Misfortune plagues Cardinals in Homecoming Game

The Soda Springs Cardinals hosted Malad for homecoming last Friday night.  The two evenly matched teams slugged it out through the first quarter of play.  The defenses slugged it out for the first-twenty three minutes of the game.  Neither team was able to find the endzone in the first quarter and for the majority of the second.  With less than a minute left in the half the Malad Dragons drew first blood hitting their receiver in the back of the endzone on a fourth and eight from around the fifteen yard line. With just forty-three seconds left in the first half it would have been easy for the Cardinals to run the clock out and head to halftime only trailing by seven.  The Cardinals had different plans however.  On the ensuing kickoff the Cardinals would actually fumble the return at the thirty-five yard line but luckily were able to recover the loose ball.  On the very next play quarterback Makiah Browning went deep finding an open Owen Miller at the Dragons twenty-two yard line.  Miller was able to get out of bounds to stop the clock with just twenty-nine seconds left.  Two plays later Browning would go to the air again this time finding a diving Zayden Garbett in the corner of the endzone.  The acrobatic throw and catch would be about the last thing to go right for the Cardinals offense that night.  On the point after attempt it appeared as though there was some miscommunication by the holder as the rest of the team looked like they were going for a fake and he was not.  The end result was a failed PAT and the Cardinals still trailed but just by a single point.  After twenty-three scoreless minutes each team was able to score in just thirty seconds and the teams went to the half with a score of 6-7. 

To start the second half the defensive battle continued for the first eight minutes of the third quarter.  The tough performance by the Cardinals defense could not overcome several turnovers by the offense.  Following an interception the Dragons were set up with great field position on the Cardinals side of the fifty.  The Dragons were further helped out by a questionable horsecollar call.  With the clock ticking down in the third quarter the Dragons found the endzone for their second score of the night.  Now trailing by eight points the Cardinals needed to get something rolling on offense.  However once again the offense was unable to move the ball and were put in a fourth and twenty two to close out the quarter.  

The Cardinals defense continued to play tough but did eventually give up another score with just four and a half minutes left in the game.  Ultimately there just wasn’t enough production out of the offense to get the Cardinals over the hill in this game.  Some untimely penalties and turnovers spelled doom for Soda Springs on homecoming night.  The Cardinals fell in a tough, tough game 21-6.

The Cardinals tough defense will be tested this week when they face off against the number one team in the state, West Side.