Springville football overcomes early deficit, blows out Cedar Valley
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- Springville junior Lisiate Valeti runs the ball up the field during the Region 7 game against Cedar Valley in Springville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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- Springville senior quarterback Easton Leavitt throws a pass during the Region 7 game against Cedar Valley in Springville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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- Springville junior Max Harris runs the ball up the field during the Region 7 game against Cedar Valley in Springville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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- A Springville player catches a pass during the Region 7 game against Cedar Valley in Springville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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- Cedar Valley sophomore Ayden Laws runs the ball up the field during the Region 7 game at Springville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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- Cedar Valley junior Jarom Cline tries to tackle Springville senior Drake Peterson during the Region 7 game at Springville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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- Cedar Valley quarterback senior quarterback Cole Christensen throws a pass during the Region 7 game at Springville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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- Cedar Valley sophomore Ayden Laws tries to avoid a tackle by Springville senior Jack Pickering during the Region 7 game at Springville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
Midway through the second quarter of their 5A Region 7 gridiron contest, Cedar Valley led Springville 13-7 and were on their way to spoiling the Homecoming for the Springville faithful.
But then the home team turned it on with some sparkling play in all three phases of the game, while some costly miscues by the Aviators turned a possible upset into a Springville blowout as the Red Devils blitzed Cedar Valley scoring 48 unanswered points en route to a 55-13 victory.
Springville head coach Dave Valeti was pleased overall with the outcome though his team came out slow for the second straight game.
“Obviously, we did some pretty good things, but we came out flat like we did last week,” said the Springville head coach. “One of our goals is to come out and start the way we finished. But obviously we’re happy about the result, but we still have some things to work on.”
Cedar Valley played well for the first 18 minutes of the game and took the early lead when quarterback Cole Christensen found Ayden Laws on a 12-yard scoring connection. In the second quarter, Christensen ran it in from eight yards out but the extra point missed its mark.
Sandwiched between these Aviator scores was a 27-yard run to paydirt by Springville’s Max Harris. But unfortunately, Harris was injured a short time later with a leg injury.
Cedar Valley had a great chance to extend its 13-7 lead but this is when costly mistakes gave the game away.
The Aviators muffed a punt return giving Springville possession in Aviator territory at the 47-yard line.
Springville went for the jugular after the sudden change as Easton Leavitt found Drake Peterson behind the Aviator defense on the very next play to put Springville ahead 14-13 after the successful point after by Jonathan Zafra.
On Cedar Valley’s next offensive possession, Reed Deede secured an interception for Springville and returned it 43 yards which set up a 28-yard touchdown scamper by Lisiate Valeti to move the score to 21-13 in favor of the Red Devils.
“It was pretty fun (to get the interception),” Deede said. “I was expecting to get one and I promised my teammate (Sam Nadauld) I would get him one. “He said ‘get me one tonight’ and I said, “I got you.”
Things went from bad to worse for Cedar Valley as the Aviators fumbled on their next possession. It took just four plays for Sprngville to score again as Leavitt hooked up with McKay Caldwell on a 13-yard score with just 28 seconds left in the second quarter. The extra point hit the upright and bounded away leaving Springville ahead 27-13 going into the locker room.
The third quarter was pigskin ecstasy for Springville and a total nightmare for Cedar Valley.
Springville scored on its first possession of the second half as Lisiate Valeti ran it from 28 yards.
Then Cedar Valley’s first offensive possession of the second half ended in disaster as Jack Pickering had a pick six of 40 yards to put Springville ahead 41-13.
Then it was time for Springville’s special teams to get involved again, and that was when Peterson took it to the house on a 74-yard punt return for his second score of the game. After the successful point after by Zafra, Springville upped its lead to 35 points, 48-13, putting the running clock rule into effect.
“We scored on all three phases which is a good recipe,” said Dave Valeti. “Once we settled down on defense, we got after them a little bit and it opened up some things for us.”
Springville tacked on one last touchdown in the final stanza when Leavitt found Zack Henderson on a 21-yard score. This last touchdown was especially satisfying to the senior signal caller as he fulfilled a promise to his teammate before the game.
“I told Zack Henderson in English (class) that I will get him his first catch of the season and I got him on a touchdown,” Leavitt said.
It was an extra busy night for Leavitt as he was first attendant in the Homecoming royalty which meant recognition during halftime and time away from any counsel from his coaches.
“I knew my OC (offensive coordinator) had some stuff to say to me in the locker room, but I had to do it for the community,” said a smiling Leavitt, leaving his teammate Deede to joke, “yeah, he’s a man of the people.”
With the win, Springville moves to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in Region 7 play. The Red Devils will host Wasatch (1-5, 0-2) next week, while Cedar Valley (2-4, 0-2) hosts Timpview (2-2, 1-0). Both games will be Friday at 7 pm.
