Trailing 8-7 in the first quarter Union shut out Grantsville the rest of the game and scored five more touchdowns en route to a 42-8 victory over the Cowboys Friday in the final preseason game of the year.

Grantsville coach Tony Cloward said his team played with plenty of intensity and emotion in the first half, but after it gave up a 65-yard touchdown pass that pushed Union's lead to 27-8 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter the team fizzled and gave up.

"That shows our youth and inexperience. We get down and we give up. We've got to grow up and grow up fast," Cloward said.

Union scored on the second play of the game when quarterback Rhen Richard uncorked a 56-yard touchdown pass to David Gilbert to give the visitors an early 7-0 lead.

Momentum turned Grantsville's way on Union's second offensive possession when Grantsville defensive back Michael Le Beau intercepted a pass in Grantsville territory and returned it 23 yards to the Union 33. The Cowboys needed seven plays to jump ahead 8-7 with 2:07 left in the first quarter. Running backs Alex Childs, Le Beau and Austin Gummucio all churned up yardage on the drive with Childs plunging in from the one yard line for Grantsville's lone touchdown of the night. Gummucio ran in for a two-point conversion.

The Cougars jumped ahead five minutes into the second quarter on a 29-yard fourth down touchdown pass, but failed on the PAT to make it 13-8.

The Cowboys squandered a chance to take the lead at the close of the first half when they could not score after Union fumbled the ball on its own 20. Grantsville's Collin Thompson pounced on a loose ball and the Pokes were suddenly in the red zone.

Grantsville drove to the five yard line and appeared to score on third down when Childs was upended at the goal line and hit the pylon. Officials did not give the Cowboys the score ruling the runner had stepped out at the one yard line. The Cougars then stopped the Cowboys from scoring on fourth-and-goal from one yard out.

Union pulled away in the third quarter with a pair of touchdown tosses. After a Grantsville fumble at the 50, Union needed five plays to score. Richard connected with Gilbert again for a 26-yard score. With the PAT, Union led 20-8 midway through the third quarter. The Cougars added another quick score when Richard connected with Zach Truijo on a long 65-yard TD pass to make it 27-8 after three quarters.

Union used its passing attack extensively in the second half when it completed 10 of 13 passes after hitting four of eight in the first half. Union receiver Casey Gines, who is 6 feet, 6 inches, hauled in the final two TD passes for Union of 18 and five yards.

Cloward did not like the idea that the Cougars were still throwing, going for a two-point conversion and onside kicking late in the game when the outcome was already determined. "He (Union coach) told me that we had knocked out their two running backs, that the players ran the two-point conversion on their own and that passing is what they do," Cloward said. Union passed for 332 yards in the game while the Cowboys attempted three passses for zero yards. The Cowboys averaged 3.7 yards per carry rushing 51 times for 190 yards.

Grantsville hosts Logan Friday in a region battle.

Mark Watson: mwatson@tooeletranscript.com