High school football: Miners handle pressure, pound Jordan | Deseret News
High school football: Miners handle pressure, pound Jordan
Coach says Bingham played consistent football
Bingham High's Harvey Langi twists as he tries to avoid Jordan defenders Kyler Morris, left, and Kelton Caldwell in Friday's game at Bingham.
SOUTH JORDAN  If facing one of the best teams in the state Friday wasn't enough pressure, the Bingham Miners were also playing for the first time on their new field, celebrating the school's 100-year anniversary and welcoming back the program's oldest alumni.
"There was a lot of pressure on this weekend," said L.T. Filiaga, who had two sacks in Bingham's 27-7 victory over Jordan. "But we just got together as a team before the game, cleared our minds and just thought about the game. I was relieved to win for the alumni."
Picked as a pre-season favorite, the Miners faced a real possibility of being 1-3 if they didn't find a way to contain Jordan's offense.
"If you would have asked me before the game how I would feel if I could hold Jordan to seven points, I would have said I'd be thrilled," said Bingham head coach Dave Peck.
"I think if you look at the schedules of these two teams, you'll see how tough they are. That's by design. We both play the toughest games we can so we'll be ready for region."
The Miners scored first with a 41-yard field goal from Braeden Loveless. Jordan answered with a 13-yard rushing touchdown by Tyler Brown about a minute into the second quarter. And while the Beetdiggers managed to move the ball pretty well at times, the Miners seemed to come up with the biggest stops just when they needed them most.
Cole Yack and Bridger Peck both had interceptions, with Peck's coming at the one-yard line with 3:43 left in the game. It essentially ended any hope of a Beetdigger come-back and capped a night filled with great defensive plays.
"I felt like this was probably the most consistent four quarters we've played so far," coach Peck said. "That's a very explosive offense. We had to change up our defense ... We mixed it up (between man and zone) more than we usually do."
The number one priority was keeping Jordan's offense on the sideline.
"We felt the best defense was for our offense to control the ball," the coach said. "I thought some of our young guys really played well tonight. Harvey Langi ran the ball really well, and our O-line did a good job. If they get it going, we've really got a chance."
Tight end and linebacker Remington Peck said Langi's ability to elude tackles isn't his best attribute.
"The best thing about him is his work ethic," said Peck, who has committed to play for BYU. "I love that kid."
The biggest difference, however, was in effort and attitude, he said.
"Our kids just stepped up and made some plays," coach Peck said. Langi had a 62-yard rushing touchdown, which was followed by another Loveless field goal. In the second half, quarterback Jake Soffe rushed for a touchdown and then Langi ran for a 13-yard touchdown to seal the Miners' win.
Jordan's Cory Hunt had a punt return for a touchdown called back in the fourth quarter when officials called a clipping penalty on the Beetdiggers. It would have meant a 20-13 game with nearly the entire fourth quarter to play.
"That's a momentum changer," said Jordan coach Alex Jacobson. "I thought our kids fought hard, and I'm excited to get to region."
Despite improvements, the Miners aren't going to rest on Friday's victory.
"I am not satisfied with what we have right now," Peck said. "There is always room to get better."