Uluave.
Next week, Bingham takes on the 2-5 Copper Hills Grizzlies while Mountain Ridge will have another big game against the 5-1 West Jordan Jaguars.
Photo via Mariluz Cook/KSL Sports