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Pine View Claims Region 9 Title With Win Over Dixie
By Stephen Vincent
Pine View claimed the Region 9 football championship with a 27-6 home victory over rival Dixie, Oct. 4.
The Panthers abandoned their passing game, instead using a rushing attack, highlighted by Travis Tait with 22 carries. Tait rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
Justin Ence, who spent some time taking snaps at quarterback, also ran for two scores.
The Pine View defense, however, keyed the victory, forcing three Dixie turnovers. That started when Jordan Gary picked off a pass on the Flyers' first series and returned it to the Dixie 10-yard line. Two plays later, Ence scored on a dive from six yards out to put the Panthers up 7-0.
In the second quarter, the Panthers' Trace Turley came up with another interception to start Pine View's second scoring drive. Pine View twice converted on fourth down on that drive, including a 29-yard pass from Nick Marinko to Robert Evans on fourth and 27. Two plays later, Tait scored his first touchdown to give Pine View its 14-0 halftime lead.
Dixie scored on its first possession of the second half when Nate Carter scored from six yards out. Carter finished with 131 yards rushing on 23 carries.
Dixie's defense stuffed a Pine View possession at the goal line at the start of the fourth quarter to keep the score at 14-6. The score remained at that until the final two minutes of the game, when Ence scored from five yards out. On Dixie's ensuing possession, the Panthers' Riley Dias returned an interception to deep inside Dixie territory. And Tait put an exclamation point on the Panther win with another touchdown.
With the win, Pine View (8-0) will have home field advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Pine View will open with a game against the fifth-place team from Region 6, which seems likely to be either 2-5 Granger or 1-7 Murray.
Meanwhile, Dixie (4-3) and Snow Canyon (5-2) battled Wednesday, Oct. 10, for the last playoff spot from Region 9. The winner of that game (unknown at press time) will travel to play the third place team from Region 6, which could be Cottonwood, Highland or West.

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