Skyridge turns tables on Lone Peak for dramatic double-overtime win

LEHI — Lincoln Tahi saved his longest run for the most important moment.

The senior running back ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-wining score from 16 yards out in double overtime, to help Skyridge bounce back from its first loss in Region 3 play with a 37-31 win over Lone Peak on Thursday night.

Kaneal Sweetwyne threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 82 yards and an overtime touchdown to help the Falcons (6-2, 2-1 Region 3) overturn a 10-0 halftime deficit to win in extra sessions.

"I'm kind of speechless right now, but I give credit to my entire O-line," said Tahi, in between candy leis, signs and stick figures from his many cousins and brothers that flooded him on the field. "They were blocking great for me all day, and they didn't give up on me."

After a scoreless first quarter, the Region 3 rivals threatened to do the same thing in the second — were it not for two plays.

Lone Peak (5-3, 1-2 Region 3) converted Kennan Pula's 59-yard catch into a 24-yard field goal to go up 3-0 with 5:34 left in the half.

After Skyridge punted the ball back to the Knights, Cruz Christensen found twin brother Jaron Pula on the edge, and the Utah commit rumbled 83 yards on the broken play for a touchdown en route to a 10-0 halftime lead.

"We needed to finish drives," Skyridge coach Justin Hemm said of the first half. "We ran 44 plays and had 17 minutes time of possession; we were doing good things, but we were shooting ourselves in the foot when we got into (scoring) territory."

Skyridge couldn't find the end zone in the first half, ending each drive with a total of three punts, a blocked field goal and a missed field goal to end the half down.

But the Knights couldn't stop their Region 3 rivals after the break.

"I couldn't he more proud of these guys," Hemm added. "This five-week stretch has been a grind. We went out of state two weeks in a row, playing Lehi on a Thursday, going to Corner, playing Lone Peak on a Thursday. Last week didn't go the way we liked, but I was very proud of the way we responded this week."

Sweetwyne connected with Davis Fyans on the Falcons' first drive of the second half, and Crew Odom's 42-yard field goal tied the game after an interception on the next possession.

Back and forth they went, including the biggest response of all.

Moments after Skyridge tied the game at 17-all to open the fourth quarter, Lone Peak's Safi Fonua returned the ensuing kickoff some 90-plus yards for a touchdown.

There was no quit in the Falcons — not two weeks ago, when they trailed as much as 14-0 against Lehi. And despite a 49-14 blowout loss to Corner Canyon a week ago, they didn't quit then.

Neither tonight, either.

Sweetwyne found Diesel Hunter for a 5-yard score that tied the game with 2:26 remaining, and then Skyridge picked off Christensen on the goal line to force overtime.

After Sweetwyne and Lone Peak's Sean Tahi exchanged touchdown runs in the first extra period, the Falcons held the Knights to Jake Barker's 27-yard field goal in the second.

That set up Tahi's walk-off touchdown that handed the Knights a second consecutive loss since beating then-No. 1 Corner Canyon.

"I think we had a good week of practice this week, and we were able to come back from the adversity we faced," Tahi said. "It felt good to win, and I think we're back on track."

Christensen threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions, and Jaron Pula hauled in seven passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

After a bye next week, Skyridge closes the regular season Oct. 15 at American Fork.

Lone Peak returns home to host Lehi next Thursday before capping the regular season at Bingham.

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