We really challenged the defense all week to come out and have a breakout performance, we needed one. It’s taken us a while to get our defensive identity, but I think we found it tonight. – Scott Ditty
BOUNTIFUL — It’s taken a while, but Viewmont appears to have finally established the defensive identity coach Scott Ditty has been hoping for all season.
Ditty attributes it all to effort, and that played a huge role in Viewmont’s convincing 22-7 region victory over Woods Cross on Friday night.
“Effort, just showing up and playing with everything you got, lights out, thousand miles an hour,” said Ditty.
That’s precisely what Viewmont’s defense did in a dominating performance as it recorded two safeties, two interceptions and limited Woods Cross’ offense to just 172 yards and 10 first downs. The Wildcats were only 1 of 10 on third-down conversions as well.
“We really challenged the defense all week to come out and have a breakout performance, we needed one. It’s taken us a while to get our defensive identity, but I think we found it tonight,” said Ditty.
It was a struggle at times offensively for Viewmont, but it did enough behind running back Cameron Brown as he carried the ball 29 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns, tallying over 1,000 yards on the season.
“Offensively we did what we had to. It’s one of those things, last week the offense kind of picked up and the defense made plays when we had to,” said Ditty. “This week the defense kind of dominated the field and the offense moved the ball when we had to and put the points up when we needed, we’re on one team, all Vikings.”
With the victory, Viewmont guarantees itself a share of the Region 5 title, and it will try to make it an outright title at Bountiful next Friday in its final game of the regular season.
As important as the safeties and interceptions were, perhaps the biggest moment defensively for Viewmont came midway through the third quarter. Woods Cross only trailed 12-7 at the half, and a couple of first downs moved it into Viewmont territory on a promising drive.
Viewmont’s defense, however, forced a turnover on downs after stuffing Woods Cross on third and 1 and fourth and 1.
“We talked to our guys about that, about momentum-changing plays. Who’s going to make the big play. One play can make the big difference of a game, so we just really challenge our guys to come out and make plays,” said Ditty.
The offense responded with a quick scoring drive that Brown capped with a 1-yard plunge for the cozy 19-7 lead.
The first half was a defensive struggle on both sides of the ball.
Woods Cross' defense was particularly strong as well in the first half, holding Viewmont to just seven first downs and also recording an interception.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, that interception pinned them deep in their own territory, and on the next play quarterback Ashton Fornelius was sacked in the end zone by Jackson Strong. The safety was the second of the first half for Viewmont and gave it a 12-7 lead with 1:56 left in the half.
In the first quarter, Chris Stubbs sacked Fornelius in the end zone for the 2-0 lead.
“Any time you can inflict your will on the offense like that, that gives our sideline a big mental advantage,” said Ditty.
Woods Cross’ offense put things together on its next drive, marching 92 yards in nine plays as Kwaku Robinson hauled in a 15-yard TD pass from Fornelius for the 7-2 lead with 1:35 left in the first quarter.
Viewmont regained the lead with 8:00 remaining in the second quarter as Brown scored on a 1-yard run after Jackson Barber's interception set his team up with great field position.