Red Devils gridders win ugly at Jackson, 20-7

Evanston in driver’s seat for playoffs; Star Valley Friday

By Don Cogger, Herald Sports Editor
Posted 10/16/24

Looking to wipe away the sting of last week’s 47-point loss to Cody, the Evanston High School football team took their frustrations out on Jackson, spoiling the Broncs’ Homecoming with a …

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Red Devils gridders win ugly at Jackson, 20-7

Evanston in driver’s seat for playoffs; Star Valley Friday

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Looking to wipe away the sting of last week’s 47-point loss to Cody, the Evanston High School football team took their frustrations out on Jackson, spoiling the Broncs’ Homecoming with a 20-7 win.

It was far from the prettiest win the Red Devils (3-4, 2-1 in 3A West) have had this season, but it put them in the driver’s seat for a playoff berth with two games remaining in the regular season, home contests against Star Valley and Powell.

“We played well — I felt like we were in control the whole game,” said EHS head coach Steve Moore. “I’m not sure where the fumbles came from [5 total] — we had more fumbles Friday night than we’ve had all season. But defensively, I thought we played phenomenal. Offensively, I feel like we should have put more points on the board. But it’s always good to go get a conference win on the road, and we got the job done, so that was a good thing.”

After forcing a punt on Jackson’s opening drive, the Red Devils drove all the way down to the the Broncs’ (3-4, 1-2 in 3A West) 4-yard line. On 1st-and-goal, the usually sure-handed Brayden Wallace lost the handle on the exchange, opening the floodgates for a rash of turnovers that affected both teams in the first half.

“There were a lot of turnovers in that first half, by both sides — it seemed like every other play,” Moore said. “But it’s good to go in and get the win after that many turnovers.”

The Red Devils finally broke the 0-0 stalemate late in the second quarter, when quarterback Braunson Sims scored on a 1-yard plunge, set up by a pair of nice runs by Wallace. Jordan Mendez split the uprights with his PAT, and Evanston led 7-0 with 2:26 left in the first half.

That was the score headed into the break, though first-half numbers were heavily skewed in favor of Evanston. Wallace — the leading rusher in 3A headed into the contest — had 87 yards on 12 carries in the first half, while under center, Sims was 5-for-8 passing for 49 yards. Wallace caught two of those passes for 16 yards, while Clayton Cooke and Brooks Searle also had a catch in the first half.

After another fumble derailed a promising Evanston drive in the third quarter, the Red Devils’ defense took matters into their own hands — literally. On a 3rd-and-4 from their own 32-yard line, Broncs quarterback Grant Johnson threw a pass to the flat. Evanston’s Caden Marler jumped the route and picked off the pass, returning it 32 yards for the touchdown. Mendez nailed the extra point, and the Red Devils led 14-0.

“Defensively, we went in knowing they were going to throw the ball — I think Jackson’s QB completed a high percentage, but they were short passes,” Moore explained. “I felt like we rallied around, we made good tackles and I don’t think we allowed them to establish a running game. Defensively, I thought we played very well.”

The Red Devils scored once more early in the fourth quarter, a 21-yard touchdown run by Sims, his second score of the night. Mendez’ PAT was blocked, and Evanston led 20-0. The Broncs avoided the shutout with a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 20-7. The Red Devils were able to chew up most of the remaining clock on their next drive, and Evanston returned home with a 20-7 win.

“I thought our kids were resilient — they stayed the course,” Moore said. “Sometimes the wins are ugly, but we’ll take them.”

Under center, Sims completed 7-of-14 passes for 67 yards; he also ran for 75 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns. Brayden Wallace finished the night with 128 yards on 24 carries; he also caught two passes for 21 yards. Ryker Pace also caught two passes for 13 yards, while Brecken Rich and Clayton Cook caught a pass each for 19 yards and 10 yards, respectively.

“Our run game was popping, a little bit — I think Brayden Wallace ended up with 120-130 yards,” Moore said. “Our passing game — we don’t get a lot of yards, but after every game, I feel like it’s efficient and effective. We take our shots. We missed a couple of long balls that could have made a big difference. But our run game is our strength — it’s no secret, it’s what we do — and I felt good offensively with how we were moving the ball.”

Caden Marler led the team in defensive points with 21.5 (5 tackles, 2 fumbles recovered, 1 interception, 1 touchdown). Bridger Roberts finished with 11.5 points (6 tackles, 4 solo, 1.5 for loss), while Brooks Searle tallied 11 points (6 tackles, 5 solo). Tarrin Haws rounded out the double-digit point earners with 10.5 (6 tackles, 3 solo, 1.5 for loss).

The win was just what the Red Devils needed coming off the loss to Cody, and with two conference opponents still remaining on the schedule. Moore said — as a coach — you’re always concerned after a loss how the team will respond the following week; he’s glad the players had short memories.

“You have a 47-point loss at Cody — you always wonder, ‘Do you still have the kids? Are they still in it?’” Moore said. “But we showed up at Jackson and I thought we played emotional football, like we’re known to do. We played physical football, and I’m proud of our kids, the way they took on the week and responded, showed up Friday night ready to play. We knew how big of a game it was, and we rallied and got after it. We got the W, which was a big deal.”

The Red Devils host top-ranked Star Valley (7-0, 3-0 in 3A West) this Friday, a team coming off a huge 52-35 win over previously unbeaten Cody.

“For Star Valley, we have to get solid in every facet of the game — they’re a good football team, well-coached, good kids,” Moore said. “It sounds like their game with Cody was close at halftime, then they blew it open in the second half. It’s no secret — Star Valley is elite, and definitely the No. 1 team for a reason. We need to come out, play, try to get momentum on our side, try to create some turnovers, get some chunk plays. We’re at home, which is good — we play well at home. We’ll try to get that momentum on our side, and see what happens.”

“Offensively, I think we just need to keep trying to get the ball into the hands of the kids that are our playmakers,” Moore added. “Defensively, our linebacker play was pretty solid. Punt return — obviously, we need to work on that a little bit. Just clean up a lot of the little things — I don’t think there’s anything major we need to change. Just get better at what we do.”

With two conference wins, the Red Devils are looking good for a playoff spot — that said, a win in these last two games would definitely improve their chances at a better seed.

“We’re definitely in a good spot for the playoffs,” Moore said. “But you just don’t know until that last week where you sit at. Ending the regular season with a pair of home games is a good thing, but I don’t want to look too far ahead. We won’t worry so much about the playoffs; we’ll just worry about us getting better, concentrate on us a little bit.”