Galvanized: Skyridge football overcomes distractions, rides big first half to beat top-seeded American Fork in 6A semifinals
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- Skyridge senior Laa Kalama celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge players celebrate with junior Tavian Edwards (21) after he intercepted a pass during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Laa Kalama celebrates with his team after the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Josh Andrus gets tackled by a pair of Skyridge defenders during the 6A semifinal game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Jackson Stevens throws a pass during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge junior Tavian Edwards (21) goes up to defend a pass during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Laa Kalama carries the ball up the field during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Trent Call catches a touchdown pass during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Carter Sheffield runs the ball up the field during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Josh Andrus attempts to catch a pass during the 6A semifinal game against Skyridge at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Laa Kalama catches a touchdown pass during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Jacob Eardley gets tackled by a Skyridge defender during the 6A semifinal game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Carter Sheffield runs the ball up the field during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Maximos Edwards gets tackled by Skyridge defenders during the 6A semifinal game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Dylan Story throws a pass during the 6A semifinal game against Skyridge at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork defenders make a tackle during the 6A semifinal game against Skyridge at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Josh Andrus attempts to catch a pass during the 6A semifinal game against Skyridge at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge defenders tackle American Fork senior Maximos Edwards during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork players celebrate with senior Wade Stringham after he intercepted a pass during the 6A semifinal game against Skyridge at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge players prepare for the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge acting head coach Patrick Gleaves (left) talks to another coach during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge fans celebrate a big play during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge and American Fork players hug after the 6A semifinal game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Josh Andrus tries to avoid a tackle by a Skyridge defender during the 6A semifinal game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Dylan Story throws a pass during the 6A semifinal game against Skyridge at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Jackson Stevens throws a pass during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork players prepare for the 6A semifinal game against Skyridge at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Jack Burke carries the ball up the field during the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- Skyridge players prepare for the 6A semifinal game against American Fork at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Josh Andrus tries to avoid a tackle by a Skyridge defender during the 6A semifinal game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
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- American Fork players prepare for the 6A semifinal game against Skyridge at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
For the last few days, words like “ineligible,” “forfeit” and “suspension” have swirled around the Skyridge football program.
What the school admitted was a clerical error resulted in an ineligible player participating in the first two rounds of the 2023 6A state playoffs. In accordance with the current rules of the Utah High School Activities Association, Falcon head coach Justin Hemm was suspended for the next two games.
But that wasn’t enough for some, who demanded Skyridge forfeit the games and in a few extreme cases made threats against individuals involved in the process.
Through all that, the Falcon players had to get ready to play a high-stakes football game against top-seeded American Fork in the 6A semifinals at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday.
“There were a ton of distractions, tons of noise,” Skyridge senior wide receiver Laa Kalama said Friday. “We just tried to tune it out as best as we could. People on the outside don’t really know what’s going on inside, don’t know what’s happening and everything we’ve done to work to get to this point. I just thought our team earned it and we deserved to be here.”
It’s tough to know whether such situations will distract or galvanize a team.
“It’s just been crazy,” said Patrick Gleaves, Falcon defensive coordinator and acting head coach. “But that’s adversity, right? That’s what football teaches you. You go through challenges, go through hard things.”
And Skyridge emerged from the chaos strong and ready, as it demonstrated in the first half of their 34-21 victory over the Cavemen.
“Throughout the week, our motivation for the game was at its peak, probably the highest Skyridge history,” Falcon junior defensive back Tavian Edwards said. “We were all really calm. We really wanted to get it for Coach Hemm. I think the whole game we were just calm and nothing really got into our minds.”
Edwards and Kalama both played huge roles in the key sequence that turned the game in Skyridge’s favor.
The Falcons had a slim 7-0 lead after a 15-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Jackson Stevens to senior wide receiver Trent Call in the first quarter, but had the ball.
Twice during a 13-play drive Skyridge faced fourth downs but converted with a run by senior running back Carter Sheffield and a pass to Call.
The Falcons capped the possession with 45 seconds left until halftime when Stevens threw a strike to Kalama for a 20-yard touchdown to double the lead.
Then it was Edwards and the Skyridge defense’s turn to make a big play as American Fork tried to hit a big play.
“My goal was to stay on top and I got to the wheel route late,” Edwards said. “The ball was overthrown right to me. I knew I had to score or get out of bounds to get my team a chance.”
Edwards’s interception gave the Falcons the ball at the Caveman 13-yard line and Skyridge needed just one play to cover the distance as Stevens again found Kalama open in the end zone.
Kalama would tack on a third touchdown on a 27-yard reception on the first possession of the third quarter to extend Skyridge’s advantage to 27-0.
“We put in a lot of work to get to where we’re at,” Kalama said. “I’ve been out with an injury this whole time but I never stopped working and never stopped trusting in the team.”
Gleaves said having Kalama back made a huge difference for the Falcon offense.
“He had a surgery earlier in the year after a high-ankle sprain, but he’s starting to feel better,” Gleaves said. “His leadership is amazing. He drove us in that first half on offense, and then that gave us a little bit of fire on defense to keep it going. He’s an amazing player.”
Edwards and the Skyridge defense also deserved tremendous credit for keeping the Cavemen offense in check long enough to build the lead.
“We had a game plan where I was just going to follow American Fork senior Jett Nelson, their best receiver,” Edwards said. “I knew that no matter what was going to happen, I was going to have the backup. My defensive line got good pressure. Everyone was doing their job.”
But the Cavemen were too good and too determined to go down without a fight.
“We had a decision there at halftime,” American Fork head coach Aaron Behm said. “We could’ve let panic set in or point fingers or whatever when things weren’t going our way but they just decided to battle for the second half and that was fun to see.”
The Cavemen put together three second-half TD drives as senior quarterback Dylan Story tossed scoring passes to senior tight end Landon Payne, junior wide receiver Cade Wilkinson and to Nelson while American Fork’s defense gave up just one more score to the Falcons (a 2-yard pass from Stevens to senior wide receiver Jack Burke).
The Cavemen had a couple of chances to get closer but the Skyridge defense stood tall and kept American Fork at bay.
Although the Cavemen had hoped to go all the way, Behm said his team has plenty to be proud of from what it accomplished in 2023.
“It’s hard to keep it in perspective after a tough semifinal loss,” Behm said. “But if you look back at what they have done since July, it’s impressive.
“The story of this team was the brotherhood of this group. We had 47 seniors, which is pretty unmatched in our time. They’re really tight and I think you were able to see that play out. They played together for so long and they trusted each other. You can do good things when that happens.”
The Falcons now look forward to the 6A final where they will get the chance to defend their 2022 title.
“We’re not done yet,” Edwards said. “We’re ready for it. We’re ready for the challenge.”
Skyridge, the No. 4 seed, will face No. 2-seed Corner Canyon in a rematch of the 2022 title game that the Falcons won, 17-7. The two teams will play with the championship on the line at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday, Nov. 17, at 2:30 p.m.
