2024 Rich High School Football Team 1A
Back to back Champions
The Utah High School football record book now has the first repeat champions in 1A-8 man football the Rich High Rebels who dominated the Monticello Buckaroos 50-14 on Saturday. Three years ago, the Rebels accepted an invitation to participate in the Wyoming football league with Cokeville, Kemmerer, Pinedale, Lyman, Mountain View, Lovell and Hot Springs County in Thermopolis. Later in the summer the Utah High School Athletic association created an 8-man league and Rich accepted the invitation. Coaches then began to try and learn the challenges of playing both 11 man and 8 man football in the same season. Coach Tyson Larsen on many occasions has shared the fact that it is a bigger change than many fans may think. In the first season playing 8-man football the Rebels lost to Monticello in the Semi-final match-up 21-20 in a snow storm in Cedar City. A year later (2023) Rich and Monticello matched up in the Championship game with Rich winning 35-20. Now a year later, another snowy and cold morning Rich and Monticello met up with an early 10:00 a.m. start.
A huge “Rebel Yell” to the coaching staff: Tyson Larsen, Lex Cornia, Cooper Cornia, Jordan Parry and Dave Holmes who had the team polished and prepared. Everything that could go well for the Rebels seemed to unfold and everything that could go wrong for Monticello seemed to happen. On Rich’s first possession it only took 3 plays for Carter Hoffman to run 59 yards for the first score. Drake Weston took Monticello’s punt after the defense stopped Monticello deep in their own territory right at the 50 yard line to the end zone. The score was Rich 14-0 less than four minutes into the game. As snowflakes started to come down Ryker Hoffman intercepted a pass on the Rebel 33 yard line and took it to the 33 yard line of the Buckaroos. Rich converted on 4th and 4 yards to go from the 14 yard line when Hudson Parry broke several tackles and went down the sideline to the end zone. Rich forced a fumble on Monticello’s next possession which was recovered by Easton Eborn on the Monticello 25 yard line. Rich was unable to capitalize on the turnover but forced Monticello to punt setting up the Rebels on the Buckaroo’s 46 yard line. Two plays later Hudson Parry took the pitch from Carter Hoffman and used his speed down the sideline untouched by the defense to run the score to 26-0 with 2 minutes left in the 1st quarter. Monticello turned the ball over on downs before the teams traded punts. As the sun started to shine Rich took over on the Buckaroo’s 46 yard line. It took a six play drive capped by an eight yard pass from Carter Hoffman to Ryker Hoffman to push the score to 33-0. Ryker Hoffman recorded his second interception of the day and returned it to the Buckaroo’s 24 yard line. A rare event for Rich High Football as Dylan Fonnesbeck successfully kicked a 34 yard field goal to make the score 36-0 half way through the 2nd quarter. Rich’s defense handed the offense a short field starting on the Buckaroo 40 yard line. A 24 yard run followed by a 16 yard run both by Drake Weston put the Rebels in the end zone for the 6th touchdown of the first half and a 43-0 lead. Monticello came into the game averaging 39 points a game so you knew they would find the end zone eventually. It took an 80 yard drive against the Rebel JV defense for Monticello to put 6 on the scoreboard before halftime.
The high school football rule book requires a running clock if a team is up by 35 or more points in the second half of the game. So, the second half went quickly. Hudson Parry added an 81 yard touchdown run and Monticello completed a 50 yard touchdown pass to create the final score of 50-14. Another “Rebel Yell” to the coaches who made sure the younger players also experienced the memory of playing in a championship game.
It isn’t uncommon for a team to score 40 or 50 points in 8-man football. However, I will give the strength of this year’s Rebel team to their defense. They held their opponents to an average of 8.9 points per game. If you include the 11-man games the result is 12.8.
There are several other 1A schools that have indicated that they will play 8-man football next year so there will be new competition as the Rebels seek to repeat as champions. For now, they will enjoy a very successful year and the satisfaction of ‘mission accomplished.’ Go Rebels! by Rob Leifson
Deseret Sports Editor:
“Our line had an amazing game. They blocked, they did everything, they were catching passes. They were opening massive holes for all of us and I really think that helped our game and led us to a championship,” said Parry.
In the second quarter, Hoffman tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Ryker Hoffman with Weston adding a TD run of his own to push the lead to 43-0.
Monticello finally got on the board on its 10th drive of the half as Rogers caught a three-yard TD pass from Jackson Keyes with 11 seconds left in the half.
Rich outgained Monticello 242 to 112 yards in the first half in addition to forcing three Monticello turnovers.
Both teams tacked on one more score in the second half, with Parry ripping off an 81-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter for the 50-6 lead.
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Thurs. Nov. 21 Rich Middle School Girls BB with Star Valley
Sat. Nov. 23 Rich Middle School Boys Wrestling
Rich Middle School Girls BB @ Lyman & Mt. View
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