Call it a measuring stick, barometer or gauge of progress against an unfamiliar out-of-state opponent, Skyridge will call it a hard-won victory.
The Falcons took care of business 24-14 Friday night against the 83rd nationally ranked and No. 1 ranked team in Colorado, Cherry Creek, with a relentless pass rush and a 16-play drive that ate up over six minutes of clock in the fourth quarter.
“Both lines, O-line and D-line, these are a great group of boys,” Skyridge coach Justin Hemm said. “We hang our hat on those guys from a leadership standpoint as well as on the field. Put it in their hands down the stretch and let those guys execute.”
Skyridge opened the scoring with an efficient 78-yard drive on its opening offensive possession, capped with a 9-yard read option gallop into the end zone from quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne.
“They’ve got to choose between me or the running back,” Sweetwyne said. “That’s what I like to see.”
The Falcons defense shut down Cherry Creek on the ensuing drive and Tavian Edwards did his best Superman impression, diving at full stretch to block the resulting punt.
Skyridge capitalized with a 23-yard Blake Hester field goal to make it 10-0 with 1:10 left in the opening quarter.
De’Shawn Toilolo’s pass rush forced an easy interception for linebacker Iakopo Malufau before another Skyridge scoring attempt was squandered on the 1-yard line with a Sweetwyne turnover.
Cherry Creek had the momentum, but Skyridge’s defense rose again to the occasion, forcing a turnover on downs.
“When you hear ‘out of state team,’ everyone gets fired up even more,” Toilolo said. “We want to prove ourselves to everyone.”
The Falcons made quick work of the gifted possession, going up tempo in the red zone to set up the second touchdown of the night, a 1-yard plunge from running back Zaeden Selu, for the 17-0 lead at halftime.
Cherry Creek stormed back after the break with long bomb connections from quarterback Brady Vodicka and wide receiver Jeremiah Hoffman.
The duo picked up a 71-yard chunk toss to set up a 2-yard scoring scamper from running back Jayden Fox to eat into Skyridge’s lead, 17-7, with 5:53 left in the third quarter.
After a Falcons punt, Vodicka caught Skyridge’s secondary flat footed with a 75-yard touchdown toss to Hoffman. Suddenly, Skyridge’s advantage had dwindled to a field goal with 49 seconds until the final quarter.
The Falcons defense picked up the slack with another timely sack to put the ball back in Sweetwyne’s hands with 9:38 left in the game. Skyridge marched and leaned on the visiting Bruins, picking up two fourth down conversions en route to a 6-yard Jared Iakopo scoring run for the decisive touchdown.
Cherry Creek’s last gasp was snuffed out courtesy of the relentless duo of Toilolo and Malufau — who generated a strip sack, sack and tackle for loss to turn over the Coloradans on downs.
Malufau, holding his newly awarded title belt as the team’s weekly MVP, said the defense focused all week on keeping its eyes on the quarterback and making the correct reads.
“Second half was a different ballgame, but we showed them what Utah ball is all about,” Malufau said, “how we ball, how we get down and I figure that’s how you’re supposed to win.”
After an opening month featuring Timpview and two out-of-state opponents, and with Bingham and Corner Canyon next on the schedule, Hemm said his team wants those challenges.
“Our hope is, we learn from these experiences, continue to grow and be who we want to be come playoff time,” Hemm said.