Takau, defense help Dixie to 2nd 3AA title in 3 years


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SALT LAKE CITY — To say Dixie’s path to the Class 3AA state championship was easy would be an understatement.

Just like two years ago, the Flyers liked to make things interesting. And just like two years ago, the dramatic season ended with a state title at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Ammon Takau completed 15 of 24 passes for 199 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and Dixie’s defense forced three turnovers of its own, to down Hurricane, 27-19 in the 3AA title game Saturday afternoon.

“You know, I guess we just like drama,” Takau said with a laugh. “We like to make it fun for the fans.”

Takau also rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries, and Trent Miller added 91 yards and a touchdown on 14 rushes as the Flyers avenged a 34-14 loss to Hurricane during Region 9 play.

“It feels awesome,” Takau said. “I can’t describe how it feels. But I’m sure most of it won’t hit me until after we get home.”

The Flyers (10-4) took a 17-6 lead into the fourth quarter, but Hurricane (8-6) turned on the late-game heroics to make things interesting. Jeremiah Ieremia scored on a 5-yard touchdown plunge on the Tigers’ first possession of the final period to pull within 17-12, and Nicholas McDaniel intercepted Takau off a tipped pass that ended with Hurricane’s offense stepping on the field just 53 yards from the end zone.

Dixie's Logan Schweitzer is lifted by Jaxon Davis after scoring a touchdown as Dixie High School defeats Hurricane High School 27-19 to win the 3AA State Football Championship in Rice-Eccles Stadium Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, in Salt Lake City. (Tom Smart/Deseret News)
Dixie's Logan Schweitzer is lifted by Jaxon Davis after scoring a touchdown as Dixie High School defeats Hurricane High School 27-19 to win the 3AA State Football Championship in Rice-Eccles Stadium Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, in Salt Lake City. (Tom Smart/Deseret News)

Dixie’s defense responded with a turnover of its own on the very next play, and Jaden Harrison picked off Hurricane quarterback Josh Parker to give the ball back to the Tigers. Miller ran the ball in from 53 yards out on the next play from scrimmage, giving the Flyers a 24-12 lead with 8:52 left in the game.

After McLane Keenan nailed a 32-yard field goal with 5:21 remaining to put Dixie up 27-12, Hurricane responded with a two-minute drive that ended with a 10-yard pass from Parker to Noah Elison to get the deficit back to one possession.

A bad snap led to Takau jumping on the ball for an 8-yard loss on the Flyers’ next possession, and Dixie was forced to punt it back with just over two minutes remaining.

That’s when RJ Wilgar stepped up, forcing Dixie’s second interception of the day with 1:51 remaining to help the Flyers ice the game.

“We were playing a tough team, and I told my brothers that defense wins championships,” Wilgar said. “We knew it would come down to us, and on the last drive, and it did. We’re fortunate enough to make the play, and give our offense back the ball so they could do something with it.”

Logan Schweitzer opened the scoring on a 26-yard pass from Takau with 4:49 left in the first quarter, and the Tigers answered with JD Stanworth’s 25-yard field goal in the quarter’s final minute.

Takau would throw another TD pass, this time a 7-yard strike to Harrison with just over 9 minutes remaining in the second quarter, but Stanworth would kick a 28-yard field goal to send the Tigers into the halftime break only trailing 14-6.

Keenan knocked down a 29-yard field goal for the third quarter’s only scoring drive.

Harrison led Dixie’s defense with 12 tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception, and Wilgar added four tackles to his pick. Samson Kennedy chipped in 11 tackles and a tackle for loss, and Konner Aitken had 10 tackles and three pass break-ups for the Flyers.

Harrison also added 33 yards and a touchdown on four catches, and Bret Barben had a game-high 140 yards receiving on eight receptions.

“Harrison, Barben, all of them. They are all great athletes,” Takau said, “and they make me look better than I would alone.”

Ieremia paced Hurricane with 59 yards on 15 rushes to go with his TD run, and McDaniel added 42 yards on 10 carries. The senior Ieremia was also ejected from the game after a skirmish following an attempted turnover late in the fourth quarter.

Parker completed 20 of 30 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers, who got 86 yards on seven catches by Elison.

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