WASHINGTON — Crimson Cliffs and Provo went back and forth all night, but it all came down to the final second.
With the clock nearly expired, Crimson Cliffs running back Van Dailey punched in his third touchdown of the game to give the Mustangs a 27-24 win.
Crimson Cliffs controlled the first half behind scores from Dailey and Jaxson Holt, taking a 14-0 lead into halftime.
But Provo flipped the script in the third quarter. Senior quarterback Griffin DeMartini sparked the comeback to cut the deficit in half. Moments later, Crew DeMartini came up with a clutch touchdown that tied the game at 14-14 and swung momentum to the Bulldogs' sideline.
Dailey answered quickly with another score to put Crimson Cliffs ahead 21-14, and then Provo trimmed the deficit with a field goal, making it 21-17 to end the third quarter.
In the final frame, Provo battled back when Malik Filimoe'atu scored a touchdown to put the Bulldogs up 24-21 with just over a minute left.
That's when Dailey went to work again. Crimson Cliffs marched down the field, leaned on its star back, and let him finish the job with one second left to play.
"I wasn't sure if we were gonna kick it or not, but apparently my QB trusts me enough to put it in," Dailey said. "He gave me the ball and I was able to drive it because my O-line and everyone, love those guys, they're dawgs out there. It was exciting."
Crimson Cliffs takes the W with 0:01 left in the game. Post Game Interview with @VanDailey60937 and TD highlights. pic.twitter.com/NQ952z46cT
— Keira Orton (@KeiraReeceOrton) August 23, 2025
Looking back on the matchup, Dailey said the Mustangs expected a tough test.
"They're a good team. We play them a lot in 7-on-7s and they beat us quite a bit," he said. "They've got a lot of good players shout out to No. 1 and No. 9, they're dawgs. We came in here with high expectations and we were excited to get going with a win."
Dailey, who has yet to commit to a college program, finished with three touchdowns and a highlight Crimson Cliffs fans won't forget anytime soon.
