LAYTON — Friday's Region 1 clash between rivals Clearfield and Northridge had plenty of drama and some late heroics that made Friday the 13th make sense.
Fueled by turnovers, both teams went back and forth with the Falcons having the last say. Ryan Bullard picked off an errant Brian Kusuda pass in the end zone with 18 seconds remaining to secure a tough 26-22 win over the Knights.
"This was a great high school game," Clearfield coach Randy Johnson said. "It was filled with everything. I am absolutely speechless right now."
Things didn't start out so well for the Falcons, as their first possession ended with a three-and-out and a four-yard punt giving the Knights the ball at the Clearfield 28. Five plays later, sophomore Cody Caputo punched one in from two yards out for a quick 7-0 lead.
That lead would last until the second quarter when the Falcons' Jared Buckley hauled in a little 10-yard slant and took it 34 yards to the house to tie the game at 7-7. Clearfield would add to that on its next possession, as Matt Cook plunged over the goal line on fourth and one to give the Falcons the lead.
Ryan Porter would add a 40-yard field goal just before the half to give Clearfield a 17-7 lead. But Northridge isn't the defending state champ for nothing.
After being forced to punt, the Knights caught a break when James Bards muffed the punt and gave the Knights the ball at the Clearfield 5. From there, Lynwood Johnson would score from a yard out to pull within three at 17-14.
The defense then forced the Falcons deep in their own territory which led to a bad snap on the punt that sailed out of the end zone for safety. Johnson then scored again on Northridge's next possession from a yard out to give the Knights a 22-17 lead. Porter would get Clearfield even closer with a 33-yard field goal leading into the fourth quarter. Luke Colohan then intercepted Kusuda with five minutes left, and Buckley scored on a sweep from the three-yard line to give the the Falcons the lead for good. Buckley had 97 total yards and two touchdowns to lead Clearfield (3-1).
Johnson scored twice for Northridge (2-2).