If you thought the Utah girls high school race was a two-team event, then think again. A week after lauding the Vipers’ results, Herriman has stepped into the spotlight. Trailing at the half, the Mustangs posted 34 unanswered points in the second half to defeat the Vipers 51-21 on Saturday.

“You don't get much more exciting rugby than when Herriman plays the Vipers,” Herriman coach Joe Hoff enthused. “One of the things that makes the matchup compelling is the stylistic differences. Vipers like to get fast ball out to the punishing runners they have at wing and center. Herriman goes for more of a control approach for winning set pieces and phase play dominated by the forwards.”

It took some time for one approach to overwhelm the other. Herriman got off to a good start, as the Vipers failed to control the opening kickoff. No. 8 Si’I Vi charged 10 meters for the game’s first score, while Jasmine Boonyakiti hit the conversion.

And then it was the Vipers’ turn to take advantage of a mismanaged restart. A knock into touch allowed the Vipers to set up a lineout, and the ball worked wide to the wing. The Herriman defense showed some timidity, and three missed tackles later, the Vipers were on the board, 7-all.

The teams traded tries for the rest of the first half, and the favorites entered the break up 21-17.

“The second half was a different ball game,” Hoff indicated. “Herriman put the Vipers scrum under pressure and won a couple against the head. Every Viper lineout was at risk of being stolen, and improved tackling prevented the Vipers from scoring again.”

The Mustangs exerted a lot of pressure at the breakdown and in the set piece, and the Vipers struggled to exit their own end. That favorable territory allowed Fane Vake, Boonyakiti, Alexandria Sedrick, Delaney Rakuita and more score tries.

“The Vipers are a quality side and have shown an ability to bounce back from defeats to win in big games,” Hoff reflected on last season. “The difference in this game was Herriman's ability to contain – eventually – their most potent runners and employ a more balanced offense utilizing both a strong forward attack with the ability to get ball wide as well.”

There’s still plenty of season left in Utah, but Herriman has reaffirmed its place at the top. The Mustangs are playing unscored-upon Orem (ranked 13th on Goff Rugby Report's Girls High School Top 20) in a friendly match tonight, however, that game is for development purposes and Hoff is giving his third-string players some field time. It will be a good opportunity to check out the Lady Stallions, which don’t run as a deep and therefore be playing some of its stronger players.