From Deseret News archives:
High school football: Soffe-led Miners use big plays to bury Cougars
Three times the Miners scored touchdowns within the first three snaps of a drive in a dominating 42-10 win over the Kearns Cougars (4-3, 1-1 in Region 3) at home.
Quarterback Jake Soffe completed 8-of-11 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, while the aggressive Miners' defense kept Kearns from ever making a serious threat.
"We knew coming in that Jake was a great quarterback," Bingham head coach Dave Peck said after the game. "I think he was a little rusty the first couple games (after a summer knee injury), but I think people are seeing what he's capable of doing."
The Miners (5-2, 2-0) jumped on the board first when Soffe found Mike Edmunds streaking wide open down midfield for a 61-yard score. Two snaps earlier — the first of the drive — Harvey Langi reached the end zone on a 65-yard dash, only to see it called back on a penalty.
On the Cougars' next snap, Miners defensive end Braydon Cannon recovered a botched pitch on the Cougars' 10. Soffe scampered into the end zone on the next play, and a Braeden Loveless extra point made the score 14-0 early.
The Cougars' defense kept Bingham stalled for much of the second quarter, but the Kearns offense was continually stalled by pressure from the Miners' front seven, led by oft-blitzing linebackers LT Filiaga and Remington Peck.
The Miners weren't content to simply run out the clock and take a 14-3 lead into the half, choosing instead for another one-play score. With 43 seconds remaining, Soffe found Matt Green open in the flat, and Green sprinted past the defense for an 85-yard touchdown and a 21-3 lead.
"These receivers, I just have to put it in their hands and they make the plays," Soffe said.
The margin could have been wider, as Bingham twice had the ball inside the Cougars' red zone, only to miss field goals after penalties and lost yardage pushed them backwards. The Miners' defense continually welcomed themselves into the Kearns backfield, constantly harassing quarterback J.R. Finai and limiting Kearns to just 48 yards over 32 plays in the first half.
The Miners' dominance continued in the second half, as they turned to more traditional lengthy, clock-eating drives for another 21 points. Up 42-3 early in the fourth, mercy rules dictated the clock be run continuously. Kearns would score a late touchdown on a 24-yard sprint by Alamoti Vaenuku, who finished with 85 total yards in the game.
After a tough 0-2 start, Bingham has won five in a row and its first two in Region 3 play.
"We're not even the same team," Peck said. "We've settled in and are playing good ball. I think in the end we've got a chance to play with anybody."
Kearns will look to rebound against Copper Hills at home next Friday.
