OREM — Provo quarterback Spencer Jorgensen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to help the Bulldogs (7-4) hold off a late rally from Skyridge for a 24-16 win in a Class 4A state football play-in game Tuesday afternoon at Orem High.

But even when he dived into the end zone on a 10-yard scoring run to cap his third scoring drive with 11:54 left in the game and a 24-0 lead, he knew the game wasn’t over.

“At that point, we knew we had to play until the final whistle,” They are a great team, and we were good to come out with it.”

Jorgensen hit Ty Jones with a touchdown pas into the left corner to take a 10-0 halftime lead, then found Jones again for an 8-yard TD strike with 3:09 left in the third quarter.

When the recently converted quarterback who also plays defensive back, kicker and long snapper dived into the end zone with 11:54 left in the game, the Bulldogs led 24-0.

And that’s when it got interesting.

“We were pretty stoked,” said Jorgensen, who also plays safety, kicker and long snapper. “But last game, we got up on them like that, and they came back and stole it from us in the last minute.

Jorgensen went to work on defense, recovering a fumble and breaking up a pass on the final play of the game to help the Bulldogs secure the win and advance to play at Maple Mountain at 1 p.m. MT Saturday afternoon.

“He’s meant everything,” Provo coach Tony McGeary said of Jorgensen. “He does a little bit of everything: plays defense and makes great plays on offense. He still makes a couple of mistakes on offense, but when he throws a touchdown pass, what can you say?”

Blayden Togiai plowed in from five yards out to pull the Falcons within 24-8 with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter. After the Bulldogs stopped Skyridge (6-5) on fourth down following a successful onside kick, Wyatt Parkinson picked off Jorgensen’s pass and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown.

Suddenly, the Falcons were within a touchdown, 24-16 with 3:51 remaining in a game the first-year school never led.

“We’ve had so many of those tight ones at the end, it doesn’t even phase me any more,” McGeary said. “I’m just glad we came out on top. Our defense plays well, our offense played well. There were a few critical plays we didn’t convert, and that left them a little bit of hope.

“I’m just proud of our defense and our boys rallying together to get it done.”

But the Bulldogs held on. Skyridge came up short on a fourth-and-five call with 1:45 remaining, but Provo muffed the punt attempt on the next drive. The Falcons had one final shot on a Hail Mary with no time on the clock, but the pass fell short and Provo survived.

Jorgensen credited the third-year head coach for a change in Provo’s mentality, and it’s paid off with back-to-back postseason bids.

“Coach McGeary really brought with him a winning attitude,” Jorgensen said. “Before that, Provo High had struggled for quite a few years.

“We were hungry, and from my junior year going 8-3 and making it to the postseason, we are really ready to come back and show what we can do this year.”

Orem 23, Corner Canyon 19 — At Pleasant Grove, Fatu Atuaia had an interception as the Tigers’ defense held off the Chargers’ late run in the other Region 7 play-in game Tuesday night.

“We knew in that second half that we had to pick things up and be better as a defense,” Atuaia said. “That’s what our defense needs, and we need to step it up next for Springville. They’re a very good team.”

Cooper Legas found Puka Nacua for a 6-yard TD strike to open the scoring, and Orem (5-6) scored 17 points in the second quarter on Hunter Van Buren’s 98-yard touchdown run, Riki Peters’ 30-yard pick-six to take a 23-12 lead at halftime.

Corner Canyon blocked a punt in the end zone for a first-quarter safety, and Zach Wilson tossed a 9-yard TD strike to Jakob Johnston that gave the Chargers a 12-6 lead in the second quarter.

But Van Buren scuttled into the end zone just moments later, and the Tigers never trailed again. Jason Adams found the end zone following an tipped pass to start the third quarter down just 23-19 for Corner Canyon (6-5), but the Chargers could get no closer — in large part because of Atuaia’s timely pick.

“I was just there at the right time,” he said.

Orem will play at Springville in a 4A first-round game Saturday at 1 p.m. MT.

CLASS 5A

Hunter 6, Granger 0 — At West, the Wolverines (6-6) blanked Granger (6-5) to advance to face Layton in the second half of a three-way Class 5A state play-in game.

Ty Carlson’s 12-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the difference for Hunter.

Hunter 11, Layton 5 — At West, Carson Pututau scored the only touchdown of the shortened game, and Carlson added the two-point conversion help the Wolverines clinch the No. 4 seed from Region 2 for Saturday’s state playoffs against undefeated Bingham.

Harrison Walker connected on an 18-yard field goal for Layton (6-4), which added a safety late in the game for the final margin.

American Fork 17, Herriman 14 — At Herriman, Jake Cluff nailed a 38-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to help the Cavemen eliminate the defending 5A champions in a Region 4 play-in game.

Bronson Barron threw a 63-yard touchdown strike to Dean Farrell, and added a 19-yard scoring run for American Fork (7-4), which advanced to face Roy at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Noah Vaea scored a pair of touchdown runs for the Mustangs (5-5).

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