After a dud of a first half on Thursday, Skyridge locked in offensively after halftime.
The Falcons scored every time they touched the ball in the second half but once, including two touchdowns in overtime as they beat Lone Peak 37-34 in a Region 3 thriller.
It didn’t look like the game would unfold so dramatically with Lone Peak leading modestly at the half 10-0, but Skyridge found a way which coach Justin Hemm believes speaks to the resiliency of his team — especially after last week’s blowout loss to Corner Canyon.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys. I’ll tell you what, this five-week stretch has been a grind, right,” said Hemm about a stretch in which his team played out of state twice, and then two difficult region games on short rest Thursday games.
Hemm said his players wanted those challenges, and with a 6-2 record now they’ve learned important lessons amid the wins and the losses.
“Last week didn’t go how we liked, right, but I was very proud how they responded this week,” said Hemm.
That resiliency was on displaying throughout the second half as Skyridge rallied to level the score at 10-10, 17-17 and 24-24 after trailing.
The latter two TDs came in the fourth quarter as Skyridge decided to play smash mouth football against Lone Peak’s tiring defensive front.
On those final two drives, Skyridge ran the ball 19 times and passed just three times. The skewed run-pass ratio was by design.
“We put it behind those guys, and these guys did a great job executing,” said Hemm, whose team never led in regulation.
Pounding the ball worked so well in the fourth quarter, Skyridge kept doing it in overtime, with eight running plays and one passing play.
Skyridge’s offense went first in overtime, with quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne scoring on a 1-yard TD plunge for the 31-24 lead. Lone Peak answered right back with a Sean Tahi TD run tying the game 31-31.
Lone Peak had to settle for a Jake Barker 38-yard field goal on its second overtime possession, and that simply wasn’t good enough with how great Skyridge’s offense executed after halftime.
The Falcons only needed three plays for Lincoln Tahi to find the end for the game-winning score on a 16-yard TD run.
“I’m kind of speechless right now, but it felt amazing. I give credit all to my (offensive) line. They were blocking great all day and they didn’t give up on me,” said Tahi who spoke to the media after the game surrounded by his adoring younger cousins and siblings. “These are my biggest fans.”
With the win, Skyridge improves to 2-1 in the Region 3 standings with two games remaining, while Lone Peak drops to 1-2 in league after losing to American Fork last week.
“These guys were feeling confident and good about themselves, and I think across the board, from an assignment sound in the fourth quarter, overtime, I think we execute at an extremely high level,” said Hemm.
Even though Skyridge’s first lead of the game didn’t come until overtime, it never felt like Lone Peak was going to run away with the game.
Skyridge moved the ball in the first half with 44 offensive plays and 17 minutes time of possession, but it had nothing to show for it after two missed field goals.
Lone Peak’s offense wasn’t great in the first half either except for one play, an 87-yard TD pass from Cruz Christensen to Jaron Pula that put the Knights up 10-0 at the half.
“We were doing good things, we were just shooting ourselves in the foot when we get into territory where we need to be,” said Hemm, who reiterated there were no rah-rah speeches at halftime, just simple reminders about execution.
Leading 10-0, Lone Peak’s offense opened the third quarter with possession and a great opportunity to extend the lead, but quickly went three and out.
Skyridge’s offense responded with its first scoring drive of the game as Sweetwyne connected with Davis Fyans on a 36-yard TD pass with 8:47 left in the third.
Less than three minutes later, Skyridge tied the game 10-10 on a Crew Odom 42-yard field goal following a turnover.
Lone Peak’s offense responded with probably its best offensively drive of the game, a 14-play, 80 yard drive that Pula capped with a 15-yard TD reception in the final minute of the third quarter for the 17-10 lead.
Skyridge’s offense followed with its only offensive stumble of the half, and it could’ve been a massive one after Fyans intercepted a pass at midfield and returned it all the way to the 10 yard line. Despite dream starting field possession with a change to go up two scores, Lone Peak came up empty after a holding penalty and then a missed 30-yard field goal.
From that point on, it was pretty clear what Skyridge’s offensive game plan would be — pound the football.
Tahi tied the game at 17-17 with 6:32 remaining on 5-yard TD run, the 11th running play of the 12-play drive.
Lone Peak answered with an electric 97-yard kickoff return by Isac Fonua to regain the 24-17 lead, but the Falcons just shrugged it off. They knew Lone Peak’s defense was exhausted, so just went back to pounded the rock.
Ironically enough, it was a 5-yard third down touchdown pass from Sweetwyne to Disel Hunter that tied the game 24-24 with 2:26 remaining.
That left plenty of time for Lone Peak to drive down for the winning score, and it came close moving the ball to Skyridge’s 25-yard line. Skyridge safety Briggs Parker, however, intercepted a pass at the goal line to deny Lone Peak a chance at trying a 42-yard game-winning field goal attempt.
“Sure feels good to win. I said we’re back on the track for next week. Gotta buy in and take care of business on the road when it comes to (American Fork),” said Skyridge’s Tahi.