Photo by David Kocherhans
HERRIMAN, Utah — May 3, 2025 — The Salt Lake Shred returned home for their second game of the 2025 UFA season. They took on the newest team in the league, the Vegas Bighorns and went on to win 22-12 at Zions Bank Stadium. With both teams missing several players (due to competing at college regionals), the jury was out on how these teams would perform. From the opening pull, Salt Lake set the tone with physical defense and a relentless pace that Vegas couldn’t match.
First Quarter: Shred Jump Out Early
The Bighorns began the game on offense, but the Shred wasted no time turning defense into points. After an early D by Chad Yorgason on a Vegas huck, Salt Lake's Alex Forsberg punched in the opening goal.
Despite a close call on a strip or drop in the end zone, the Bighorns managed to hold. The Shred answered immediately with Jacob Miller calmly collecting a goal for a 2-1 lead. From there, the floodgates opened. Reed Browning made a statement with a key D that led to a break, and when Vegas dropped a pull, Salt Lake quickly converted with McKay Yorgason hitting Ethan Wimmer.
The Bighorns stayed alive with a couple of huck-heavy holds, but their defense never truly disrupted the Shred’s rhythm. The quarter ended with Salt Lake up 7-3 after a highlight-reel bobble catch save by Matt Fredrickson led to another break.
Second Quarter: Pressure Builds, Lead Grows
Salt Lake kept the pressure on with easy offensive holds, including a smooth Jordan Kerr to Jace Duennebeil connection for 8-3. Vegas responded with a huck to Joel Clutton, but the Shred defense continued to hound the Bighorns' deep looks.
A pivotal moment came when Vegas appeared to score to bring it to 8-5, only for a timeout to negate the score and the Shred to convert for 9-4. The Shred then broke with a Gene L’Heureux hammer to Cole Stenseth. Vegas's deep game faltered, and Salt Lake’s quick-strike offense exploited every miscue. The half ended with the Bighorns unable to punch in a final possession, trailing by seven.
Third Quarter: Vegas Finds Some Life, But Shred Stay Ahead
The Shred opened the second half with another break, pushing the score to 13-5. A chaotic series of turnovers followed, but Salt Lake’s hustle consistently turned breakdowns into recovery plays. Vegas traded scores briefly, bringing the count to 15-8, including their first break of the game after a big D by James Shorey and a massive huck to Clutton—who reeled it in despite a D or a mack, a huge play from a huge playmaker.
Salt Lake steadied the ship with clean offensive points, including smooth sequences from Kerr, Duennebeil, and Forsberg. By the end of the third, Salt Lake had reasserted their control with an 18-10 lead.
Fourth Quarter: Shred Slam the Door
Vegas opened the fourth with a break after an uncharacteristic drop in the Shred end zone, but the hope was short-lived. The Shred responded with authority, scoring four of the final five goals. Evan Miller delivered a pinpoint assist, and Wimmer made a jaw-dropping layout D before getting fouled in the end zone.
In the final minutes, Kyle Weinberg and Tony Mounga, helped seal the game with a flurry of blocks and fast-break conversions. Vegas repeatedly shot deep but couldn’t connect consistently, and the Shred’s conditioning and chemistry took over.
The final score: Salt Lake 22, Vegas 12.
Final Thoughts
This was a nice win for the Salt Lake Shred. Their offense continued to push the pace, as they did in Atlanta, despite having a different lineup. The Shred defense was ferocious, and their ability to convert mistakes into points was evident. For Vegas, it was a trial by fire in their second UFA appearance. The Bighorns love their hucks and have the throwers and big downfield receivers to make it work, but not with enough consistency to stay in the game.
Salt Lake moves to 1-1 and will look to carry this momentum into their next matchup against the Seattle Cascades on May 23rd.
