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Loading...We have a lot to cheer about this year. All the excitement from the XXX Olympiad in London is still lingering, NCAA collegiate football is kicking off next week and the NFL preseason is under way, not to mention the pending presidential election yet to come.
Yes, it’s a busy and exciting time of year. This Friday night it gets even better as our three county high school football teams kick off week two of their respective football seasons — two at home and one on the road. Yes, our local high schools do it up right and this Friday is no exception. NBC, who brought us the Olympics from London, will be broadcasting the Grantsville–Juab game live online from Cowboy Stadium through their affiliate TV station in Salt Lake City. “Game Night Live” will start at 6:30 p.m. Friday with a special highlight show on Saturday at the same time. Be in your seats early Friday for the special pregame show and flyover — you won’t want to miss it.
Grantsville High School, as well as Tooele and Stansbury, have had big radio coverage in the past, but this is a first to have a local football game streaming live video over the Internet nationwide. The NBC affiliate will also be providing a delayed radio broadcast of the game Friday night at 10 p.m. The word is out that Tooele County schools put on the best football game productions in the state, so come on down to Grantsville and enjoy the festivities.
The Cowboys kicked off their season with a big win over Wasatch 26-20. Grantsville dominated Wasatch in their 11th endowment game meeting. Cowboy sophomore quarterback Nephi Meono stepped up to fill Max Cook’s shoes after Cook was seriously injured in a horse accident. Meono led the vaunted veer offense rushing seven times for 30 yards and a touchdown while throwing five for eleven for 87 yards. Senior Kelby Landon caught two of those passes for 57 yards, while senior Jared Lambert was the workhorse for the Cowboys rushing game with 27 carries for 147 yards. Junior Ky Fisher’s number, called mostly inside the twenty yard line, carried the ball twelve times for 64 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Kaleb Ware followed with 15 carries for 50 yards. The Cowboys racked up 298 yards rushing and 385 total yards against Wasatch.
Wasatch kept Grantsville’s linebacker corps in pass protection most of the game, but the stingy Cowboy defense managed to get their licks in. Junior Noah Mecham, filling Cook’s defensive shoes at linebacker, made things difficult for Wasatch with seven tackles. Senior Skyler Cloward had four tackles and an interception along with applying pressure to the Wasp’s passing attack. Fisher had four tackles and a sack. The stingy Cowboy defensive line controlled the trenches holding Wasatch to just thirteen points until the last 15.2 seconds of the contest.
Juab High School beat Canyon View last week 40-25 with an aggressive passing attack. Running a modified spread offense, don’t be surprised to see Juab show all kinds of different fronts and formations. Juab and Grantsville are very similar in the way they approach the game. Both teams are rural community schools with homegrown talent and a tough work ethic. They both play hard-nose blue-collar football and are well coached. Coach Mike Bowring will have Juab ready to play so expect a dogfight Friday night in Cowboy Stadium. Fan Fest pre-game activities start at 5 p.m. with kickoff at 7 p.m. and fireworks at halftime thanks to Mayor Brent Marshall, Grantsville City and the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department.
After their win over Uintah last week 51-0, the Stansbury Stallions travel to Park City to take on the Miners who were blistered by Spanish Fork 53-0. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Expect the ever talented Stallions to put on a show again Friday night. After Chase Christiansen, Jackson Clausing and Tyler Stevens combined for 362 rushing yards, 100 passing yards and seven touchdowns, head Coach Client Christiansen will be hard pressed to find improvement. No, scratch that, he will find a way.
Despite head coach Kyle Brady’s aspirations to end Tooele High School’s 10-game losing streak it didn’t happen in their opening season loss to Judge Memorial 38-0. Confidence can still come to the Buffaloes this Friday night at home with a win over Cyprus. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Cyprus was a winner over Murray 14-7 last week. The Buffaloes now have game experience with their new Winged-T offense, which should help them in Friday’s contest.
You won’t find medals, royalty, or Olympic-like pomp and circumstance this Friday night, but you will find dedicated high school football players taking their best shot at making history, memories and building upon their proud school traditions. No matter which team you cheer for, Friday night lights will shine, cheerleaders will rally and marching bands will celebrate Tooele County’s 2012 High School football season. It’s a magical time of year, one that I cherish more with age. I’ll see you and NBC from the sidelines.
