Desert Pines takes advantage of turnovers, defeats Utah school

Most shot coaches would see themselves fortunate to get 1 oregon 2 large breaks during a game. Desert Pines manager Tico Rodriguez got 8 of them Friday night, and his squad cashed successful with a 53-42 triumph implicit Orem (Utah) successful the Polynesian Football Classic astatine Bishop Gorman High School.

The Jaguars forced six turnovers — 4 fumbles and 2 interceptions — and besides recovered 2 of their ain squib kickoffs to crook the game’s momentum aft the Tigers dominated the opening minutes.

The discourtesy didn’t discarded the other opportunities, arsenic Desert Pines backmost Rjay Tagataese threw for 309 yards and six touchdowns.

“We needed each 8 of those breaks,” Rodriguez said. “That squad was large and physical, and immoderate of these young guys connected our squad haven’t seen that. It showed america we’ve got to get stronger.”

Orem, Utah’s four-time defending Class 5A authorities champion, moved the shot astir astatine volition from the beginning, capping a seven-play, 72-yard opening thrust with a 50-yard touchdown tally by Mack Hixon to spell up 7-0.

The Jaguars (2-0) answered with a 49-yard walk from Tagataese to Jett Solomon to necktie the people a infinitesimal later, but it was wide that Orem remained successful power erstwhile the Tigers utilized 10 plays to determination the shot heavy into Desert Pines territory.

That’s erstwhile things began to unravel.

Tigers backmost Chase Tuatagaloa fumbled a drawback astatine the Jaguars 5-yard line, the archetypal of 2 Orem turnovers wrong the 10.

Orem (3-2) fumbled again minutes later, and Desert Pines capitalized by scoring connected a 66-yard walk from Tagataese to Lavon Brown to enactment the Jaguars up 21-7 aboriginal successful the 2nd quarter.

“That gave america a much-needed break,” Rodriguez said. “I saw our guys moving down. They were conscionable nickel-and-diming us, truthful it was cleanable timing.”

Another Tigers fumble resulted successful the 2nd of 3 TD passes from Tagataese to Solomon connected the adjacent possession, and the Jaguars took a 41-21 halftime lead.

Rodriguez thought his team’s vigor conditioning played a role.

“It truly helped america get those turnovers,” helium said. “Most of their guys played some ways, and they were tired.”

The Tigers were not excessively bushed to rack up 615 yards compared with 395 for Desert Pines, and they chopped their shortage to 41-28 connected different Tuatagaloa TD walk midway done the 3rd quarter.

They followed with a thrust that ended with a fumble astatine the extremity line. The Jaguars, who cashed successful each but 2 of the turnovers for touchdowns, recovered and scored 7 plays aboriginal erstwhile Brown hauled successful an 80-yard walk from Tagataese to marque the people 47-28.

Tuatagaloa’s 2nd interception allowed Desert Pines to seal the triumph with different Tagataese TD walk moments later.

Tagataese completed 16 of 24 passes. Brown finished with 3 receptions for 151 yards, and Solomon had 100 yards and 3 TDs connected six receptions.