It was the kind of toughness and second-effort that Granger quarterback Jordan Mulford showed on crucial fourth-and-3 late in the fourth quarter in the Lancers' 13-3 victory over West Jordan Tuesday that Granger coach Ray Groth needed for his team to get back on track.
After nearly a month of off-field controversy that sent his club into a mini-tail spin and a two-game slide, Groth was pleased with the victory."I was really confident. I felt we had a good chance," Groth said. "I feel that all of a sudden we got back the resolve of the first of the year . . . Slowly but surely we're climbing out of the hole."
The 10-point victory sets up a rematch at Highland Saturday in the 5A state quarterfinals, and Highland's only loss was to Granger in a opening game 35-34 triple overtime thriller.
Granger Fahu Tahi went 49 of the 50 yards to paydirt before fumbling, but teammate Matt Hood pounced on it in the end zone for what proved to be the game-winning score on Granger's first posession of the contest.
West Jordan added a Robert Judd field goal just before the half to make it 7-3.
Mulford's fourth-and-three run with under four minutes to go kept the drive alive that resulted in a Tahi 3-yard run late in the contest.
Tahi lead Granger with 125 yards rushing, while Mulford finished with just under 90 yards.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Prep playoffs
CLASS 5A
Friday's games
Bountiful at Bingham, 4 p.m.
Weber at Orem, 4 p.m.
C'wood at Hunter, 4:30 p.m.
Layton at Brighton, 5 p.m.
Am. Fork at Clearfield, 5 p.m.
Saturday's games
Granger at Highland, 1 p.m.
Taylorsville at Skyline, 1 p.m.
Mt. View at B'ville, 1:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Friday's games
Sky View vs Sp. Fork, 2 p.m.
Springville at West, 2 p.m.
Cyprus at Box Elder, 3 p.m.
Provo at Judge, 3 p.m.
Mt. Crest at Olympus, 3 p.m.
Tooele at Timpview, 3 p.m.
Murray at Bear River, 4 p.m.
Saturday's game
Logan at East, 1 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Friday's games
Emery at Sn. Canyon, 3 p.m.
Cedar City at Lehi, 4 p.m.
Wasatch at Dixie, 6 p.m.
Saturday's game
Delta at N. Sanpeter, 1 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Friday's games
Juab at North Sevier, 3 p.m.
Millard at Monticello, 5 p.m.
Saturday's games
San Juan at Morgan, 11 a.m.
Beaver at Grantsville, 2 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Saturday, Nov. 2 at Pleasant Grove H.S.
Milford vs. Rich, noon
A'mont at Duchesne, 3 p.m.