3A high school football: Wasatch builds big lead, then holds off Richfield rally

HEBER CITY — Three quarters of domination were nearly rendered moot by a disastrous start to the fourth quarter for Wasatch.

The Wasps built a three-touchdown lead only to watch it evaporate as Richfield made big plays on both sides of the ball to get back in the game.

No worries. Keefer Babbitt simply made a pair of big plays himself to prevent a fourth-quarter collapse.

Babbitt intercepted Wildcats quarterback Tyler Sorensen at the Wasatch 5-yard line as Richfield drove for a potential tying touchdown. Then he helped the Wasps clinch a 28-14 victory in the first round of the 3A football playoffs by scoring on a 91-yard touchdown catch — one of three times Babbitt found the end zone in the game.

When Babbit snagged Sorensen's errant pass high out of the air, it finally halted a massive momentum shift that took place earlier in the quarter. It also ended the growing tension on the Wasatch sideline.

"That turned the game around," Wasps quarterback Tyler Purdy said. "That gave us life. We were going to come back anyway, but that was a great play by Keefer."

Babbitt's interception simply set the stage for his next big play. With Wasatch facing third-and-6 at its own nine, Purdy made the defense bite on the underneath route and took advantage of a size mismatch between Babbitt and a defensive back.

He found Babbitt in the flat and the senior took off 91 yards for the game-clinching score with 1:30 remaining.

Babbitt played down his own part in the heroics — especially his final touchdown catch.

"The line made great blocks, the quarterback threw a great ball and every wide receiver did their route," Babbitt said. "It just happened to go to me. It was just a good play call."

For a long time, it appeared Wasatch (7-3) was on the verge of keeping the Richfield offense off the board entirely. The Wasps held the Wildcats (8-3) to just 83 yards total offense through the first three quarters.

It helped them score a touchdown in each quarter to build up a 21-0 lead heading into the third quarter. Purdy, who finished with 258 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-25 passing, was efficient in picking apart Richfield's secondary. He hooked up with Babbit in the end zone twice — once on a 22-yard pass in the second quarter and again on a 2-yarder in the third quarter — to help put the Wildcats in a big hole