St. George • Pine View’s Dallin Brown kept his impressive season going as the junior ran for three touchdowns and threw for another to lead the Panthers to a dominating 42-14 victory over Desert Hills on Thursday.
“The team really played great in all three phases, and Dallin had another incredible game for us,” Pine View assistant coach Ben Meier said. “I’m not sure what we are going to do now with two great quarterbacks, but I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision. That’s all on coach [Ray] Hosner now.”
Thursday’s game was the first time the teams met since the Class 3AA state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Desert Hills scored on the final play of the game to stun Pine View 28-27 to claim the state title.
From late hits, personal fouls and ejections, there was no love lost between the programs. With those memories still in the back of players’ minds, Pine View came out fired up wanting to make a statement and avenge last year’s loss in the process.
“Last year’s loss was a big influence,” Pine View senior running back Jacob Mpungi said. “We were not going to let that happen to us again and were determined to win. There was no easing up tonight,”
He proved that by diving into the end zone with just a couple minutes left in the game.
PLAYER OF THE GAME <br>Pine View quarterback Dallin Brown ran for nearly 150 yards and three touchdowns to give the Panthers an important win at home in a rematch of last year’s Class 3AA state championship game. It was only the second start of the junior’s varsity career.
Desert Hills’ Brock Parry opened the game with a 13-yard touchdown run. Pine View answered when Brown capped a drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7. After Desert Hills muffed a punt, which was recovered by Pine View’s Samson Doyle, the Panthers responded two plays later when Brown scored his second touchdown on a 27-yard run up the middle.
Pine View ties it up at 7 on a QB keeper by Dallin Brown. #Region9Preps pic.twitter.com/fhEhcKY1IL
— Justin Giles (@JustinGiles_) October 6, 2017
Brown was making just his second career start after totaling five touchdowns against Hurricane last week.
After again forcing Desert Hills to punt, Pine View’s Christian Reis partially blocked the punt, which was picked up by Brennan Bithell, who returned the ball to the 25-yard line. Brown got the hat trick when he scored on another read-option play to give the Panthers a 21-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
Pine View 21, Desert Hills 7. Blocked punt and Brown scores his third TD of the night. Panthers are rolling now. pic.twitter.com/JQG5DY9FRJ
— Justin Giles (@JustinGiles_) October 6, 2017
The Panthers defense forced another turnover right before halftime. Jeshan Allen picked off Desert Hills quarterback Noah Sewell to give Pine View the ball near midfield with just under two minutes left in the half. After two big runs by Mpungi, the senior running back took it in from 3 yards out to give the Panthers a 28-7 lead at the half.
Desert Hills cut the deficit to 28-14 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Parry, but that’s as close as it would get. Pine View answered with two touchdowns, including when Michael Moten shook several defenders before sprinting down the sidelines and in for the 76-yard score.
Desert Hills’ three-game winning streak was snapped with the loss. Pine View moved into a tie for fourth in Region 9 with Snow Canyon.