In close game, Judge defeats Juan Diego

In a game decided by 14 points, the outcome in many ways came down to a meager inch.

With five minutes remaining in the game, Juan Diego running back Vince Romero pounded his way to the goal line on a first and goal, with one official indicating touchdown and the other — the ref closer to the play — signaling he was down at the one-inch line.

What a momentum swing that call turned out to be for Judge.

Juan Diego quarterback Corey Lever fumbled the snap on the next play with Judge recovering it in the end zone. Nine plays later Judge's Lewis Walker iced the game on a four-yard touchdown as 3A's top-ranked Bulldogs pulled away for the 23-9 victory.

"They're a good team, I wasn't surprised by their abilities," said Judge coach James Cordova. "Their losses have all been tight, all their losses were to 4A teams."

As for the Bulldogs, the victory insured they head into preseason play with an unscathed 5-0 record. With upcoming region games against Park City, Wasatch and Union upcoming in the next week, it doesn't get any easier after narrowly surviving the upset bid by Juan Diego.

Despite the absence of starters Zach Kinniger and Jamie Markosian, the Soaring Eagle came to play. Defensively they limited Judge to virtually nothing offensively as both teams went into the locker room at the half 9-9.

"They just stacked us up, it was hard for us to get the ball moving," said Cordova. "Give them tons of credit they smacked us hard."

The offenses didn't find things any easier in the second half as the score remaining deadlocked until early in the fourth quarter as Judge went ahead 16-9 as Tyson Moll capped an eight-play, 73-yard drive with a one-yard TD plunge.

Following a kickoff return to midfield by Brayden Dimond, Juan Diego looked poised for the tying score as it marched march 53 yards on eight plays before the critical turnover prevented it from leveling the score.

"It was a huge play. Goal line is tough, we've really struggled at the goal line all season, so it was a real big moral victory as much as it was a physical victory," said Cordova.

While rival Judge improved to 5-0, Juan Diego fell to 3-3 as it kicks off region play next week.

The Bulldogs opened the scoring midway through the first quarter on a 23-yard field goal by Sean Sellwood, but midway through the second quarter Juan Diego went ahead 6-3 as Tyler Morales scored a three-yard TD run. It would be the Soaring Eagle's only lead of the game.

Keenyn Walker hauled in a 39-yard touchdown reception from Joe Pond with 59 seconds remaining in the half to put Judge back in front 9-6 after the missed field goal. Juan Diego capitalized on a good kickoff return and a late hit penalty to get within field goal range as Ryan Finley tied it at 9-9 on a 25-yard field goal just before halftime.