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MORGAN — Freddy Kruger, the boogy man made famous in the "Nightmare on Elmstreet" movies, has nothing on these Trojans.
With a devastating running game that will surely cause lingering nightmares and headaches for the visiting Tigers of Ogden High, the home team Morgan Trojans stomped on the visitors in a convincing 34-0 victory Thursday night.
The win wraps up the Trojans' (7-2), (4-2) Region 11 campaign, as they have a bye next week as the rest their region plays out their schedules. The Tigers, lead by head coach and former Morgan athlete Troy Kolan, play host to Grantsville in their finale next week.
Morgan's running attack was nearly unstoppable, piling up 439 rushing yards for the evening. They only thew two passes, completing one for five yards. The rest of the game was simple smash-mouth running for which the Trojans are known.
Head coach Kovi Christiansen gave credit where it was perhaps due the most: his offensive and defensive lines and lines coach Jeff Toller.
"Both lines did a great job," he said. "Ogden threw a lot of different looks at us offensively. Their quarterback scrambles and keeps the play alive for them, but when we flushed him out of the pocket we were able to keep him in check."
Indeed, Ogden senior quarterback Anthony Sattiewhite, a 6-foot-1, 170 lb athlete, tried his best to keep the Trojans off balance, both with his feet and arm, generally evading Trojans defenders with some slick footwork and scrambling ability. He found enough time to throw some beautifully lofted balls to his receiver and connected on 16-32 passes for 135 yards and one interception. His favorite target was Blake Newman, a 6-1, 185 lb senior, who hauled in 10 receptions for 94 yards.
The Tigers' first possession of the game ended on loss of downs, and the Trojans wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Junior KT Tibbetts returned the Santiago Delgado punt for 35 yards to the Tigers' 41-yard line.
On the first play from scrimmage, senior running back Jose Patino took a deceptive hand-off from quarterback Colby Skinner, running untouched through the Tigers' defense to paydirt and an early 7-0 lead with 10:42 still remaining in the first quarter.
Behind the consistent play of Sattiewhite and an impressive run and stiff-arm by sophomore running back Josh Shackleford in the second quarter, Ogden moved the ball downfield to the Trojan two-yard line. But on 4th down, Sattiewhite was stuffed on a run up the middle, denied by Trojan defensive end Boston Saunders, 6-4, 215lb defender. It would be the Tigers' best chance of the night to score on the home team.
Morgan quaterback Skinner, a third year starter for the Trojans, ran the Trojan offense to near perfection. But he was quick to praise his defense for pitching a shutout: "The defense made some big plays and had some big stops, especially the one down there on the goal line. Offensively I think we played our best game of the year. As the game went on, our running attack wore them down."
The Trojans would lead 20-0 at halftime, and score a touchdown in each quarter of the second half to pull away for the win.
The five-headed running attack of Patino, junior Lantzen Toomer, junior Joe Kippen, junior Bridger Anderson, and sophomore Kade Carrigan accounted for 394 rushing yard, with Kippen making the most of his five carries, scoring three touchdowns and gaining 54 yards. Toomer ran for one touchdown and 115 yards; and Carrigan carryied 10 times for 106 yards.
Ogdens' defensive effort was lead by lineman Dakota Meacham, 180 lb junior with 10 tackles, and 170 lb senior DB Zach Annis, who demonstrated text book technique.
Senior Garrett Largent led the Trojan defense with nine tackles; senior Gabe Davis knabbed the games' only interception in the waning second of the second quarter.
Toomer echoed his quarterbacks words, agreeing that it was the Trojans best offensive game of the season: "Our offensive linemen are studs," he said. "We moved the ball really well on the ground, and we came ready to play."
The Trojans will work during the bye week, but take the time to heal from some nagging injuries that have incurred during the season. They anticipate their playoff future and next opponent as region and league play finalizes Friday, Oct. 21.
Bill Bateman is a husband and father of 5 daughters--he spends most of his time at McKay-Dee hospital in Nuclear Medicine.
