Friday’s 4A playoff game between the Stansbury Stallions and Mountain Crest Mustangs had all the makings of a classic.
Since the Stallions’ 28-26 nonregion win six weeks ago was one of the most exciting games on both teams’ 2025 schedule, Stansbury first-year coach Jason Walker said his team was prepared for another, and both teams delivered in a nearly three-hour contest Friday that didn’t end until Stansbury intercepted a Hail Mary pass at the goal line on the game’s final play.
That was needed for the Stallions to finally secure a 49-42 victory in a 5A second-round game.
Brighton Reutzel threw four touchdowns and ran for another as Stansbury built a 21-point lead and then sweated through a Mountain Crest comeback that seemed eerily similar to the game of Sept. 19, when the teams combined to score three touchdown in the last three minutes before a winner was determined.
“The first one when we played these guys was the most exciting,” Walker said. “We knew these guys would bring a battle and be able to fight back, and we were fortunate to get a win at the end.
“We did feel comfortable with a big lead and we got some guys in to get reps. We’ve just got to finish.”
Added Reutzel, a junior who has thrown 40 touchdown passes this season: “It was fun. They came in and wanted to upset us after the game earlier this season. There was a time when we felt comfortable but we knew it would come down to the end.”
Stansbury (9-2) finished in second place in Region 11 behind undefeated Ridgeline and entered the contest as the No. 7 seed in the 5A bracket. The Stallions led the entire game behind Reutzel, who completed 16 of 26 passes for 365 yards, including a pair of scoring passes to his brother, Lincoln Reutzel.
Brighton Reutzel also had a 33-yard bomb to Boston Rowley early in the second quarter to create a 21-0 lead. The Stallions knew, however, that no lead was safe against Mountain Crest, a fellow Region 11 member which averaged over 42 points per game.
Mountain Crest rallied behind its quarterback, Brayden Larsen, an elusive runner who threw for 248 yards and ran for 57 more, to keep the Mustangs close.
Running back Carter Egbert also rushed for 84 yards and three scores. His bruising 10-yard touchdown run put the Mustangs within seven points with 1:23 left.
Stansbury recovered the onside kick but couldn’t get a first down, and a punt gave Mountain Crest the ball again at midfield with 12 seconds remaining.
Larsen completed one of two passes to 6-foot-4 tight end Kai Passey and had three receivers in the area of his Hail Mary throw on the game’s final play, but Stansbury’s Carter Cashmore got between them and secured an interception to end the game.
Walker said Stansbury’s ability to avoid turnovers while picking off four Mountain Crest passes likely made the difference. He said the Stallions will need to have similar good fortune when they travel to St. George to play No. 2 Crimson Cliffs next week.