By Brandon Carter, For the Deseret News
Published: Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010 12:55 a.m. MDT
SANDY — The Alta Hawks are famous for their wide open style of offense, with its screens, bombs and spread-option runs typically leading to high point totals. Observers may not have recognized them in Friday night's 35-16 win over Brighton, in which the team displayed a tough running game and a defense that gave up very little.
Running back Taylor Eyring led the Alta attack with over 200 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Each of his short scoring dashes was set up in part by longer runs the senior had earlier in drives. On the other side of the ball, the Hawks' defense suffocated the Bengals, whose two second-half first downs both came on penalties.
"Our defense, wow. We left them in one bad situation in the second half, but otherwise we really stymied them," Alta coach Les Hamilton said. "I think we found our run game tonight, because they're (Brighton) a dang good football team, especially stopping the run."
Hamilton only let quarterback Boston Handley throw the ball deep down field a handful of times, but one toss in particular changed the entire complexion of the game. Up 14-10 with less than two minutes remaining in the first half, Alta seemed content to take a lead into the locker room and regroup against what seemed to be a tough Bengals' effort. Instead, Eyring broke off a 17-yard dash that brought the ball near midfield, where Hamilton felt the team was close enough to take a shot at the end zone.
Handley found receiver Jovan London streaking down the sideline on an out-and-up route for a 40-yard gain that put the ball on the Brighton 14.
After a timeout, the quarterback connected with 6-4 receiver Ammon Barker on a fade route in the end zone for a 21-10 lead. Any momentum Brighton had after a tough first half was gone, and the game was altered dramatically from that point forward.
"It was just one of those nights where a lot of things went good for us," said Hamilton.
The Hawks spent the rest of the night on cruise control offensively, feeding off a steady diet of runs by Eyring, Handley and London. The Bengals, meanwhile, found little to no room for their own spread attack, punting the ball four times and earning no offensive first downs, save for two that came via pass interference calls.
Quarterback Derek Newell starred for the Bengals, leading the team in rushing from the quarterback position with a score on the ground and another through the air. The Bengals finally scored a touchdown again in the fourth quarter.
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