Standouts From The First Game of the 2022 Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first game of the 2022 High School Football season between the Brighton Bengals and Desert Hills Thunder was a long one, thanks to some hefty rain delays. The Thunder would go on to get the upset win after a 28-point first half and some stingy defense in the second. Multiple Players on both sides showed out in the Thursday Night matchup and impressed all those who tuned in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nash Matheson || Wide Receiver || 6'0 || 182 || Brighton High School || 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Matheson was incredible on Thursday night and was targeted 27 times because of it. The 6'0 receiver is excellent at adjusting to balls in the air and came up clutch multiple times on the night. Matheson's a smooth route runner who does a good job coming and out of his breaks. He zeros in on the ball when it's in the air allowing him to make contested catches. The Bengals receiver can beat teams at every level of the field, and if this game is any indication is in for a monster 2022 campaign.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='406938' first='Noah' last='Fuailetolo'] || Quarterback || 6'1 || 200 || Desert Hills High School || 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fuailetolo got the night started in a dramatic fashion when he escaped the pocket and sucked the defense in before throwing a beautiful ball to a wide-open Thunder receiver for an easy touchdown. The 6'1 quarterback's accuracy was displayed all night as he diced up the Bengals. Fuailetolo was also effective as a runner, where he did not shy away from contact. Desert Hills came ready to play despite the long day, and a big reason for that was Fuailetolo's leadership on the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Trayven Mortensen || Defensive Back || 6'1 || 165</strong>&nbsp;<strong>|| Desert Hills High School || 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mortensen had four interceptions a season ago and added his first one of the 2022 season in his first game. The 6'1 safety does a great job making plays on the ball in the air. He reads quarterbacks like a textbook, and once they lock onto a receiver, Mortenson makes his move. Mortensen has excellent field vision and uses it to fly around and make timely plays. He helped limit the state's leading passer from a year ago into a very long night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ami Moala || Defensive Tackle || 6'3 || 285 || Brighton High School || 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When you go into the first game of a new season, you never know who will stand out, but it's not often; it's a freshman. Moala is an incredible athlete who moves remarkably well for his size and age. His raw strength is impressive as he hung with the Thunder's offensive line all night. In addition, he has a great first step that allows him to get by interior offensive linemen in the blink of an eye. Moala may be raw and still has room to grow, but by the time the 2025 season comes around, he could be one of the best players in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->