After snapping top-ranked Skyline's 20-game winning streak with a 29-22 double overtime victory Thursday, No. 4 Highland's team room looked and sounded like a revival meeting.
"You gotta believe" read a chalk board as the newly crowned Region 2 champions huddled around for postgame talk and a little celebrating."It was a tremendous football game. Our kids played with a lot of heart," said Highland coach Larry Wilson. "It was just a matter of believing we could find a way to win."
Not once, nor twice, but three times down the stretch.
With the score knotted at 14-all with 8.8 seconds remaining in regulation, the Rams tipped a potential game-winning 28-yard field goal attempt by Skyline - causing an already-low kick to fall well short of the uprights.
Once in overtime play, Highland answered a Skyline touchdown and two-point conversion before prevailing with an additional score and a defensive stand.
"It was a hard-fought battle the whole game long," said Highland quarterback Kyle Langston. "I think we all believed (we could do it), and that's why we pulled it out."
The game ended with a successful blitz on fourth-down with linebacker Tommy Gordy forcing a Skyline fumble. The Rams recovered to snap a seven-game skid in the East-side series.
"I was home free," said Gordy. "I just hit him, and the ball flew out."
Highland had taken a seven-point lead moments earlier when Joe Katoa scored on a 3-yard run. Morgan Scalley, who finished with 112 yards on 16 carries, set up the score on first down.
Skyline, meanwhile, was victimized by an illegal procedure call after quarterback Jason Anderson reached the Highland 2 on second down. A play later, he put Skyline on the 3 before succumbing to the game-ending blitz.
"They just came up with the big plays at the end," said Skyline coach Roger DuPaix. "And we didn't."
The Eagles, however, did have their moments. Skyline scored on the first play of overtime when Anderson, who racked up 141 yards rushing, covered the 10-yard distance on a keeper. A subsequent pass to Mike Kofoed made it 22-14. Highland countered with a quarterback throwback from Scalley to Langston, who then teamed with Sid Baucom on the game-tying two-point conversion.
Skyline took a 14-7 lead with 5:50 left to play in the first half when Jackson Peck scooped up a pitch from Anderson and dashed 75 yards for a touchdown. Langston retaliated for Highland on the next possession when he rambled 19 yards for a score.
The Rams led 7-0 in the first quarter after an 8-yard run by Kotoa and Mark Pulver's PAT. Skyline pulled even with a 4-yard score by Anderson and Mark McGill's extra point kick.
Both teams will host 5A playoff games next week. The winner of tonight's Granger at Taylorsville game will travel to Skyline Friday with the loser facing West Jordan Tuesday for the right to play at Highland Saturday.