Prep football: Stansbury bottles up Hurricane

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Stansbury • The Stallions didn't look at all like a team that got shut out a week before Friday night.

After a few offensive line adjustments and returning to its home field, Stansbury pounded Hurricane with the run. The team rolled up 446 yards on the ground behind quarterback Chase Christiansen and fullback Jesse Horowitz on the way to a 34-21 win over Southern Utah's traditional powerhouse Hurricane.

Maybe the Stallions just were lashing out a little bit for the goose egg in the season-opener.

"We haven't been shut out in — well, before I can remember," Christiansen said. "It was good to see our offense get going again."

Stansbury moved around some linemen after gaining less than 100 yards in its opener, most significantly pushing Utah-committed Allan Havili into two-way duty. The change worked. The Stallions' explosive backs were able to break free for big plays.

None was bigger than Horowitz's 48-yard run in the third quarter, which broke a 21-21 tie. Horowitz found a seam between the tackles and burst toward the end zone, his most electrifying play on a night when he gained 150 yards on 16 carries.

"I could've backed my truck through that," Horowitz said about the seam. "Our O-line was beautiful. Beautiful blocks, baby."

That score proved to be the difference, but Stansbury continued to run down the clock in the fourth quarter and added an insurance touchdown on a 23-yard dash by Zayne Anderson. Anderson had two touchdowns on 48 yards, while Christiansen racked up 129 yards rushing while throwing for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Hurricane's outsized defensive line was pushed back by the Stallions throughout the game. But special teams plays kept the game competitive.

Jeremiah Ieremia blocked a punt and recovered it for the Tigers' first score in the second quarter. A third-quarter blitz put Stansbury on its heels when JD Stanworth scored at the end of an 86-yard drive, then another blocked punt put him in position for a 13-yard score.

After putting up only 43 yards rushing in the first half, Hurricane finished with 238 yards on offense. Stansbury defensive end Spencer Wihongi was one of the many Stallions who kept the Tigers in check, finishing with 19 tackles and a sack.

kgoon@sltrib.com

Twitter: @kylegoon —