It took two overtimes for Skyline to win the annual battle for "the rock" as they outlasted Olympus 43-36 in a matchup between the two preseason top-rated teams of 4A and 5A.
On the first play of the second extra period, Skyline's Sky Grant bowled over and around three Olympus defenders to score the winning touchdown. McSean Thompson added the extra point, putting the Eagles up for good 43-36. Olympus, also had four tries to get the ball over the goal line, but Skyline's defense was as solid as a rock, stopping the Titans last efforts five yards short.Skyline quarterback Brandon Doman, had a huge day for the Eagles. He ran for four touchdowns and passed for another.
"It's the biggest win of my life," said Doman, who led Skyline to the 5A championship last year as a junior. "They're a great team . . . we are lucky to come out with the win, but I knew we were never out of it."
In the crucial fourth quarter, Doman took charge and was called "Mr. Clutch" by his teammates following the game for his efforts. Down by a touchdown with less than six minutes left, Doman shook off several defenders and then took off down the sideline for a 43-yard touchdown run. Thompson's extra point was good, tying the game up at 28.
For the first three quarters of the game it looked like Olympus was going to pull the upset over the higher division school. The Titans struck first, taking advantage of a Skyline fumble midway through the first quarter.
Olympus recovered the fumble on Skyline's 30-yard line. Two plays later, Titan quarterback Jeff Jackson drilled a pass to tight end Jonathan Eberhardt, who streaked untouched into the endzone, giving Olympus the early nod at 7-0, after the successful PAT.
Olympus struck again late in the first quarter after forcing Skyline to punt. The Titans didn't waste any time as Paul Peterson raced 79 yards up the field on the first play of the drive. The extra point was wide, but Olympus stretched its lead to 13-0.
Doman led Skyline back early in the second quarter. He connected with Rob Adams on a 43-yard touchdown pass to put the Eagles on the board for the first time with 10:23 left in the first half.
Olympus marched right back up the field and shocked the home crowd with another scoring drive. Titan running back Chris Mitarai ran for a two-yard touchdown after the 11-play, 62-yard drive. Jackson hit Peterson with a three-yard pass for a successful, two-point conversion and a 21-7 lead.
Doman brought the Eagles up the field again near the end of the half and scored on a five-yard quarterback keeper through a large hole on the left side of the line. Olympus took the lead into the half, 21-14.
The Titans came out of the locker room looking strong as they stopped the Eagles on four plays. At the 9:40 mark in the third, Mitarai broke through Skyline's defense and ran for a 48-yard touchdown. They equaled their biggest lead of the game of 14 points as the extra point sailed through the uprights.