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SALT LAKE CITY — With both teams starting out 1-0 in region play, a meeting between Layton Christian and Judge Memorial was set up as a pivotal game.
Last season, the two teams met and the Eagles overwhelmed the Bulldogs 56-6. Would it be the same result a year later?
Friday night's meeting didn't have as much scoring for the Eagles, but the team managed a shutout against the Bulldogs as Layton Christian rushed for five touchdowns to secure a 35-0 win and to keep a perfect region record.
In the first action of the 2A battle, a fumbled punt gave the visiting Eagles great field position; however, just a few plays later, quarterback Chris Munroe threw an interception in the end zone to Judge's co-quarterback Adrian Palmer.
Both offenses had trouble moving the ball early until Kaya Madhlazi of the Eagles found success running the ball before he eventually found the end zone on a 5-yard score to take an early 7-0 lead in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs just couldn't seem to get their footing right as their run game lacked any impact, and receivers showed dropped passes all night.
The Eagles took advantage as receiver Brayden Bott made a big catch to put his team in the red zone, once again, and Trevor Halalilo finished the drive with a 2-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead.
A disheveled Bulldogs team fumbled the ball on the ensuing possession, which was recovered by the Eagles, and took over on Judge's 41-yard line. Eventually, a pass interference call in the end zone resulted in a 14-yard setup that led to Madhlazi rushing in for his second score on the night.
Judge showed some positive momentum with a long reception by Demarion Hope that put the Bulldogs in the red zone for the first time on the night with the clock dwindling in the first half. Palmer, though, was intercepted to end the first-half action.
Madhlazi continued his strong ground game in the second half, bouncing off defenders and adding to his touchdown tally with his third of the night — this time from 36 yards out.
The Bulldogs brought much of the same in the second half as Palmer had the ball in his hands and was chased down by a defender, who punched the ball out and the Eagles recovered. Halalilo then rushed in for his second of the night from 2 yards out at the end of the drive for the final score of the night.
