Prep football: Ogden misses the big play, falls to Juan Diego 28-14
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- Ogden running back Kale Flint (32) tries to break a tackle from Juan Diego’s John Lewis on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Ogden.
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- Juan Diego’s Braylen Fail (17) chases down Ogden receiver Synic Harvey (0) on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Ogden.
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- Ogden defensive back Chaz Sanchez (3) breaks up a pass intended for Juan Diego’s Braylen Fail on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Ogden.
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- Ogden receiver Synic Harvey can’t quite reach a pass in the end zone against Juan Diego on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Ogden.
OGDEN — The way the game started, it seemed Ogden High would put itself in a position to battle for the 3A North crown.
But the Tigers ultimately spun their wheels offensively, with senior quarterback Vinnie Apodaca and sophomore speedster Synic Harvey failing to connect on several close-call, big-play chances.
Somehow it was visiting Juan Diego, with its multiple-back, power-run offense that claimed all of the night’s explosive plays and the Soaring Eagle claimed a 28-14 road victory Friday night at Conroy Stadium — handing Ogden its second consecutive defeat.
The game hinged on one sequence.
With Juan Diego (4-4, 2-1 3A North) having taken a 14-7 lead and leaving the Tigers to a two-minute drill to close the first half, Ogden (5-2, 1-2) started a drive with what ended up being its longest play from scrimmage: a 22-yard connection from Apodaca to Harvey.
Sophomore Jack Thompson hauled in two 18-yard passes on the drive that reached the Juan Diego 25. A first-down deep ball to Harvey went through his fingertips in the back corner of the end zone and the drive ended there when Roman Rossano sacked Apodaca on fourth down.
The run-first, run-last offense of Juan Diego had 26 seconds on the clock but sent Braylen Fail on a wheel route up the right sideline. He outran his man and quarterback Hayden Mezenen delivered a strike for a 63-yard touchdown pass.
Instead of its design to tie the game 14-14 at half, a stunned Ogden went to the locker room down 21-7.
The game started as well as possible for the home team. Ogden forced Juan Diego to punt twice on three-and-outs which the Soaring Eagle sent out of bounds, intent on keeping the ball out of Harvey’s hands.
The Tigers scored on their first possession, going 12 plays and 62 yards over a marching 5:31, capped when Keen Crowther took wildcat rushes of 11 and 8 yards to paydirt, making it 7-0 at the 4:09 mark of the first quarter.
Juan Diego opened the second quarter picking up 8 yards on its first play. The visitors went hurry-up and got what they wanted: a defense just out of position in the gaps. Two plays later, Mezenen gashed 77 yards up the middle to tie the game 7-7.
Ogden began a string of turnovers on downs when Kale Flint was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-2 at the Juan Diego 32. The Soaring Eagle cashed in with an eight-play drive and took a 14-7 lead with a 17-yard Corbin Buckley rushing touchdown — and Juan Diego’s run game appeared to start wearing on the Tigers.
Trying to answer the sudden 21-7 deficit to open the second half, Apodaca couldn’t hit Thompson on a fourth-and-3 from the JD 36-yard line for another turnover on downs. It was Ogden’s third straight turnover on downs; the Tigers would do so four times in the game, all inside the Juan Diego 36.
The visitors put the game away with an 11-play drive of 5:05 off the clock when Buckley punched it in from 4 yards out for a 28-7 margin to open the fourth quarter.
Juan Diego aided Ogden on its next possession with two 15-yard penalties but, crucially, Kynoa Jaeger and Gurain Deng delivered sacks on Apodaca to slow the Tigers. Crowther eventually rushed in a touchdown from 2 yards out but the drive took 13 plays and 5:11 off the clock. So the margin was 28-14 with only 2:55 left in the contest.
Ogden executed a perfect onside kick: a double-bouncer where the second bounce jumped high into the air, and targeted at a player who doesn’t meet the term “skill player.”
But Juan Diego lineman Aidric Liljestrand reached high and, with perfect hands, not only hauled in the bouncing kick but plowed forward 12 yards for a return.
Absent a big play, Ogden unofficially ran 71 plays for just 271 yards.
Apodaca threw 18 of 32 for 199 yards. Thompson was the go-to receiver for the first three quarters, catching six passes for 76 yards. Harvey totaled five catches for 70 yards. Sophomore Blake Weston hauled in three passes for 33 yards, all in the fourth quarter.
Crowther rushed 12 times for 56 yards and Cy Arnold added 53 yards on nine carries.
The loss precedes a trip to juggernaut Morgan (8-0) on Oct. 11 before Ogden closes the regular season with the Iron Horse Game, hosting Ben Lomond on Oct. 17.
