FINAL, Rice-Eccles Stadium: Skyridge 35, Herriman 34. Skyridge's quarterback faked a pitch and ran it in with 2:04 left, Herriman's field goal try with about a minute to go sailed wide right, and Skyridge is headed to the 6A championship game. I was in the stadium for all of it.
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How it unfolded
Herriman's quarterback scrambled right and scored at the pylon for a 7-0 lead. Skyridge answered with a long touchdown drive to tie it 7-7, then blocked a Herriman punt and scored from the short field for a 14-7 lead. Herriman answered with a long, punishing ground drive for 14-14. A Skyridge returner fumbled the ensuing kickoff under a hit, Herriman recovered and scored a few plays later, and it was 21-14 at the half. Skyridge drove into the red zone late, but its field goal try as time expired hit the right upright.
The third quarter swung back and forth. Skyridge took the opening possession of the second half deep into Herriman territory, inside the 10-yard line, then fumbled on a missed exchange at the mesh point and Herriman recovered. Herriman drove inside the 5, Skyridge's defense held, and Herriman settled for a field goal and a 24-14 lead. Skyridge answered on a rollout pass to the right, and the receiver went up the sideline for an explosive touchdown. It was 24-21 with 1:22 left in the third.
The fourth quarter
Herriman opened the fourth facing 4th and 1 from its own 40 and handed the ball to No. 8, who broke it for a 60-yard touchdown and a 31-21 lead with 11:51 left. Skyridge's quarterback then pulled off an escape that looked like a sack: he beat the pressure, kept his eyes downfield and found a wide-open receiver for a touchdown. That made it 31-28 with 10:12 left.
Herriman drove for a field goal and a 34-28 lead, and Skyridge's defense then did not let it get a touchdown. With just over two minutes left, Skyridge's quarterback faked a pitch and ran it in, and Skyridge led 35-34. Herriman took the kickoff back roughly 78 to 80 yards to around the Skyridge 20, and with a little over a minute left lined up for a very makeable field goal. It sailed wide right. Skyridge kneeled out the clock.
What I saw, and what is next
Through three quarters, Herriman's offensive line was winning up front, Herriman kept running the ball, and it got pressure on the quarterback, at times sending seven off the right edge. That is what made this feel like an upset in the making. It almost was.
Skyridge's only other loss this season came in the Aug. 13 opener at Mountain Ridge, 41-26. Mountain Ridge and Corner Canyon play for the other spot in the 6A title game, and the winner meets Skyridge.
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