High school football: Grantsville roughs up Juan Diego and transfer player’s initiation

It was Senior Night and homecoming at Juan Diego Catholic High School Thursday night. It was also the highlight of Zac Szymakowski’s athletic career so far in the United States.

But the Grantsville Cowboys left the field with the loudest shouts after a 21-7 win over the Soaring Eagle in a 3A North regular-season finale.

With the win, the Cowboys clinched second place in the standings and, coach David Millward fully believes, a No. 3 seed when the playoffs begin next week.

Jayden Atkinson rushed for three touchdowns and the Cowboys’ defense held Juan Diego in check until midway through the fourth quarter. Millward was especially proud of his team’s line play and the way it kept its composure after a 45-minute lightning delay early in the first quarter.

“Our line guys aren’t very big but we didn’t get pushed around,” Millward said, “and I liked the way we came out after halftime and started moving the ball with our passing game.

“Juan Diego is always tough but we’re peaking at the right time.”

Grantsville took advantage of a fumble on Juan Diego’s first possession and a series of Atkinson runs got the Cowboys on the scoreboard first.

A storm front blew through the Salt Lake Valley shortly afterward and sent both teams to the locker room for 45 minutes. When the teams returned, the Cowboys quickly regained the momentum and Juan Diego’s inability to establish its usually potent running game also led to Szymakowski’s varsity-playing career.

Szymakowski, a transfer from Australia who has experience playing Australian football, joined his new friends on the Soaring Eagle football team but was ruled ineligible due to the UHSAA’s recently adjusted rules involving foreign players.

Earlier this week, however, the U.S. District Court granted a temporary restraining order, which allowed him to take the field.

“I had been playing in some JV games but there’s nothing like suiting up with my mates on the varsity,” said Szymakowski, who punted five times and placed three of them inside Grantsville’s 20-yard line. “I was really excited for tonight.”

“I was happy to see him on the field, and I wish all the kids who wanted to play didn’t have to deal with what he had to go through,” said Juan Diego coach Danny Larson.

Szymakowski was not a factor in the eventual outcome but hopes for more action in the postseason and is also considering playing lacrosse in a few months.

After trailing 14-0 at half, Juan Diego didn’t record a first down until midway through the final period, and that came on a fourth-down play.

A few minutes later, the Soaring Eagle faced another fourth down but quarterback Hayden Mezenen faked a handoff, took advantage of a good block and sprinted 58 yard untouched for a touchdown.

“That’s the type of game we play,” said Larson. “We look for big plays. Grantsville had a few more than us, but we got one there and if we could have gotten loose for one or two more, we’d be right back in this game.”

Juan Diego stopped the Cowboys on their next possession but Dallan Van Vliet’s 64-yard punt was a momentum-buster and Grantsville put the game away when Atkinson scored his 14th touchdown this year with a 5-yard run.

Both teams, of course, will advance to the 3A playoffs and are expected to earn a first-round bye and a second-round home game.