Woods Cross uses 21-0 second-half run to score Brody Benson's first win with Wildcats

KEARNS — Brock Tandy broke free 40 yards for the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter, snagged a pass from Woods Cross quarterback Lock Smoot over the middle of the field, then doubled back down the opposite sideline toward his teamamtes.

After smashing into a couple of spectators, the 5-foot-7 senior, who plays both ways and helped lead his team through a winless inaugural campaign under head coach Brody Benson, knew the Wildcats were in unfamiliar territory as he crashed into a mini-mosh pit of teammates and coaches on the visiting sideline Thursday night: headed for a win.

Tandy scored the game-winning touchdown with 11:52 left in the game, utility standout Jacob Howes added a 45-yard insurance score five minutes later, and the Wildcats outscored host Kearns 21-0 in the second half en route to a 27-13 victory Thursday night.

"That was the momentum push we needed right there," said Tandy, who caught two passes for 72 yards and a score after the break.

"I had been yapping at our offensive coordinator all night, after having a couple of targets in the first half and not doing much. I wanted that one-on-one matchup on an island. When I finally saw the chance, I seized the most of it and tried to get our guys fired up as much as I could."

Kearns (0-2) had all the momentum in the first half but couldn't capitalize on its offensive start except through a pair of field goals from Benyon Glade and Tayvion Rodarte's 4-yard TD plunge that pushed the Cougars up 13-3 with 1:55 left in the half.

But Woods Cross responded with Jacob Howe's 33-yard field goal to end the half — and started the second with all the momentum while never letting up.

"They say that the first one's the hardest to get, and it's been tough," said Benson, whose 1-11 record at Woods Cross belies an undefeated mark on Thursday nights. "But it feels great just to have a team win. We talked about it at halftime, things we needed to continue to do, things we needed to change, and ultimately just finishing this game how we wanted to finish.

"We just wanted to go out and finish it our way, and that's what I feel like we did on both sides of the ball."

A week after a 31-21 come-from-ahead loss to West Jordan, Smoot threw for 180 yards and a touchdown, but also kept the offense on the field and free of interceptions (he did have one turnover on a fumbled handoff in the fourth quarter — one play after cornerback Parker Burden hauled in an acrobatic interception, though).

But the only breakout star of the game was Howe, the part-time running back/cornerback/kick returner/kicker who ran for 64 yards with a 45-yarder to put the game away. He kicked a pair of field goals from 32 and 33 yards out and converted both point-after touchdowns of the night for the Wildcats (1-1).

Other than that? It was just a lot of solid assignments and a team that wanted so badly to win one for a coach who had yet to taste victory since he left his old post at Highland High over a year ago.

"I look at what the kids went through this summer, the hardships they experienced, and the fact that we were able to fight through bad things. We've been resilient, and that's what we've been pitching since last year. Good things are going to happen and bad things are going to happen. How are we going to react to it?

"I'm seeing us having some resiliency."

From the senior class that were juniors during last year's winless campaign, though, this one was for the ol' ball coach.

"We've been saying this whole year, it's personal for us," said Tandy, whose team will try to start their first winning streak in two years next Friday against Brighton. "It's time for us to prove it.

"I think it's huge for coach Benson, his first win as a Wildcat, sealing him into this family. And it's such a momentum pusher for us; we're excited to go get more."

Kearns quarterback Bryce Benson threw for 118 yards and an interception for the Cougars, who host Olympus (0-1) next Friday.

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