5A high school football: Defense shows up big in Cottonwood's rout

MURRAY — Potent offenses have defined football teams at Cottonwood more than anything else in recent seasons. The Colts know how to score in bunches, and that ability has often been a tool of choice in overwhelming an opponent.

Against Viewmont, however, it was defense — not offense — that stole the show.

Clinging to a three-point lead at halftime, the Colts forced fumbles on consecutive drives and did not allow the Vikings to move beyond their own 21-yard line on their final four possessions. It helped Cottonwood finally pull away for a 23-7 victory over Viewmont in the first round of the 5A tournament on Friday afternoon.

The Vikings gained only 96 yards of total offense in the second half, with the bulk of it coming on their initial drive. Cottonwood limited Viewmont to just 14 yards in the fourth quarter and held the Vikings to minus 5 yards on their final two drives.

"The defense really impressed me the whole game," said senior quarterback Crosby Jensen. "The whole game they took the initiative. They took control of this team and they shut down that high-powered Viewmont offense."

Momentum swung squarely in the Colts' favor on the opening drive of the second half. The Vikings marched down the field behind a series of solid gains from running backs Anthony Tuli and Garrett Bushman. But on 2nd-and-8 from the Cottonwood 15, Bushman fumbled a lateral. Tuinei Tama picked up the loose ball and returned it near midfield before being brought down.

Viewmont forced the Colts to punt on the ensuing series. Five plays later, Tuli fumbled the ball on a draw play and Sione Folaumoeloa latched onto it, giving Cottonwood the ball at the Viking 21-yard-line. The Colts came away empty-handed after a fourth down pass from Jensen fell incomplete, but the damage was done.

The Vikings never seriously threatened again. Cottonwood, meanwhile, found a way to give itself some breathing room. The Colts went up 17-7 on a 33 yard pass from Jensen to Chandler Hudson with 4:10 left in the game. Then, after Viewmont turned the ball over on downs, Nadan Hosea burst up the middle for a 17 yard TD run that made it 23-7 with 2:20 to go.

Cottonwood coach Cecil Thomas felt confident taking risks because of the way his defense was playing. The Colts went for it on fourth down five times, converting twice. The first of those conversions – a three yard run by Hosea on 4th and 1 at the Cottonwood 49 – set up a 19 yard touchdown pass from Jensen to Lundquist that put the Colts up 7-0 with 9:22 left in the second quarter.

"That's one reason I kept going for it on fourth down," Thomas said. "I knew our defense was playing good and I felt like our defense was going to do it for us today."