–I’m here. Late but I’m here. 7:20 left in the second quarter.

ChargersTV Radio Broadcast is telling me the story. Any quotes will be from them unless otherwise stated.

So, where are we?

Lone Peak vs Corner Canyon State Championship from Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Lone Peak (LP) just scored to make it 10-7. Corner Canyon (CC) has had the ball just twice in this game so far. “CC missed tackles all over the place.”

Apparently, LP defense has been pressing the issue at the line of scrimmage and keeping pressure on Casuga.

-CC needs more Briggs behind Tafa. That is the bread and butter all season. Take the pressure off the QB….

–Still getting settled here on the bar top in the kitchen.

• TD CC: Casuga on the rushing TD. 2:24 Second Quarter CC 14-LP 10

–Lone Peak will get the ball in the second half. This is a huge possession in this game.

-BIG PLAY! LP Kickoff for a TD, but an illegal block penalty brings it back to midfield. “The last block before the touchdown…unnecessary.”

–“Chargers defense with another missed tackle. This is abysmal.” Tate Barney and Sean Tahi are more than a handful to wrangle down. LP moving at-will. “8 to 9 yards per carry at this point.” Stress in the CC Radio Announcers voice. Nervous. I can feel the tension. There is a timeout now and these two passionate fans are airing their frustrations. “Adjustments are needed.”

-LP RB Tate Barney is 6’1/ 210 and CC have not once tackled him cold.

-“26 seconds to go LP has the ball at the six inch line.” QB Kepa Niumeitolu with an easy fall into the endzone to regain the lead. 17-14 LP. 22 seconds to go in the half. “I don’t have a good feeling, Doug.”

–Oh, I will be using that one–“I don’t have a good feeling, Doug.” These guys are on a knife’s edge of stress.

–Kickoff out of bounds and the Chargers will start at the 35. Can they move the ball quickly?

–8 yard gain, quick TO. 17 seconds left. A score here would be huge for CC. A score and a stop out of the half. LP looking stronger than the back-to-back champs so far. The crowd is lively as heard over the broadcast.

–3 Seconds left from the OPP 46. Casuga hit as he threw, INT on the Hail Mary attempt. CC JR OL Chase Peterson is injured on the play. Flag on the play. “Blindside block after the INT.”

-HALFTIME

So, 17-14 is the score at Rice-Eccles. What a ball game. Looking at the scoreline it is far closer than the announcers on ChargersTV may indicate. Poor chaps are feeling the nerves. A few nervous chuckles between each play breakdown do very little to quell their obvious stress. One thing is most stressing for both of them and that is how to stop this dominant Lone Peak Rushing attack.

How can CC improve on this front? LP OL Bott Mulitalo and his 6’5/ 300-pound frame is leading the line and both Barney and Tahi have found success running behind the BYU Commit’s lead.

This is very similar to what I observed during the regular season when Corner Canyon were doubled up 42-21 at Lone Peak. The O-line had their way for most of the game.

It may be that there is no tangible way to stop the LP running attack and CC should seek other ways to win. Such as, getting back to the efficient offense that spoiled fans all season. An offense that is led by the strong boys at O-Line. USC Commit Esun Tafa is particular. Let’s see the O-line lead this offense. Allow Casuga a little more time to throw and auxiliary receivers Mayberry, Jackson, and Mooris to get involved. This game may just end up being a high-scoring affair. Afterall, neither team has a thing to lose. It’s all or nothing.

Will Lone Peak complete their journey towards the mountaintop? It’s been a long season. Pitfalls and slippages but Knights have continued to grind. I’m on pins and needles as a neutral.

Second Half incoming.

SECOND HALF

–The announcers are back and one of them sounds completely out of breath. Like he sprinted up the stairs and then started talking kind of out of breath. These two are great representatives of ‘nervous nellies.’ Relax boys. Let the game play out.

–LP with the ball to begin the half. These guys are hyperventilating. “We can’t even catch our breath, and we miss another tackle.”

There is true passion in these announcers that’s for sure, but someone needs to slip them a Newport during the break. LP moving the ball currently near the CC 30.

–Bott picking up where he left off and his dominating his side of the line…and just as I type this, Tate Patterson drops Kepa for a SACK. 2nd and 13. The Junior CC Linebacker wrestled the Idaho St commit to the turf.

–LP BIG First Down. Sean Tahi on a screen play moves the ball down to the 11 yard line. LP is in control. CC on their heels.

–Instead of a Newport, maybe get these guys some O2. ASAP. I’m not exaggerating much. Huffing and Puffing like they’re on the last leg of Mt. Timp. Someone call timeout and give these guys a break.

-4th and a few. LP tried to get CC to jump offsides and then called TO. This has been a long drive. More than half the quarter is gone.

–22 yard FG Good 5:17 to go in the 3rd quarter. 20-14.

A long drive from Lone Peak but stalled inside the ten. I’m a little surprised that they didn’t gamble and go for it. A three-to-six-point lead just doesn’t feel like that big of a difference in a game like this. Not to mention that if you don’t get it, your defense that has been dominant at times in this game would get a chance to make a play deep in CC territory. A FG feels like a CC win.

–CC Ball Lucas Jackson with a big catch out to the 35.

–TD CC that is called back due to Lucas Jackson not being set. Mayberry was wide-open and the 54 yard TD is brought all the way back and minus 5 more. Gut-check penalty.

-3:07 2nd and 10 “5 Wide receivers. They’re going to air it out.”

-LP lightens the box and Briggs rips a 29 yard run on the next play. The passing game is opening the running game. Mayberry involved. Down to the 10.

-1:15 to go in the 3rd Q. 1st Down CC to the 5. 1st and Goal.

–Casuga with a QB sneak went down gingerly and has exited the game. Bronson Evans and the heavy package brought in.

• TD Weston Briggs powers it home from a yard out. 21-20 CC. 20 seconds to go in the 3rd. This is a great ball game!

We will have to see if Helaman can continue. Nothing was mentioned about the nature of the injury. Hopefully, he returns.

-I still don’t understand LP kicking the FG from inside the ten. Let’s see if that becomes the difference in this game. CC’s offense looked sharp there. Clever playcalling.

-LP Ball at the 23. The announcers sound a bit more relaxed. Newport or O2? Something stronger? Who knows.

What I do know is that one play into the drive and we are heading into the fourth quarter of the Utah 6A State Championship game between back-to-back champs, Corner Canyon and Lone Peak.

Lone Peak had to run the gauntlet to get here knocking off Skyridge and number 2 in the state, Davis. Now they are facing number one. No one will have earned a State Title the way that LP will have if they can come back to win this in the fourth.

I’m so impressed by this game so far. Well done to all!

Here we go–to the 4th.

–LP Ball Pula’s have been relatively quiet with the running game being so solid. Is it one of the twins that wins the game?

-THREE and out. Here comes the punt team. 4th and 4 “don’t jump offsides.”

-CC Ball at their own 45 with the 21-20 lead. That’s the best the CC defense has been since I’ve been listening.

–Kai Meza in frame. Big play down to the LP 40. 10:38 4th Q

–Briggs rips a run for a first down and more. “Time to shine O-line.” And another run by Briggs down to the 21. CC moving quick. “Momentum is on the Chargers side.”

-LP EDGE Tagg Zundel is down with a shoulder injury. He’s an impact player on this line.

–Another 9 yards for Briggs. He’s running like he’ll never run a ball competitively again.

• TD Weston Briggs. Briggs, Briggs, Briggs. Three runs in a row and a TD. 28-20.

WOW! What happened? CC moving the ball at-will and taking everything they wanted on the past two drives. An 8 Point lead for the team seeking the threepeat, but this game is far from over. These announcers are loving it. Their emotional rollercoaster has been entertaining to listen to. I appreciate their football knowledge and passion as fans. These guys are real.

-LP Ball at the 35 after the CC kick went out of bounds.

-A quick ten yard hit to bulldozer Tate Barney on 1st down. “Lots of time left,” says the nervous announcer. Up and down the emotions go with these two.

–Big Play to Pula down to the ten! “LP is threatening.” Yessir. That’s what that’s called.

–3rd and goal from the 4 yard line. 6:45 to go. Trips left. “Kepa on a keeper–CHARGERS take him down on the spot for no gain!”

–4th and goal from the 4 yard line. Trips left. “INCOMPLETE! Chargers take over on downs!”

This is how championships are won. 5:49 left in the game. Can CC run the clock out on a long drive?

-CC Ball Briggs up Tafa’s side for an eight yard gain on 1st down.

–BIG PLAY Briggs. Keenan Pula saved a TD. 26 yard gain. CC in complete control. These announcers are loving it.

–BRIGGS AGAIN!! Another monster run. Keenan Pula down injured. “8 in the box and they just can’t stop him…57 yards rushing on this drive alone…just give Weston Briggs the football.” 4:15 4th Q CC Ball on the 29 looking to put this game out of reach.

–BRIGGS. The O-line doing their part and Briggs picks up another 11. “O-line exerting dominance.”

–3rd and 4. 2:07 left in the game. TO Corner Canyon. 84 yards rushing on this drive. A two yard gain after the timeout. 4th and 2. TO LP

–4th and 2 CC has the offense on the field. Trying to get a jump offsides but to no avail. TO CC

–ILLEGAL SUB. 12 MEN on the field gives CC a first down. CC was lined up for a FG and were given a first down. Holy smokes this ends it.

• TD CC! On the next play the Chargers just ran down the gut. BRIGGS again. He’s by far and away the player of the game. 34-20 CC. Subtle tears coming from one of the announcers. Passion is real. Less than two minutes to go.

Lone Peak had 7.2 Yards per carry in the 1st half and have been completely shut down in this half.

–Back-to-back kickoff out of bounds for CC. This is the third kickoff. LP has the ball now at the 38 after all of that.

–LP 1st down 1:52 to go. Tate Patterson wrangles down Kepa after a gain of two.

–1:10 to go. Ledger Holmes with a catch gets LP down to the CC 48.

–3rd and two deep ball incomplete. This next play is the game.

–4th and two 49 seconds to go. Complete to the 38. 1st down. Not moving fast enough down two touchdowns. “LP fans are leaving.”

Coach Eric Kjar and Corner Canyon are on their way to their 6th title in 8 years and three in a row. This is legendary. Coach Kjar is a living legend in this sport. My gosh, I’ve become a fan of his. What a leader. Truly inspiring to see another one of his teams dominate Utah High School Football. I’m a fan of his.

Congrats to the young men on both sides. Incredible seasons.

–GAME OVER CC 35-LP 20.

Absolutely, stone cold champs. One of the best football programs in High School Football History. Not just in this state, but all-time. He has three more losses than state titles won. Nine losses. 6 State Titles. Coach Kjar is a living legend. Respect.

I’ll wrap the entire day of UHSAA in another post, but before I go, Senior Running Back Weston Briggs is the player of the game. Behind the elite O-line, he ran as much as he wanted. Reminiscent to how he has dominated on the ground this entire season. Only up Briggs. With whatever is next for you. Only up!

—

That’s all for now. Corner Canyon are the UHSAA 6A State Champs once again!

Next year, they will go for a fourth in a row.

See you on the next one!

“I don’t have a good feeling, Doug.”

Find the Humor and Keep on Movin’

Whit W.