It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Morgan had no problem doing just that on Friday. They strolled past the Manti Templars with points to spare, taking the game 42-28. Given the Trojans' advantage in MaxPreps' Utah football rankings (they are ranked seventh, while the Templars are ranked 44th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Morgan's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Lincoln Gilson led the charge by picking up 150 receiving yards, while also rushing for 40 yards and two touchdowns. Gilson showed off some serious burst, connecting on a big catch for 62 yards. Drew Korth was in the mix as well, providing Morgan with two touchdowns.
Morgan was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 221 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 189 rushing yards in three consecutive matchups.
Morgan didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Jake Hansen and Miller Beardall. Another thorn in Manti's side was Carter Meibos, who picked up a sack and made eight total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Manti's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Tala Taulapapa, who picked up 78 receiving yards and a touchdown, and also punched in a touchdown on the ground. Taulapapa also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, forcing a fumble and making 12 total tackles. Ty Pringle was another key player, picking up 107 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Morgan's win bumped their record up to 12-0. As for Manti, their loss dropped their record down to 8-4.
Morgan will face off against Richfield at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Richfield will roll in looking for their 12th straight victory, something Morgan surely won't give up without a fight. Manti does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
