5A high school football: Hinds helps Darts run roughshod over Hunter

It did not take long for Tanner Hinds to make his presence felt in the backfield.

The Davis senior broke free for a 38-yard touchdown run on his third carry of the game. That big play served as a good barometer for what Hinds did to the Hunter defense through four quarters.

Hinds finished with 187 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries to help fuel his team's 41-17 victory over the Wolverines on Friday night in the 5A semifinals at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

This was the third straight game that he eclipsed the 180-yard barrier. Hinds also rushed for 187 yards and scored three touchdowns on 28 carries in the first round against West. He tallied 182 yards on 31 carries in the quarterfinals against Pleasant Grove.

Those numbers offer a brand of consistency most teams can only dream about getting from a rushing attack and such performances offer a major reason why the Darts are one of two 5A teams still playing football for another week.

"It's huge," Davis coach Ryan Bishop said. "We can run the clock a little. We can get first downs. We put ourselves in a field position situation to try and keep our defense out of trouble. Those are all things we need to do to play well."

Hinds can also find a way to break a team's spirit really quickly. After Hunter tied the game 7-7 on Ekuasi Tavo's 5-yard run with :08 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Hinds quickly helped the Darts retake their lead when he ripped off a 67-yard run on the final play of the quarter.

Davis went ahead 14-7 to start the second quarter and Hunter never seriously threatened the Darts from that point forward.

Being the main wheel that moves his offense forward is not a new role for Hinds. He has been the No. 1 weapon for the Darts from the first snap of the season. Through 12 games, the shifty back has totaled 1,888 yards and 23 touchdowns on 256 carries — good for an astonishing 7.4 yards per carry.

Hinds gives credit to a strong offensive line for what he has been able to do in the backfield. He said the line opens holes up at the right times and in the right places for him to make big plays.

"They always do good," Hinds said. "I just know they're going to do good and I always follow them."

Bishop said Hinds' unselfish personality is what makes him a great player. Although he is the one earning moments of glory during the game, you would never know it by the way he carries himself away from the field.

"He's the most unselfish kid I know," Bishop said. "He would be the first one to deflect the attention and say it's his O-line or the defense doing this or doing that. That's the very best thing about Tanner."

e-mail: jcoon@desnews.com