Thanks largely to a couple of dynamic receivers Xequille Harry and Sean Gallagher, Woods Cross has reached the state semifinals.
File photo by Jeff Porcaro
It belonged in the category of plays usually reserved for goofing around while playing a video game.
On the first offensive snap for
Woods Cross (Utah) in a 42-14 win over Box Elder, the Wildcats went to its bag of tricks early. They sent receiver
Xequille Harry out on a reverse. Then, at the right moment, he located fellow receiver
Sean Gallagher down field and launched a spiral down the sideline.
Gallagher hauled in the catch and took it 71 yards for a touchdown. The Woods Cross sideline erupted in celebration.
"They just all came up and gave me chest bumps," Harry said. "They were all cheering the offense on. They all got excited because we were up 14-0. It was a great feeling."
Reasons for celebration didn't end there. The Wildcats second offensive snap featured Harry as the target. This time, he hauled in a pass from Woods Cross quarterback
Clay Kidman on a post route and raced 80 yards for another score.
These two plays illustrate perfectly the sort of damage Gallagher and Harry can do to defenses – no matter which players line up against them.
"The thing we love about it is they're both as fast as just about anybody around," Woods Cross coach Justin Spencer said. "They both have great hands and great play making ability. With the two of them opposite each other – and sometimes on the same side – it has posed problems for defenses. They can't really double them up because now you've taken four defenders to defend two guys."
Woods Cross has won eight straight games to reach the Class 4A semifinals. The Wildcats have outscored opponents by 20.9 points per game in that stretch. East, the lone team to beat Woods Cross, is also the only team to score more than 21 points on the Wildcats this season.
See Utah 4A state football playoff bracketsHarry and Gallagher are two key reasons behind that success. Each receiver has hauled in eight touchdown catches. Harry has 697 yards on 31 catches, while Gallagher has 482 yards on 20 catches.
That's a scary element when you consider the Wildcats also have a running back in
Braxton Gunther who is averaging 7.45 yards per carry.
"It gets the defense on their toes because we can either run or throw on the defenses," Gallagher said. "We just use our abilities the best we can and we just make the best out of it."
Harry's impact isn't limited to offense alone. He is the team leader in interceptions – highlighted by a 45 yard interception return against Box Elder in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs. Harry is also the team's punter and can boom kicks into the 60-70 yard range.
"There really isn't much he can't do on the football field," Spencer said.
It hasn't helped the senior get a scholarship yet. He is drawing interest from UNLV, Utah State, Weber State and SUU, but has no offer in hand. Gallagher has drawn interest from Weber State. Like Harry, though, the recruiting attention has been limited.
Being overlooked just adds fuel to the fire.
"Coming in as the underdog gives me more motivation to go out and beat the teams that say they're better than us," Harry said.
Gallagher and Harry are not just part of a family in the sports cliché sense. They are cousins. Getting a chance to play with each other is a dream come true. It gives each player someone who can relate to the struggles they endure and share in the same triumphs.
"We help each other out when it comes to certain things – good or bad," Gallagher said. "The competition is good. It's just awesome playing with your cousin. It doesn't happen too many times."
The ability for Gallagher and Harry to push each other has helped propel the team forward. Woods Cross finished second behind East in Region 6 and the Wildcats are in the Class 4A semifinals for the first time since 1993.
John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps.com. He is a former prep sports reporter with the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News. You can contact him at john_coon@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports.
