REVOLUTON

Zion Lions-41, Davis Vipers-6
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Layton, Utah- Layton Christian Academy

Courtesy of Andy Griffin, Sportswriter for the St. George News.

 

Traveling just 26 players and facing a cold, rainy afternoon in northern Utah, the Zion Lions ignored the distractions and blew out the Davis Vipers 41-6 at Layton Christian Academy.

 

With the inclement weather and a slippery field, the Lions stuck to the run game, for the most part. Quarterback Josh Ford and running back Rimo Mapu both rushed for more than 100 yards in the contest.

“It was miserable there,” Lions coach Dale Stott said. “There wasn’t even anywhere to go at halftime to get out of the elements. It was 28-0 at halftime and we just wanted to run the clock and get out of there in the second half.”

 

With just two starting offensive linemen making the trip, the Lions put together a patchwork group that included

the coach’s son, Trevor Stott.

 

“We destroyed them,” Trevor Stott said. “We just kept running the counter and they couldn’t stop it. But it was raining the whole time and really cold. Josh Ford and Rimo (Mapu) both ran the ball well.”

 

Zion scored on its first two possession of the game to stake itself to a 14-0 lead early. The Vipers tried to pass the ball, resulting in three interceptions. The first of those set up another Lions TD and Zion would have gone into the locker room 28-0, had there actually been a locker room.

 

The second half, the Vipers went to a cover-zero defense and it worked enough to keep the Lions offense out of the end zone. However, Zion scored on both special teams and defense in the second half. Brandon “Smashmouth” Thompson recovered a blocked punt for a TD in the third quarter and Dave Bishoff ended the game by intercepting a Davis desperation pass and returning it 60 yards for a TD.

 

“This was really a team effort,” Dale Stott said. “The defense, as always, played great. And I was really proud of our offensive line, especially considering we only had two starters. They still rolled.”

 

The only TD of the game for the Vipers came on a Hail Mary pass that slipped through a Lions defender’s hands and was caught for a TD in the fourth quarter.

 

“We have had some problems with turnovers, but really corrected that in this game, despite the weather,” Stott said. “We only had one turnover and created a bunch with our defense.”

 

Zion is now 2-1 on the season and will return home to face the Las Vegas Raiders next Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Dixie Sunbowl. The Raiders are 0-4.  The Davis Vipers drop to 1-2 and will host the Utah Wildcats at Layton Christian Academy.  Utah dropped to 1-2 on the season after last week’s loss to the Shock.