Skyridge won its sixth game in a row Friday as it topped Corner Canyon 37-27 at home, marking the first time since the 2022 6A state championship game that the Falcons beat the Chargers.
Skyridge punched Corner Canyon in the mouth early Friday, taking a 27-0 lead that ultimately propelled the Lehi school to the big victory.
“I thought (the) defense did a great job to help us get in that situation,” Skyridge coach Justin Hemm said. “We talked this week about winning the line of scrimmage (on) both sides of the ball, taking care of the football and being great on special teams, and for the most part I thought we did a great job of that.”
The Falcons’ first two touchdowns came on the defensive side of the ball on a pair of pick-sixes on the Chargers’ first two drives. The initial touchdown was scored by junior linebacker Jackson Horsley and the second by junior defensive back Ethan Schriever.
Following Schriever’s score, Skyridge caught Corner Canyon off guard, recovering an onside kick that ultimately turned into a 42-yard touchdown drive.
Sophomore running back Ului Faletau got the Falcons’ first offensive score on a 7-yard run that put the home team up 21-0 in the first quarter.
“That’s something you always have in (your) back pocket, but (you’re) just waiting for (the) right situation,” Hemm said of the onside kick. “I thought it was a great time for it and (the) boys did a great job executing.”
The Falcons used a short field after an interception from senior linebacker Sa Tanuvasa to score another touchdown in the second quarter, taking a 27-0 lead on a stunned Corner Canyon squad.
All told, the Falcons tallied five interceptions on the night — Tanuvasa accounting for two — and turned the Chargers over on downs three different times.
“Winning the turnover battle was huge,” Hemm said. “(It) gave our offense great field position, and I thought they did a good job all night.”
Corner Canyon finally got on the board with 2:31 left before halftime, scoring on a 17-yard pass from senior quarterback Jaxon Pehrson to senior running back Jackson Carruth.
The Chargers then scored on their first drive of the third quarter to make the score 27-14 before turning the ball over on downs or being intercepted on each of its next four drives second half, all but dooming their hopes of a comeback.
The game never was within one score in the second half, with Skyridge keeping Corner Canyon at bay in a contest that could have big implications in Region 3.
The two teams entered Friday’s matchup with identical 5-1 records and coming off victories in their region openers last week. With the win, the Falcons move atop the Region 3 standings, their only loss of the year coming in Week 1.
Skyridge will look to extend its win streak to seven when it faces Lone Peak in Highland next Friday. Corner Canyon will play its final nonregion contest of the season the same evening against Cedar Valley at home.
Both games are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.