GREEN RIVER — The Green River Wolves kicked off their season with a tough 56-13 loss against the Mountain View Buffalos for a rare Saturday morning match. The Wolves struggled against the 2A powerhouse Buffalos, who showcased their dominance on both sides of the ball.
The game started with promise for Green River when junior quarterback Max Hintz broke loose for a 64-yard run on the first play, setting the Wolves up at Mountain View’s 20-yard line. Hintz continued to orchestrate the drive effectively, drawing the Buffalos offsides on a crucial third-and-six and allowing running back James Herwaldt to pick up the first down on the next play. Two plays later, Herwaldt punched in a 1-yard touchdown, capping off an 84-yard drive and giving the Wolves an early 6-0 lead after the point after attempt was blocked.
You can check out the 64-yard scramble that started the Wolves’ season here.
However, the Buffalos quickly responded. Junior quarterback Justus Platts led Mountain View on a 76-yard touchdown drive, finishing with a 23-yard run on fourth-and-three to put the Buffalos ahead 7-6 with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter.
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The Buffalos’ defense then stepped up, forcing the first turnover of the game on the Wolves’ next drive. Isaac Linford intercepted Hintz’s pass over the middle, setting up another scoring opportunity for Mountain View. Platts capitalized with a 22-yard rushing touchdown, extending the lead to 14-6.
Early in the second quarter, the Wolves’ woes continued as a miscue on a speed option play led to a turnover. Hintz attempted to lateral the ball to Jaydon Walther, but Linford dove in front of the pass to force a fumble and recover it on the Wolves’ 22-yard line. Platts quickly took advantage, finding Brendan Walker for a 9-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-6.
Despite the setbacks, Green River managed to respond with an impressive 80-yard drive. Highlighted by a critical 15-yard pass to Dax Taylor on third-and-10 and a series of strong runs, the Wolves clawed their way back. Hintz’s ability to draw the Buffalos offsides twice during the drive set up a crucial fourth-and-inches play at the 2-yard line. Dax Taylor took an end-around handoff into the end zone, cutting the deficit to 21-13.
Mountain View continued to press the attack. Platts added another touchdown on a 15-yard run on fourth-and-five, increasing the lead to 28-13 before halftime.
The second half was all Mountain View, as the Buffalos’ defense shut out the Wolves, while their offense piled on points. By the end of the third quarter, Mountain View led 42-13, and they finished the game with a commanding 56-13 victory.
For the Wolves, Max Hintz led the offense with 85 rushing yards on 10 carries, while also completing 7 of 11 passes for 61 yards. Dax Taylor was the leading receiver with 7 catches for 61 yards.
Mountain View’s Justus Platts delivered a stellar performance, completing 13 of 16 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 154 yards on 17 carries and scoring four touchdowns. Rhett Hunt led the Buffalos in receiving with 62 yards on 4 receptions.
Despite the loss, the Wolves showed moments of promise against a strong Mountain View team. Blaine Christensen and his team will look to build on those positives as they prepare for their next game.
Check out more photos from today’s game below.
