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Plain City • Fremont opened its 2016 playoff run by dispatching Pleasant Grove 27-7 Friday afternoon.

Quarterback Saxton Morby completed 16 of 20 pass attempts for 244 yards and three touchdowns, two of which found the hands of slotback Haze Hadley, who connected with Morby 10 times for 172 receiving yards.

The most important Morby-to-Hadley connection came midway through the third quarter after Pleasant Grove had scored on its opening drive of the second half to cut the deficit to 14-7. Facing a fourth-and-5 deep in Viking territory, Morby eluded several would-be tacklers, broke an attempted ankle tackle and found a wide-open Hadley 20 yards downfield for the flashy touchdown pass.

"Originally I looked right, nothing was open there — I looked back left and there was nothing there. I've got to make something happen now," Morby said. "I was a little lucky that one of the linemen tripped up and I was able to jump over him. I looked down the field, I see Haze open and I'm like 'okay throw it to him'."

For Hadley, that impressive touchdown pass from Morby was nothing new. The two teammates have been finding each other in spectacular fashion ever since their days playing in little league.

"Me and Saxton have been playing for I think eight years now," Hadley said. "He's a heck of a player and he's a playmaker. It's my job to get open and he gets me the ball a lot."

For Fremont coach Kory Bosgieter, watching the playing relationship between his two most dynamic weapons evolve has been fun.

"They've only been this since they were about two years old," Bosgieter joked. "Those kids have played together nearly their whole lives — it's unbelievable and fun to watch. It happens every week and it happens every day in practice. Those guys are on the same page all the time."

As if Morby and Hadley weren't scary enough for opposing defenses, opposing offenses also have to try to deal with their athletic ability in the defensive backfield.

After Pleasant Grove began to move the ball more effectively later in the second half, Viking quarterback Jake Jensen began to take some shots down the field to get his team back into the game. But, like they had on offense, Morby and Hadley effectively ended any chance of a Pleasant Grove comeback as each recorded an interception to go along with their impressive offensive numbers.

The two interceptions, paired with a forced fumble that resulted in a touchback late in the third quarter, gave the Silver Wolves a 3-0 advantage in the turnover margin and gave Morby the opportunities he needed to end the game early in the fourth quarter.

"I think the key to defense is the ability to bend but not break," Morby said. "Pleasant Grove had a really good drive [to start the third quarter], they were stomping all over us. They looked like they were making another good drive the next time, but we bent and didn't break. We were able to get a fumble and a touchback to get the ball back and we were just rolling from there." —

Storylines

R Fremont forces three turnovers in a 27-7 win over Pleasant Grove in 5A first round.

• Saxton Morby and Haze Hadley connect on 10 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

• Tai Kauwe runs for 160 yards and a TD for Pleasant Grove.