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Skyridge junior Collin Sheffield (5) tackles Orem senior quarterback Chase Tuatagaloa during the nonregion game in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Skyridge defenders bring down an Orem ball carrier during the nonregion game in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Orem senior safety Kolton Brown tackles Skyridge senior Teagen Calton during the nonregion game in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Skyridge junior Tausili Akana (45) pressures Orem senior quarterback Chase Tuatagaloa during the nonregion game in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Orem senior Kolton Brown runs the ball during the nonregion game against Skyridge in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Skyridge senior kicker Joseph Brandt kicks off during the nonregion game against Orem in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Skyridge senior kicker Joseph Brandt gets congratulated after making a 54-yard field goal during the nonregion game against Orem in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Skyridge players take the field before the nonregion game against Orem in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Orem players take the field before the nonregion game against Skyridge in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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In most football high school football games, Skyridge would’ve been considered to be in serious trouble at halftime of its nonregion game against Orem in Lehi Friday night.

These were the offensive numbers for the Falcons at the break:

– 26 total yards (compared to 125 total yards for the Tigers)

– Two interceptions

– Zero first downs

Disaster, right?

Well, not with this Skyridge defense.

Even with such struggles, the Falcons actually had a 10-0 lead at halftime, thanks to a 54-yard field goal by senior kicker Joseph Brandt and a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown by junior Jace Doman.

The Skyridge defense, which has yet to surrender a point in four games this season, controlled the game until the Falcon offense was able to make some big plays in the second half and secured the 36-0 win over Orem.

It was another brilliant performance by the Skyridge defenders against a Tiger offense that had been pretty good so far this year, averaging more than 42 points per game.

But although the Falcons surrendered some yards and first downs in the first two quarters, they always came up big when the situation required them to.

There were two key moments in the first half that could’ve resulted in a very different game.

After Brandt started the scoring with the long (wind-aided) field goal, neither offense was having much success moving the ball.

On the first play of Skyridge’s third drive, the ball was tipped into the air and Orem junior Shaun Niu Jr. made a great diving interception.

That gave the Tigers the ball near midfield and a chance to seize the momentum.

Orem was able to get a first down in Falcon territory, but pressure in the backfield forced a hurried throw. Doman read it perfectly, stepping in front for the pick and then raced all the way to the end zone.

The Tigers had one other chance to make the game close when, with the wind at their backs, they got good field position from a short Skyridge punt.

Orem drove to the Falcon 29-yard line but faced a fourth-and-2. The run play got close to the line to gain, forcing a measurement.

It came down to the shortest of margins but it was eventually determined that Skyridge had stopped the Tigers and forced the turnover on downs.

With the Falcon defense stuffing Orem, the Skyridge offense had the time to make some adjustments at halftime and finally got rolling in the third quarter — although the home team needed a fortunate break.

On the first Falcon possession, the Tigers stopped Skyridge short of the first down and the Falcon punting unit came out.

A miscommunication on the Orem sideline on the punt, however, resulted in an illegal substitution penalty that gave the Falcons the first down.

Skyridge junior quarterback McCae Hillstead immediately took advantage, getting the Tiger defense going the wrong direction and then racing 66 yards for the first offensive touchdown of the contest.

That opened the floodgates for the Falcons who tacked on an 8-yard scoring run by senior running back Jeter Fenton, then a 35-yard TD dash by senior Smith Snowden.

Hillstead finished the scoring by finding junior tight end Josh Davis in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Skyridge (4-0) faces one more big non-league test when it hosts Timpview on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.

Orem (3-1) will look to rebound against an out-of-state opponent when it plays Desert Pines from Las Vegas on the same day at 4:30 p.m.

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