Prep football: Receiver leads Judge's rally
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

PARK CITY - Billy Brann, Aitu Takai and Diego Dominguez aren't household names when it comes to Judge Memorial football.

But ask any Bulldogs player or coach involved in Judge's 21-14 comeback victory over Park City on Friday night who was the difference in the game and they'll tell you it was the three senior linemen.

"We put the game on their shoulders," said quarterback Joe Pond. "They [set] their mind to what they were going to do. They started getting a push. We got the run game back. That was huge for us."

Perhaps most importantly, they gave Pond time to throw in the game's final 28 minutes, and he was able to find wide-open receivers.

Keenyn Walker was Pond's favorite target, as he hauled in all three of Judge's touchdown passes. Walker caught the game-winner from five yards out with 1:15 remaining.

Judge, after some forgettable possessions, started to get its offense going late in the second quarter thanks to the play of Brann, Takai and Dominguez. Pond drove the Bulldogs down the field, going 80 yards in nine plays, and completed his first touchdown pass to Walker just before halftime. The score trimmed Park City's lead to 14-7.

The Miners seemingly still were in control, however, because their run game was working. Park City gained 135 rushing yards in the first half.

Judge put a stop to it in the second half, never allowing the Miners inside the 20. DeVaughn Wilkins recovered two fumbles, the first of which set up Judge's game-tying score in the fourth quarter.

The play of the Bulldogs' offensive line enabled Pond and Walker to each have a breakout game. Judge figured it could expose Park City's secondary, and Brann, Takai and Dominguez helped make it happen.

Pond was 9-for-16 passing for 155 yards. Walker finished with five catches for 72 yards.

"Keenyn's amazing when he wants to be," said Judge coach James Cordova. "He's just a junior, and he doesn't know what he can do. When he turns it on, he is amazing."

The win improved Judge's record to 6-0, while Park City suffered its second consecutive region loss.

aaragon@sltrib.com

Walker scores all three Bulldogs' touchdowns on passes from QB Pond in comeback victory
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