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CEDAR CITY — Morgan took on Richfield in the 3A championship Saturday night and left with a new piece of hardware. The Trojans beat the defending champs 13-2 in a low-scoring affair.
Though the Wildcats scored the first points, the offense never contributed to the total. Quarterback Beck Sheffield took part in both of Morgan's touchdowns, providing a touchdown pass, then earning a rushing score.
"It's really easy to win a football game when your defense doesn't allow any points," Sheffield said.
The opening kickoff let the Trojans start in Richfield territory after Jake Hansen returned the ball across midfield. The Trojans made it to the red zone, but before Morgan could score, Sheffield threw an interception to Richfield's Griffin Wayman. The senior caught it at the 1-yard line and returned it for 19 yards, all for the Wildcats to turn the ball over on downs at the other end of the field.
Morgan picked up on their 5-yard line, but a false start set them back even further. It also gave Richfield a chance for a safety, and Sheffield was brought down in the end zone for the game's first 2 points.
The Trojans kicked off to the Wildcats, but quickly regained possession when Jack Despain picked off a Wayman pass.
As the game rolled into the second quarter, the Trojans woke up. They made their way downfield and capped off their first scoring drive with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Sheffield to Lincoln Gilson. Gilson was one of just three Trojans with a reception in the game, and he led all players with over 80 receiving yards.
The teams forced three-and-outs on three drives between then and the next score. Morgan's next scoring drive started in midfield, and a big reception by Gilson helped get the offense downfield.
Sheffield took matters into his own hands and darted into the end zone for a quick 3-yard touchdown. After making his first extra point attempt, Trojan kicker Carter Gorham hit the second off the goalpost, and the score stood at 13-2.
The second half was a stalemate. When a team didn't force a punt, they forced a turnover on downs, and the defenses held strong for the last 24 minutes.
Both Morgan and Richfield went 10-0 in the regular season. This comes after Richfield's perfect championship-winning season last year and Morgan's semifinal defeat.
