Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SOUTH JORDAN — Bingham shook off a slow start and came up with big plays on both sides of the ball down the stretch to secure a 25-19 win over the reigning state champs Lone Peak in the 6A quarterfinals Friday.
"That's a game that could have gone either way," Bingham head coach Eric Jones said. "And we figured it was going to be a one-score game all week."
It seemed as if the last team to possess the ball would win the game as the Miners and Knights exchanged blows in the second half. Bingham closed the first half with momentum after quarterback Dallen Martinez ran in a touchdown in the final seconds, giving the Miners a 7-6 lead over a pair of field goals from Lone Peak kicker Ian Sanches.
Dallen Martinez and the Bingham Miners looking to upset reigning 6A champs Lone Peak in the quarterfinals.
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) November 5, 2022
Martinez runs it in from 15 yards out to put the Miners up 7-6 on the Knights with 30 seconds until halftime. pic.twitter.com/y2bs8yH3TR
Lone Peak opened the scoring in the second half with a Crew McChesney touchdown catch, followed by a Carson Sudbury rushing score for Bingham, and then a goal-line run from Knights quarterback Kaden Hodson.
Hodson's score gave Lone Peak a 19-15 lead to start the fourth quarter, and the vaunted Lone Peak defense made Bingham work for its go-ahead score. Facing a fourth down with 8:10 left in the game, Martinez kept the ball and got the first down, and it was followed by a Sudbury run to get inside the Knights' 10-yard line.
Havea Fotu got the final touchdown for Bingham on a 13-yard pass from Martinez with just over six minutes left in regulation. On the ensuing possession for Lone Peak, Tyson McBride got a pass breakup on fourth down to hold off the Knights.
But Lone Peak's defense wasn't done and held Bingham to a field goal to give Hodson and company a chance to win the game with 1:58 left to play and down by 6 points.
McChesney made a timely fourth-down grab at midfield to keep the drive alive for the Knights, but the Miners were able to stop their goal-line attempts to come away with the win.
Knights can't find the end zone in the final seconds and Bingham eliminates Lone Peak, 25-19. pic.twitter.com/AxsHMKfXf7
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) November 5, 2022
"Those situations are so tense," Jones said of the final drive. "On the long pass down the middle of the field to the 50-yard line, I thought we were in position to pick that off, but McChesney is such a good ballplayer. Every game he ends up coming down with a ball. They had an opportunity there (on the goal line) and just missed it — luckily for us."
Bingham will now take on Skyridge in the semifinals on Nov. 10 at 2:30 p.m. MST at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
