FILLMORE — Talk about making a statement.
Heading into their Week 2 nonregion tilt, the Millard Eagles of Class 2A were big underdogs against 3A's Cedar, who were fresh off a stunning 33-8 upset over defending 3A champ Bear River last week.
For the second week in a row, the Redmen were involved in a statement game.
This time, however, they were decidedly on the wrong end.
Opening up the full arsenal of its playbook, Millard came storming back from an early deficit en route to a dominant 29-7 win over Cedar Friday evening.
It got so bad that, by the end of the fourth quarter, Millard inserted several second-teamers.
"They just overlooked us," said running back Quincy Thatcher. "You can't overlook anybody."
Ironically, Thatcher and Millard got off to the worst possible start.
Thatcher fumbled the opening kickoff, and star Cedar quarterback Logan Obering scored six plays later to put the Redmen up 7-0.
Fellow Millard running back and returner Clancy Mortensen fumbled — and recovered — the ensuing kickoff, and things looked bleak as Millard faced third-and-14 from its own 18-yard line.
That's when the game turned on its head.
Talented running back Zack Wilcox busted a 41-yard carry to convert the third down, and Thatcher scored from 45 yards on the next play.
From there, the Eagles didn't look back.
"We just kept our heads up, didn't let down," said Thatcher. "We just kept going, kept pounding, got the quarterback scared and we just rolled them."
Aside from the game's opening drive, Millard consistently stifled Cedar's rushing attack and kept Obering out of rhythm.
And on offense, backs Thatcher, Wilcox and Mortensen were stellar behind quarterback Grant Barber.
"He's really the one that I give credit to for keeping his composure and leading us," coach Marshall Sheriff said of his signal-caller. "He's bringing those backs together and leading them."
Mortensen accounted for both of Millard's decisive touchdowns in the second quarter. First, he returned an interception for a touchdown, and with 24 seconds left in the first half, he scored on a 12-yard run.
Millard led 22-7 at that point, and it was the same story in the second half.
For the Eagles, it helped that several of their trick plays worked to perfection. All told, Sheriff elected to go for three onside kicks, went for — and converted — a trick two-point conversation and called a number of wide-open plays.
Given that Friday's contest was early on against a nonregion opponent, Sheriff said he wasn't afraid to call them.
"Luckily, it pays off," he said. "But if it doesn't, you're the dumbest son of a gun ever."
Clearly, Friday's win — Millard's second over a 3A team in as many weeks — sends a message to the rest of Class 2A.
Millard lost to San Juan in last year's title game and is ranked No. 2 in the classification.
"I think people might know that we have a good little football team, but I don't know," said Marshall. "I hope we're good enough to be in the finals again. That's all I want to say about that."