Manti offense befuddles Dinos defense

Carbon High football lost their season opener 40-15 against the Manti Templars on Friday at home.
Big plays in the passing game by Manti in the first half put the Dinos behind early in the first quarter 12-0.
Manti’s quarterback Kyle King found his targets in the passing game and drove the Templars down the field with a big play catch by Travis Thompson. That drive would set up for a Dallin Cox three-yard touchdown run to give Manti a 6-0 lead.
After a Carbon three and out, Manti would drive and score again in the first but this time it was a King touchdown pass to Adam Huff to put Carbon down 12-0.
In the second quarter the Dinos’ offense would finally make some noise in the run game with Ryker Larsen and Collin Lewis carrying the load.
Carbon quarterback Noah Jones said it was the big guys up front for the Dinos that led the way offensively.
“Our line was really physical and they were really pushing Manti around. I think we did very well on the line driving through them and getting them out of the way so we can get through the holes that where we were supposed to,” said Jones.
The Dinos’ first drive of the second quarter ended with a one-yard touchdown run by Lewis to cut the Templars’ lead to five.
Manti would get the ball back and score on the second play of the drive with another big play from King to Thompson which led to a 53-yard touchdown to put Manti up 19-7.
“We were still covering man on one side of the field and zone on the other side of the field. We got to get with each other and talk and get on the same page. If we were on the same page, we would be able to cover that,” said Carbon Head Coach Joshua Hunstman.
Carbon’s defense continued to struggle defending the pass after halftime when they gave up a 27-yard touchdown pass from King to Huff in the opening drive of the third quarter.
Down 27-7, Carbon would turn the ball over with a Jones interception and give Manti the ball right back.
The defense for Carbon would respond and pull off an impressive goal line stand to prevent the Templars from putting the game completely out of hand in the third quarter.
After that defensive stand, the Dinos were unable to make things happen and would punt the ball to the Templars.
In the fourth quarter Manti would pull away with two more scores to make a 40-7 game.
“We played a tough first half but we let it get away in the second half. That goes back to learning how to win, we got to learn how to put a full game together. One we can do put a full game together, we will be fine,” said Huntsman.
King would finish the game with four touchdowns through the air including two to Huff for Manti.
On the final drive of the game, Carbon would put another score on the board with 15 seconds left when Jones would find Jaylon Dennis in the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown.
Friday’s game is the fourth year in a row the Templars have defeated Carbon in the season opener.
Carbon’s loss on Friday extends their losing streak to 28 games which spans over three seasons.
Jones and the Dinos remain optimistic that they can snap that streak with plenty of games left in 2018.
“It definitely not what we wanted but I think we need to keep to the intensity up in practice and in games on the sidelines as well as on the field and just keeping work hard,” said Jones.
Carbon will hit the road this Friday to take on the Payson Lions of the 4A classification.
Last season Carbon lost by nine to the Lions, 23-14 at home.