Lehi’s Carson Gonzalaez, left, tries to get away from Salem Hill’s Easton Cook as they play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
By Tommy Bailey

Box score

After a tough season opening overtime loss to Davis, the Lehi Pioneers rebounded nicely against a sluggish Salem Hills team.

Scoring 21 of their 30 points in the second half, the Pioneers defeated the Skyhawks with relative ease, 30-7, on Friday.

The first half was dominated on defense by both teams. The first points of the game came with six minutes left in the second quarter when Lehi running back Carson Gonzalez broke free and scored on a 55-yard dash to the end zone.

A 13-yard run by Gonzalez later in the half allowed for kicker Zane Goodrich to convert on a 30-yard field goal attempt, sending the home team to the break with a 9-0 lead in what had been a low scoring affair up to that point.

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Lehi’s Kadiyon Sweat celebrates a touchdown as the Pioneers and Salem Hills play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi’s Blake Jenkins (26) and Isaac Terrell (99) bring down Salem Hills’ Zaylun Fenn (8) as they play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi’s Isaac Terrell, left, brings down Salem Hills quarterback Luke DeGraffenried as they play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi quarterback Jackson Brousseu sets to pass as Lehi and Salem Hills play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Salem Hills' Jackson Eyre, right, takes the ball away from Lehi's Kaden Kocherhans for a touchdown catch as they play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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A Lehi cheerleader watches the action as Lehi and Salem Hills play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Salem Hills' Jackson Eyre, left, and Lehi's Bowen Ingersoll jump for the ball in the end zone as they play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi students wave at the camera during a football game with Salem Hills at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi quarterback Jett Niu delivers a pass as the Pioneers and Salem Hills play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Max Ray (30) and teammate Hema Katoa (35) tackle Salem Hills' KG Leota (86) as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Carson Gonzalez, right, outruns Salem Hills' Gavin Rolfe as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Jackson Brousseau passes as the Pioneers and Salem Hills play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Bowen Ingersoll is hit and flipped by Salem Hills' Treyson Zobell as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Kadiyon Sweat, right, makes an interception over Salem Hills' Ethan Houghton as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Salem Hills' Kobe Carter (9) is hit by several Lehi Pioneers as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Kadiyon Sweat (21) tries to make a sliding out-of-bounds catch with Salem Hills' Kort Stewart (5) watching as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Helaman Ofahengaue (32) eyes Salem Hills' Kort Stewart (5) as he tries to turn the corner as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's River Moore, right, just misses an interception ahead of Salem Hills' Zaylun Fenn as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Carson Gonzalez (28) avoids Salem Hills' Jackson Eyre (88) on a run as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi students cheer as Lehi and Salem Hills play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi’s Carson Gonzalez, left, celebrates a touchdown with teammate Jaxon Christensen as the Pioneers and Salem Hills play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Salem Hills quarterback Luke DeGraffenried, left, just gets off a pass before Lehi's Isaac Terrell can make the tackle as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi’s Carson Gonzalez (28) avoids a Salem Hills defender as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi and Salem Hills play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi's Kadiyon Sweat, left, hits Salem Hills' Easton Cook, causing him to lose the ball as they play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi and Salem Hills play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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A Lehi cheerleader looks sideways as she cheers during a Lehi and Salem Hills football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi’s Carson Gonzalaez, left, tries to get away from Salem Hill’s Easton Cook as they play a high school football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi and Salem Hills play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Lehi and Salem Hills play a football game at Lehi on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Lehi won 30-7. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Lehi head coach Ed Larson was not pleased with his team’s offensive output in the first half and knew adjustments had to be made.

“We lost our concentration and protection early on and that cost us some issues. We started to run the ball and that calmed us down a little bit. It eventually started to come together. For a lot of these kids it is their second game. We got no excuses now with two games under our belt,” Larson said.

While the Lehi defense was locked in throughout the game, the offense started coming to life in the second half, led by quarterback Jackson Brousseau, who had two touchdown passes.

Wideout Jaxon Christensen was on the receiving end of a 17-yard touchdown from Brousseau that made the lead 16-0, and Kadiyon Smith sealed the win for Lehi, first with a jolting 65-yard TD reception and then a 2-yard rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

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The only real sign of life that Salem Hills showed was late in the fourth quarter when the game had already been decided as quarterback Jackson Nelson found Jackson Eyre in the end zone on a 16-yard fade to avoid the shutout.

Even though his team was able to even its record on the early season to 1-1, Larson knows his group has a long way to go in order to get where he feels it should be.

“Our defense played lights out last week and lights out this week,” he said. “They are going to have to carry us until we can get our offense rolling and figure this thing out. Things aren’t always going to be easy, but we’re getting through it and the kids are ready to challenge it. We just have to continue to get better, and that includes me.”

Salem Hills fell to 0-2 on the season and will face Juab in its next matchup. Lehi will face Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) next.

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