By Greg Perkins Snowflake’s east region game in Payson on Friday night started ominously with the Lobos fumbling inside their own 25-yard line on their first possession. Payson turned that mistake into a quick three points on a short field goal taking a 3-0 lead with just three minutes gone in the first quarter. It didn’t take Snowflake long to recover. Their next offensive play went for 70 yards after a Caden Cantrell to Noah Baum connection. Sam Crockett’s point after kick was blocked but the Lobos were on top 6-3. Lance Christensen’s interception and a Longhorn pass on Payson’s next possession gave the Lobos great field position at the Payson three-yard line. Camden Brimhall scored on the next play, but the two-point conversion failed to leave Snowflake on top, 12-3. Early in the second, the Longhorns put together a long scoring drive capped by a short one-yard score. Their successful point after kick made the score 12-10 with the Lobos on top. Brimhall found the endzone for the second time from four yards out late in the second quarter giving Snowflake an 18-10 lead. Crockett made up for a couple of missed point after kicks by making a 34-yard field goal with less than two minutes left extending the Lobo lead to 21-10. A long Lobo punt return gave them first and goal from the one which Brimhall took care of on the next play pushing the lead to 28-10. Snowflake’s scoring flurry wasn’t yet done. Bradden Lewis had a pick-six of a Payson pass, returned the interception 38 yards for another score. With Crockett’s kick, the Lobos suddenly led 35-10 at the half, and Payson’s chances were basically over. Brimhall scored again midway through the third, this time from 15 yards away advancing Snowflake’s lead to 42-10. Cantrell found Eduardo Guevara for a short nine yard touchdown pass late in the third making the score 49-10. Crockett booted a 24-yard field goal in the fourth making the score 52-10. Payson scored their final points of the night on a short pass but the win went to the Lobos by a final of 52-17. Cantrell completed 9 of 12 passes for 149 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Noah Baum caught 2 for 84 with a score. Eduardo Guevara grabbed 3 for 22 yards, with a score. Rhett Wenger had 1 for 17; Tyler Clare, 1 for 12; and Brimhall and Lance Christensen each had one seven-yard reception. On the ground, Brimhall had a big night. He carried 17 times picking up 79 yards with four touchdowns. Rhett Wengert had 4 for 57; Cantrell, 6 for 30; Jett McCray carried 7 times for 47; and Easton Butler had 2 carries for 4 yards. The victory was the Lobo’s sixth straight and they will be favored to make that seven in a row when they host Winslow on Friday night. The Bulldogs are a good team, but the Lobos are looking for another state title run.
