High school football: Hunter moves past Layton

WEST VALLEY CITY — Hunter running back Leva Bloomfield usually isn't much of a threat in the Wolverines' passing game — and that's putting it mildly.

Bloomfield hadn't caught a pass all season until Tuesday afternoon. But with his team's season on the line, the running back flared out of the backfield, caught a short pass that was designed to move the chains — and sent his team to a state playoff showdown with Bingham.

Bloomfield hauled in a 76-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peter Fuimaona with 1:34 left in the game to give the Wolverines a 17-10 victory over Layton in a 5A play-in game. Hunter advances to play Bingham in a 5A first-round game on Saturday.

Bloomfield's score came after the Wolverines dodged a bullet. The Lancers had just put together an 11-play drive before missing a 28-yard field goal. Hunter got the ball with 2:30 left in the game at its own 20, and figured to play for overtime since the team's strength is running the ball. Hunter had thrown for just 45 yards on the day before Bloomfield's score.

Bloomfield made sure to end the game in regulation when he ran a 5-yard out, and got a little help when the Layton defender that was covering him went for the interception. Bloomfield, after turning up field, had to outrun the rest of Layton's defense to score — and he did just that.

"He jumped a little too late," Bloomfield said of his defender. "I already spun and I was gone. He played good 'D.' You just got to make plays."

The Wolverines count on Bloomfield to make plays, and he came through against the Lancers.

"It was a jump ball and he came up with it," said Hunter coach Dustin Pearce. "I'll take it."

Pearce and the Wolverines were thankful to take the win any way they could get it. Layton led for the majority of the contest and controlled most phases of the game. Before Bloomfield's score, Hunter had only led the Lancers for about 15 seconds in the second quarter.

Hunter took a 7-3 lead when Equasi Tavo scored on a 4-yard run with 25.8 seconds left before halftime. Layton answered on its next play from scrimmage when quarterback Derek Thomas — who had a phenomenal game — scored on a 67-yard run to make it 10-7 just before halftime.

Hunter tied the game at 10-10 on a 40-yard field goal by Jake Jex with 6:50 left in the game. Layton's final drive ended when Mason Hafen intercepted a pass in Wolverine territory.

"I'm really proud of my kids," Pearce said. "I thought we got down a couple times and could have folded. I definitely challenged them in some not-so-nice ways. They played hard, kept fighting, fighting, fighting. That's what this game is about. The team with the most heart usually wins."

Thomas nearly won it by himself for Layton. He rushed 18 times for 221 yards. He never went down easy, and delivered plenty of his own punishment while running the ball.

"He's as good as we've seen," Pearce said. "If a school hasn't offered him yet, something's wrong. He's a big-time player."

Informed that Thomas is a state champion wrestler, Pearce wasn't surprised.

"No wonder," he said.

e-mail: aaragon@desnews.com