High school football returns: Davis holds off Herriman in Utah

Not this time. Not with a senior-dominated team. Not with a national audience following their every move. For the second straight year, the Darts of Davis (Kaysville, Utah) controlled play for the first three quarters at Herriman (West Herriman, Utah), but Thursday they held on for a 24-20 victory in the nation's first high school football game of the highly anticipated 2020 season.

Davis dominated last year's game for three quarters, but the Mustangs rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to escape with a 14-10 win.

This year the Darts, No. 14 in the MaxPreps preseason Utah rankings, controlled both lines of scrimmage, got two touchdown passes from Chance Trujillo and a huge rushing game from Spencer Ferguson, who carried the ball 33 times for 173 yards and one touchdown.

Davis dominated at the point of attack, outgaining Herriman 318-111, but the Mustangs hung close with big special teams play and two long touchdowns. With Ferguson doing the bulk of the running, Davis ran off the final 4 minutes, 4 seconds of the game with a seven-play, 55-yard drive. "We finished this time," Davis coach Mitch Arquette told the KUTV television crew after the game. "I couldn't be prouder of guys and everyone who made this game happen." 

The game carried particular significance, being the first in the country since the coronavirus pandemic broke nationally in March, causing cancellations of winter championships and all spring sports throughout the land.

Starting a fall season, especially on the football field, seemed unlikely. Thirty-five of the 50 states committed to play but Utah was first up, kicking off two days after the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences postponed sports until 2021.

Under hot conditions and adhering to social distance measures, the game was clean. Each roster was limited to 50 players, all wore face coverings on the sideline, as did fans spread throughout the stands.

On the field, a 66-yard punt return by Brock Hollingsworth set up a 9-yard touchdown run by Nu'u Tafisi giving Herriman a quick 7-0 lead.

But the rest of the half was dominated by Davis, which got touchdown passes of 10 and 11 yards from to Trujilo to Ethan Healey and Owen Murdock, respectively, making it 14-7 late in the first quarter. Ferguson made it 21-7 with 8:45 left in the half on a 10-yard touchdown jaunt, making it 21-7.

Davis' defense was stout, allowing just 16 first-half yards and one first down.

When Jackson Leaver drilled a 22-yard field goal early in the third quarter, Davis looked in complete command, up 24-7. But Hollingsworth returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, and on its next possession, Jack White threw a short inside screen to Edward Vanisi, who turned it into a 69-yard score, cutting Davis' lead to 24-20 heading into the fourth quarter.