Dons dispatch region foes

PROVO — If Paul McCartney had to describe the Spanish Fork Dons' road ahead for a possible spot in the state football playoffs, he'd likely call it "long and winding."

If they get there, Phil Collins would call it "against all odds." For sure, the Dons have to survive a tough week of football just to have a playoff heartbeat. But so far, surviving they are.

Spanish Fork defeated the Provo Bulldogs 6-0 Saturday afternoon in two periods of play to come out of a three-way tiebreaker with the Bulldogs and Payson Lions to earn the No. 4 seed from Region 6. The Dons will now face the Timpanogos Timberwolves, the No. 4 seed from Region 7, on Tuesday afternoon to determine which team gets Utah County's seventh and final spot in the Class 4A tournament.

"If you're a football player, a high school kid, this couldn't be a funner week for you," Dons coach Scott Brumfield said.

The winner of Tuesday's game will face the powerful Highland Rams, the No. 3-ranked Class 4A team, in the first round on Friday.

"If you love football, you couldn't ask for a better situation, to be able to play this many games," Brumfield said.

The Dons prevailed in Saturday's second half-game of the day by controlling the ball and by keeping the Bulldogs on their own side of the field for most of the 24 minutes. Provo did move inside Spanish Fork territory on its first drive, thanks to the running of Rob Argyle and Austin Alder, but the drive stalled when the Dons held on a fourth-and-5.

On a third-and-12, Spanish Fork quarterback Griff Robles found Taft Morley over the middle to give the Dons their first first-down. Nick Welsh exploded up the middle on the next play for 15 yards. Two plays later, and on the first play of the second quarter, Welsh weaved through the middle and broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run.

The point-after kick was wide, but it turned out not to matter as the Spanish Fork defense allowed the Bulldogs only one more first down. Provo did have one final shot when Spanish Fork turned the ball over on downs near midfield, when Brumfield elected to go for it on a fourth-and-9 rather than risk a bad punt. But the Bulldogs lost 10 yards on the next four plays to end their chances.