The Richfield Wildcats will hit the road for the first time this season to challenge the Payson Lions at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Payson is hoping to do what West Field couldn't on Friday: put an end to Richfield's winning streak (dating back to last season), which now stands at 15 games. Richfield took down West Field 45-26. Given the Wildcats' advantage in MaxPreps' Utah football rankings (they are ranked 32nd, while the Longhorns are ranked 107th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Malik Fautin was nothing short of spectacular: he picked up 56 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown. He was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 56 yards.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Richfield was moving up and down the field and finished the game with 418 total yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as West Field only gained 249.
Richfield didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Gage Yardley and Tanner Pollock.
Meanwhile, Payson posted their biggest victory since September 15, 2023 on Friday. They breezed by Hillcrest on the road to the tune of 42-7.
Payson's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Trevyn Wall, who threw for 344 yards and four touchdowns while completing 81.3% of his passes, and David Keel, who gained 179 total yards and two touchdowns. With that strong performance, Keel is now averaging an impressive 108 rushing yards per game. Seth Staley was another key player, picking up 104 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Richfield's record is now 2-0. As for Payson, the win also got them back to even at 1-1.
Richfield strolled past Payson in their previous matchup back in August of 2023 by a score of 37-21. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Payson's Dylan Wall, who rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Richfield to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
