Gotta love it when the final play of Utah’s high school football season is a Catholic school completing a Hail Mary pass to win a state championship. Religion aside, here’s a recap of why Juan Diego, Bingham and Timpview are your state champions.
3A: Juan Diego thriller, Hurricane heartbreak
Eighty yards in 45.7 seconds with a 31-yard touchdown pass into double coverage on the final play of the game. That’s how you win a state title.
Cody Stevenson’s heave to Bruce Nix gave the Soaring Eagle a 12-10 victory over Hurricane and their second straight championship as the 3A game lived up to the expectation of being the day’s best game.
Hurricane did everything it was supposed to do to win, keeping Juan Diego’s running game in check. Tiger quarterback Tim Long manufactured an Elway-like drive of his own that produced his 9-yarder that made it 10-6.
Stevenson nailed three straight passes to put the Soaring Eagle in position for the pass to Nix, who leaped over his coverage and came down with it in the far end zone.
Before that, the game was all defense and two field goals from Jaron Betrudee, whose field goal with four seconds remaining was the difference in Juan Diego’s 2008 victory.
5A: Bingham battles back
Bingham learned from last year’s loss to Alta the importance of playing all four quarters. The Miners led 17-7 and lost the 2008 game 21-17.
So even when a scrappy Davis team took leads of 17-7 and 24-14, the Miners were ready for what was at hand. Bingham’s defense stepped up and allowed the Miners to run off the game’s final 21 points for the 34-24 win.
Bingham’s two-QB scheme went in the favor of Stefan Cantwell, who Tebowed for 173 yards and four touchdowns. RB Harvey Langi did his share with 120 yards and a score.
Tyson Tiatia, Timpview
File photo by Matthew Sauk
Davis got a great game from QB Gavin Fowler, who had 228 yards passing and two touchdowns.
4A: Timpview dynasty rolls
It would have taken a perfect game from Springville to deny Timpview its fourth straight championship.
Timpview’s defense registered four picks and recovered a fumble. Yep. 35-6, Thunderbirds.
Ofa Latu gets to share this space with QB Trevor Brown since the LB posted two picks, including one for a 32-yard touchdown. Brown was at his usual effectiveness, completing 10-of-19 for 142 yards and 3 TDs while rushing for 90 and one score.
Springville, making its first title game appearance since coach Scott Mitchell was playing, could hang with Timpview before the mistakes allowed the Thunderbirds to pull away and cause the end of the game to get quite chippy.
