Our coaches do a good job of scouting our opponents that way and setting up some special teams things for us. – Mike Miller, Riverton football coach
PLEASANT GROVE — Riverton took advantage of five Pleasant Grove turnovers to score 38 unanswered points and humble the previously unbeaten Vikings 38-7 on their home field Friday night.
On the Vikings' first possession of the game, Jeremiah Evans was intercepted by Riverton’s Keaton Kimball at midfield. The Silverwolves returned the favor by fumbling on their first play from scrimmage at their own 32. Four plays later on 4th-and-7, Evans connected with Jacob Doman on a 31-yard touchdown pass to put the Vikings up 7-0, which would prove to be their only points of the game.
Riverton answered with an 80-yard drive that took nearly eight minutes off the clock. Cameron Christiansen pushed the ball in from the 1 to even the score at 7 all.
The Silverwolves used a fake punt on their next possession at midfield where Yuri Yassin lined up as the punter, handed off and then received a pass back before running for a first down. The trickery led to a 37-yard field goal by Brady Slack that put Riverton ahead 10-7 with 6:11 remaining in the first half.
“Our coaches do a good job of scouting our opponents that way and setting up some special teams things for us,” said Riverton coach Mike Miller.
The Vikings had an opportunity to take the lead back midway through the second quarter when Evans connected with Doman for about 50 yards on a 3rd-and-30 play, but Doman was hit and fumbled the ball. Yassin recovered at the Riverton 33 to thwart the threat.
The Silverwolves scored again on their first possession in the second half when Christiansen found his way into the end zone from 34 yards out to push the lead to 17-7.
Pleasant Grove was threatening again on the next possession, but Evans threw another interception, this time to Connor Henderson. Riverton took advantage of the turnover by driving 81 yards in nine plays where Cayden Jones ran the ball in from the 9.
The Vikings turned the ball over again two plays later when a backwards pass was fumbled and recovered by Jones. Riverton took advantage of the turnover when Kimball found the end zone from 28 yards out to increase the lead to 31-7.
Jones had a hat trick of sorts when he intercepted Evans again to give the Silverwolves the ball at midfield. Paden Cayias made the Vikings pay again with a 3-yard touchdown run that provided the Silverwolves with the final margin of 38-7.
“The defense played great,” said Miller. “The fourth quarter they were only in one series though. Our offense actually had the ball the rest of the fourth quarter, which was important to us.”
The Riverton defense held Pleasant Grove to a single touchdown, which no other team has been able to do this year. The Vikings' previous low score was 21 in a win over Timpview.
Riverton’s win improves its record to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Region 4. Pleasant Grove falls to 5-1 and 1-1 in region.