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SALT LAKE CITY — At Rice-Eccles Stadium, East beat Olympus to advance the 4A state-championship game.
East came into the semifinal game a perfect 12-0, averaging a staggering 51.5 points-per-game.
Olympus' road to the semis has been much more exhilarating. In the opening round of the playoffs, the Titans beat Springville on the final offensive play of the game with a spectacular double-hook and ladder, then beat a Chase Nelson-less Logan Grizzlies team — who were previously unbeaten — in the quarterfinals.
East has been ranked No. 1 all season in our KSL Coach's Poll.
Olympus' defense held East on it's first offensive possession, but Malakai Solovi scored the first points of the game on a 34-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead on their second offensive possession.
Still in the first quarter, Olympus got a lucky bounce. Olympus's rugby style punt clanked off of Jake Baptiste's helmet and Olympus recovered. Three plays later, Olympus quarterback Chase Manning ran it in from 17 yards to tie the game at 7-7.
East's defense has been electric all season. They jumped the lead to 14-7 when Tua Laupata picked off Manning's pass in the flat and returned it for a 55-yard touchdown.
Scary moment for Olympus in the second quarter, after completing a short pass to Connor Haller, quarterback Chase Manning took a brutal late hit — the referees flagged East for a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty — and left the game.
But Olympus didn't fold, Manning returned to finish the drive with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Tosh Wilcox to tie the game at 14-14.
With just under two-minutes to play until halftime, Olympus muffed a punt and East recovered the ball in the endzone for their second non-offensive touchdown of the game to take a 21-14 lead into the half.
In the third quarter, East quarterback Isaac Valles finishes off a 10-play and 74-yard drive with a one-yard keeper for the 28-14 lead.
East's running game wore down the Olympus defense. In the fourth quarter, Ula Tolutau broke a 40-yard touchdown run for a 40-14 lead.
East advances to the championship game with the 47-21 victory. They'll play the winner of Woods Cross and Timpview.
The championship game will be played next Friday at 11:00 a.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
