Mountain Crest (Hyrum, Utah)High school football fans in Utah will be talking about the
Highland (Salt Lake City) 37-36 victory over
Mountain Crest (Hyrum) Friday in the 4A state title for years to come.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Highland stopped Mountain Crest on a 2-point conversion try in the second overtime to capture its first state title in 24 years.
Highland, which beat Mountain Crest earlier in the season 28-14, looked defeated on its first possession in overtime, trailing by six with 4th-and-10 from the 25. But
Nate Fakahafua hauled in a pass from
Anthony Smithson and carried a couple defenders into the end zone to tie the game up.
Fakahfua finished with 10 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns.
But Fakahfua didn't turn out to be the hero. Mountain Crest (10-3) blocked the extra point, forcing a second overtime.
Smithson rushed for the go-ahead TD for Highland in the second overtime, but
Nate Rigbyy countered with a 2-yard TD for Mountain Crest.
But when Rigby went for the win, linebacker
Ben Johnson made his 12th tackle of the game, stopping the determined runner well short.
"I just ran and hit him as hard as I could," Johnson told the newspaper. "I knew it was over right there."
An emotional game ends with an emotional celebration.
Photo by Jeremy Allen
Mountain Crest decided to run rather than leave it to the golden arm of
Alex Kuresa, the state's all-time leading passer. The BYU commit threw for a semifinal-record 444 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-35 win over Bountiful.
Kuresa holds the state record in yards passing and touchdowns and holds four others for his career.
He accounted for nearly 13,000 of offense in his career and had 338 on Friday.
After Highland jumped off-side the previous play it made sense. Mountain Crest only had 1.5-yards to go (54 inches) for the title.
This one was built up as run versus pass as Highland piled up 486 yards in a 46-21 upset victory over Springville in the other semifinals. A big and physical offensive line paved the way for fullback
Sione Houma, who had 216 yards and three touchdowns last week in a semifinal win.
But Mountain Crest relied on first-year quarterback Smithson, who passed for 250 yards and three touchdowns – all after intermission.
