Grizzlies escape Braves for playoff win

Playing the second half without star quarterback Chase Nelson, the Logan High football team found a way to win a rematch with Bountiful, 22-17 in the first round of the 4A State tournament.

“One of the great wins in the history of our program, I’ll tell you what,” said Logan head coach Mike Favero. “It was an incredible win, under the most unthinkable circumstances that I’ve ever been a part of.”

After giving up an early score, the Grizzlies answered with a pair of second quarter touchdown runs by Nelson, but his second touchdown run ended with his ejection.

After finding the end zone, Nelson was pinned to the ground and once he found his feet proceeded to kick an opposing player. The senior received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and because it was his second of the game, was ejected.

““My perspective was, the first time you warn him,” Favero said. “If it was a blatant kick that everybody saw where you kicked some kid in the face or in the groin. It was a very very meager, getting off of the pile, almost a natural instinct. Chase Nelson is not that kind of kid.”

But playing without their star, the Grizzlies found a way to win. On the first play of the second half, Logan came up with a big pass play that set up an Angel Reyes field goal for a 16-10 lead in the third quarter.

Backup quarterback Kinkade Wildman found the end zone for a 22-10 lead late in the third, and the Braves pulled within five in the waning minutes, the Grizzlies recovered and onside kick and Taylor Compton intercepted a pass to ice the game.

“Words can’t describe it,” Compton said. “I was just dropping back in my zone, and somebody in front of me was playing great defense. The ball was a little high, it bounced off the guys hands right into mine. I was just in the right place at the right time.”

Logan improved to 11-0 overall this season, and advanced to the second round of the state tournament. The Grizzlies will host 10-1 Olympus on Friday, Nov. 8. Logan will be without Nelson for the matchup, who will serve a game suspension for his ejection.

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