Sandy football shakes ‘little brother’ mindset, smothers rival Barlow 28-13

Published 10:45 pm Friday, September 27, 2024

Two interceptions; four sacks; just shy of 200 yards rushing and four touchdowns for your star senior running back.

That is how you not only win, but dominate the latest installment of a football rivalry.

Sandy versus Barlow is always special. But after a 28-13 smothering a Friday night, Sept. 27, in a game that wasn’t as close as that final scoreline implies, only the Pioneers are celebrating.

“Look down at your chests, it says, ‘Sandy,’ this is your field,” Coach Josh Dill roared to his team after the win. “I’m so proud of you guys, you stayed focused and locked in.”

“I love all you guys, great job tonight,” said senior defensive end Jared Scott.

For Barlow (0-4, 0-2 League), junior quarterback Daniel Nelson threw for 160 yards and a TD; sophomore tight end Drew Miller had 2 catches for 107 yards and a TD; and junior running back Caleb Meyer rushed for 70 yards.

For Sandy (2-2, 1-1 League), senior running back Mataio Olomua was electric with 193 yards rushing and 4 TDs; while junior running back Caden McMahon added 63 yards rushing.

“That is what happens when you bring energy and bring that swagger,” Olomua said.

Olomua is a shifty, dancing running back that seems to squirm and claw his way through the tiniest gaps opened by his offensive line.

“They knew we were going to run the ball every play, and they couldn’t stop it,” Coach Dill said. “That is everything for us, our big guys up front and Mataio is just on a different level right now running the ball.”

When it is all clicking, you get something like the magical Pioneers drive in the second quarter that the team will be hanging its hats on for a long time. It was a 6-play, 80-yard scoring drive in which Olomua ran for every play.

“It is absolutely incredible,” Dill said. “He has earned it. He is the guy who is the first in the weight room, never misses practice, and this is the result of four years of hard work.”

Defensively the Pioneers rebounded after giving up a homerun play to the visitors — McMahon and sophomore corner Gio Ruiz-Perez snagged interceptions, and senior defensive lineman Nick Harrell twice enveloped Nelson for the sack.

“Barlow has a pretty balanced attack, so we had to focus on our defensive back play, be in position and do our job,” Dill said.

On the other side of the ball the Bruins also reaped plenty of turnovers. They had four: an interception by Meyer, an interception and fumble recovery by senior linebacker Kellen Collins, and a 50-yard fumble scoop-and-score by senior defensive back Carson Ryder late in the fourth quarter that cut into the lead and kept things from ending too lopsided.

“It was a little ugly down the stretch, turned the ball over a few times, but we just played so physical,” Dill said.

There is no love lost between the schools, especially with echoes of last year, when Barlow pulled an upset stunner on Sandy’s field, throwing the Pioneers seeding out of whack and sending them on a difficult, distant first round loss. The Bruins, meanwhile, danced their way deep into the now-rebranded Columbia Cup.

“We talked about how we built this game up bigger than it is in years past, and for them it’s just been another game, which has been their recipe,” Dill said. “We got too emotional. For us it was about the faceless opponent and doing our job.”

But with the latest win the rivalry is all even at two wins apiece in the last four meetings. And with the victory secured, Sandy can breathe that sigh of relief and celebrate.

“Now it feels so good to win, that is the rival and we have been the little brother for so long,” Dill said.