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Rance Christensen kicking the PAT for the Hawks

By Marcy Curtis

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North Sanpete's PJ Cook runs the ball during the Hawk's overtime loss to the Manti Templars.

By Marcy Curtis

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3A fan of the year, DBob Bailey, celebrates with Hawks when they tie the game up, forcing overtime.

Photo by Marcy Curtis

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MANTI — The Manti Templars took North Sanpete to task Friday night, winning the annual rivalry football game 32-29 with an overtime field goal. Both teams came into the game with region records of 2-1 — both teams having lost to the Juab Wasps. The Manti win gives them an 18-17 lead in the matchups between the two teams.

The Hawks had some big shoes to fill with quarterback Landon Bowles standing on the sidelines in his street clothes after injuring his knee at the previous game. Sophomore Ty Allan played his first full varsity game to fill those shoes.

The first quarter of play ended with zeros on the scoreboard for both teams. Both the Hawk and Templar defenses held tight and made big tackles to keep the offensive sides from making it into the end zones.

The score didn’t stay that way for long. Allan passed to Magnus Clawson for a Hawk touchdown only 12 seconds in to the second quarter. With long snapper Kasey Curtis sending it to Rance Christensen, the kick was up and through the posts to give North Sanpete a seven-point lead.

The Templars quickly answered back with a pass to Tyler Taukei’aho on the outside and a dive into the end zone for six. A kick through the up rights tied the game at seven a piece.

Allan turned around and passed a long ball to Brady Jacobsen for another Hawk touchdown, and Chirstensen with the perfect kick through the uprights brought the score to 14-7 with five minutes left in the first half.

However, Manti’s Tyson Brenchley broke free on the kick-off and took it to the house for another touchdown for the Templars. A fake snap on the PAT to Bryce Boeher was thrown to Manti’s Tanner Justesen for two points to give the Templars a 15 to 14 lead.

After a quick turnover on four downs for the Hawks, Manti had another chance to put the ball into the end zone before the end of the half. The Hawks’ defense held strong with three straight stops inside the three-yard line. But with one second left and on fourth and goal Manti’s Austin Cox was able to break to the side and get it in for six. The Templars capitalized on the kick and the team’s head to the locker room for halftime with Manti up 22-14.

Late in the third quarter Jacobsen had the room to run it up the sideline but cramped up and took the ball out of bounds. The injury took Jacobsen out of the game–a kick to the head for the Hawks who already had six other players out with injury, this wasn’t what the Hawks needed.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, Allan threw a pass to Cole Mickel that was picked off by Manti’s Larson Pogroszewski who ran it in for a touchdown. After an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Manti’s David Taulapapa the kick was pushed back 15 extra yards. That didn’t stop Seth Cornselsen from kicking for the extra point, bringing the score to 29-14.

The Hawks were finally able to get the ball into the end zone in the fourth quarter with a pass from Allan to Mickel. A low but good kick it brought North Sanpete to within eight and gave the Hawks hope that they were still in the game.

On their next possession it was yet another Allan to Mickel pass for six making the score, closing the gap to two points for the Templars with 3:17 left. The Hawks were successful on a two-point conversion with a pass from Allan to Mickel to tie it up 29-29.

The tie remained as regulation time ran out, forcing the game in to overtime.

The Hawks had the ball first, but turned the ball over on the first play. Allan was pushed to throw to the middle before getting tackled by a host of Templars. Allan’s aim was off and Manti intercepted the ball.

North Sanpete stopped the Templars for two plays and Manti decided to kick. Cornelsen nailed a 31-yard field goal giving the Templars their first win over the Hawks in three years.

The Hawks will now take on Union at home for their last regular season game and the Templars will host Delta. Both games will take place Wednesday because of UEA.