Canyon Springs rides special teams to win

Canyon Springs’ special teams certainly were special Friday night.

The Pioneers (3-1, 2-0 Northeast League) blocked two punts, forced a fumble and scored a touchdown on special teams on the way to a 45-21 road win over Desert Pines (3-3, 1-1).

Canyon Springs set the tone on the opening kickoff, forcing a fumble that was scooped up by Jamaal King, who returned it 16 yards for a touchdown as the Pioneers took a 7-0 lead eight seconds into the game.

“Special teams is a third of the game,” Canyon Springs coach Hunkie Cooper said. “And that same play two weeks ago cost us the game against Liberty. It’s a momentum builder. That was huge. That set the tempo for us.”

Desert Pines’ Noel Darden bobbled the kick at the 9, scooped it up and was hit hard by a Canyon Springs defender, forcing the fumble. It was the first of four turnovers for the Jaguars.

“As soon as we got that kickoff, we were like, 'Yes baby, we’re in here,” senior linebacker Eddie Smith said. “They gave us a good game, but tonight we came out and played and became the better team.”

Canyon Springs rolled to a 31-0 lead at the half despite getting just three carries from leading rusher Deavin Rimmey, who sat out the rest of the game with ice on his right knee.

Tyler Ward threw a 33-yard TD pass to Johnathon James, and backup running back Malik Brown had TD runs of 11 and 6 yards as the Pioneers took the big lead.

“He was banged up, and I wanted to rest him,” Cooper said of Rimmey, who had 500 yards and eight TDs entering play Friday. “I could have kept him in the game, but why? I have Malik, and I got him some work. I’m not about records. The only records I’m about are winning and losing.”

Desert Pines scored on a 5-yard pass from Dalton Leilua to Eric Tuiloma to cut the lead to 31-7 at the end of the third quarter, but Ward hit Cliff Finks-Smith with a 4-yard TD pass, and backup quarterback Jamaal Martin connected with D’Vante Howard for a 22-yard score as the Pioneers made it 45-7.

The Jaguars scored on two big plays in the final five minutes, with Tuiloma returning a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, and Leilua hitting Darden with a 78-yard TD pass.

Desert Pines showed ability to move the ball on the ground, as Leon Hayes rushed for 140 yards on 25 carries. But the Jaguars had trouble sustaining drives due to the fumbles.

“My guys fly around; they play with a passion,” Cooper said. “They’re causing fumbles and turnovers.”

Smith, who recovered two of the fumbles, said the turnovers were a focus of the defense all week.

“Coach Cooper has been getting on us all week about stepping up, filling the gaps and forcing turnovers,” Smith said. “So we had to come out and do what we do.”

With Las Vegas High idle Friday, the Pioneers moved into first place in the league.

“1-0 every week,” Cooper said. “It’s a steady climb. I tell my kids, 'You see a man on a mountain, chances are he wasn’t born there.’ One step at a time.”