MORGAN — If a defense isn't dominant, then good timing will usually suffice.
Morgan's defense came up with key stops against Snow Canyon all night, including Braden Saunders' deflection of a 2-point conversion pass to clinch a 28-26 win for the Trojans on Friday night.
With 3:33 to play, Snow Canyon pulled within two points when Nick Bott ran in for a 2-yard touchdown. The Warriors needed to go for two in an attempt to tie it, and quarterback Austin Larsen rolled to his right and had two receivers in the end zone, but Saunders got a hand on the pass and it fell incomplete.
Morgan lineman Dane Carter also had two timely tackles as the Trojans forced the Warriors to turn it over on downs twice in the second half.
"When it has to be done, they find a way to get it done," said Morgan coach Kovi Christiansen of his team's defensive effort.
Morgan wasted no time jumping out to an early lead. On the Trojans' second play from scrimmage, Tad Sargent took a pitch and broke through the line for a 47-yard touchdown.
Snow Canyon responded with a 12-play 80-yard drive, capped off when Larsen found Tyler Miller for a 5-yard scoring pass to tie the game.
But Morgan retook the lead within seconds. Jordan Wamsley fielded the kickoff, faked a reverse handoff to Sargent and took off down the sideline for a 95-yard touchdown.
The Warriors used a quick drive to tie the game early in the second frame, as Larsen hit Miller on another scoring strike for 25 yards.
Morgan finished the half on a score sandwiched by two key stops. The Trojans forced Snow Canyon into a key three-and-out. Morgan then marched 79 yards in a drive that ate five minutes off the clock, with quarterback Matt Largent sneaking in from the 1 to give the Trojans a 21-14 advantage with 1:15 left in the half.
Snow Canyon mounted a frantic drive all the way to the Morgan 34, but the Trojans were able to buckle down when Dane Carter made a key tackle as the half expired.
Snow Canyon kept fighting in the second half. Miller picked off a Largent pass at the Trojans' 30, and the Warriors cashed in on Larsen's 1-yard scoring plunge. But Benavides' extra point was wide left, and Morgan held a one-point lead.
The Trojans finished the third quarter with a 41/2-minute drive that went 71 yards and was finished with Wamsley's second score of the game, a 3-yard dive. Skyler Prochnow and Sargent pitched in with outstanding games on defense for Morgan.
e-mail: rtrishman@desnews.com