Region 9 football roundup: Pine View, Dixie, Desert Hills win regular season openers

ST. GEORGE — Here are the results from the first Friday of the regular season in Region 9 football. Check back for more details and photos from the games.

Dixie 30, Cedar 16

The streak continues.

Dixie battled back in the second half to down Cedar 30-16 to give the Flyers their ninth-straight win over the Redmen.

The two teams have played each other since 1949 with Dixie now holding a 56-33 edge in the series.

The Flyers rode the strong left arm of quarterback Reggie Graff early in the game and then turned things over to running back Westin Banuelos who scored two second half touchdowns after several big runs.

The Flyers are now 3-1 for the year while Cedar falls to 2-2 on the season after their region opener.

Dixie scored midway through the first quarter when Graff found Travis Muir for 12 yards. Muir gathered in the pass down the home field sideline and dove the final four yards into pay dirt. Josh Stewart added the PAT.

The Redmen came back with a pounding ground attack led by burly Drake Fakahua. He carried four times, capping of a 41-yard drive with a 3-yard plunge through the Dixie defense. The extra point failed and it was 7-6.

After a Dixie interception at midfield was nullified by offsetting penalties, the Redman took their first lead of the game when quarterback Jaxon Garrett found a crease in the Flyer line and raced 51 yards untouched with a minute to go in the first half. Zane Montgomery added the extra point to give the Redmen a 13-7 halftime lead.

Montgomery put the Redmen up, 16-7, with a 16-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.

But after that, it was all Dixie as they used a punishing running attack and strong defense to stop the two-pronged Redman attack of Garrett and Fakahua.

The Flyers  play at Snow Canyon next week while Cedar hosts crosstown rival Canyon View.

— Written by Ryan Rees

Desert Hills 27, Snow Canyon 7

Desert Hills rode the leg of kicker Logan Callister and the strong legs of running back Kina Taufa in the second half to beat Snow Canyon, 27-7, to open Region 9 play Friday night.

Bronson Andrus game the Thunder an early 7-0 lead with an intercepted pass return and Callister added the point after.

The Warriors came right back to tie it up when Landon Frei found Makai Lee open from 17 yards out. Matt Van Gils added the PAT. That score stood at halftime, 7-7.

Callister gave the Thunder its first lead midway through the third quarter with a 36-yard field goal. He added another three minutes later to make it 13-7.

Then, Taufa took over, scoring from 13 and 11 yards out to seal the victory. Callister automatically added both PATs.

The Thunder travel to Hurricane next Friday while Snow Canyon takes on Dixie at home.

— Written by Ryan Rees

Pine View 70, Canyon View 26

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