Mistakes doom Skyridge football in loss to Corner Canyon
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- Skyridge senior running back Zaeden Selu celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the non-region game against Corner Canyon in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
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- Skyridge defenders make a tackle during the non-region game against Corner Canyon in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior running back Zaeden Selu (left) and senior offensive lineman Darius Afalava celebrate a touchdown during the non-region game against Corner Canyon in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
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- Skyridge players take the field before the non-region game against Corner Canyon in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior Tavian Edwards fields a kickoff during the non-region game against Corner Canyon in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior running back Zaeden Selu gets tackled during the non-region game against Corner Canyon in Lehi on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
It’s tough for a high school football team to maintain momentum when just when things are starting to go its way, something bad happens.
Skyridge found out firsthand just how true that was Friday night as the Falcons hosted Corner Canyon in Lehi.
Over and over throughout the game Skyridge would put itself in position to make a big play, only to have a miscue allow Corner Canyon to recover. In the end, the opportunistic Chargers did just enough to get the 38-28 win.
“The boys fought hard,” Falcon head coach Justin Hemm said. “We just had a few too many mistakes. There were mistakes all across the board that we could clean up and be a little bit better. You can’t do that against good teams and win football games.”
Here were the three biggest game-changing moments Skyridge wasn’t able to overcome:
1. Stopped by fumble
The tone for the game was set on the first drive as Skyridge took the opening kickoff and marched down the field until they set up for a second-and-goal from the Corner Canyon 6-yard line.
A handoff up the middle appeared to be stacked up for a short gain, but in the mass of players it was impossible to tell when the Falcon runner went down — and Corner Canyon came away with the ball.
The Chargers — aided by a key fourth-down offsides penalty on Skyridge — went 97 yards on the ensuing drive to score on a 10-yard TD pass from junior quarterback Helamen Casuga to senior wide receiver Chryshaun Lee.
Skyridge answered with a touchdown drive of its own, capped by a 12-yard screen pass from senior quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne to senior running Zaeden Selu.
Then it was Corner Canyon’s turn as Casuga spotted Lee on a wheel route for a 42-yard score to put the visitors back in front.
Selu powered in from three yards out to tie the game again, but that would be the last time the Falcons managed to keep pace.
2. Get a gift, give a gift
Skyridge had a chance to seize control when senior Tavian Edwards made a beautiful one-handed interception, but the Chargers forced their second red-zone turnover when they got a pick of their own.
“We had an opportunity there to close out the half with two-and-a-half minutes left and possibly take the lead,” Hemm said. “The turnovers changed things. We need to finish the half better.”
Corner Canyon went up on an 11-yard TD run by Casuga, then turned a late interception into three more points as the second quarter ended.
Skyridge finally managed to stop the Charger offense a couple of times in the third quarter but a third Casuga-Lee touchdown connection (this one for 87 yards) gave Corner Canyon a 31-14 lead.
3. Big rally picked off
The Falcons got one score back early in the fourth quarter on a four-yard run by Sweetwyne, then pounced on a Corner Canyon fumble.
Skyridge senior running back Jared Iakopo scored on an eight-yard run and just like that it was back to a 3-point game with 10 minutes left to play.
The Falcon defense did its job, getting the ball back by forcing another punt and giving the offense the ball on its own 21-yard line.
“The boys fought back,” Hemm said. “They made this thing interesting and we had a chance to take the lead.”
But what followed was a bizarre sequence of events.
First, Sweetwyne broke into the clear on a quarterback run and had nothing in front of him but green grass — until he stumbled at the Corner Canyon 45-yard line and ended up going down untouched at the 40.
Three plays later, Skyridge faced a third-and-6, only to be pushed back by a false start penalty.
The Falcons then elected to try another QB run, only to have it jammed up. Sweetwyne lofted a pass instead — only to have it intercepted for the fourth Skyridge turnover of the game.
Corner Canyon then put the game away with a 24-yard touchdown run from junior Weston Briggs and a fourth-down defensive stop.
Although things didn’t go how Skyridge wanted, Hemm said his team again saw what level it needs to play at to be elite.
“We believe we can play at a high level,” Hemm said. “We just need the consistency of it. There were plays here and there where we made mistakes and that was the difference in the ball game. But they competed. We’ve been tested throughout the preseason. We’ve just got to be a little bit better.”
Skyridge (3-2) next starts Region 3 play by hosting Westlake on Sept. 20, while Corner Canyon (4-1) will play at Mountain Ridge the same evening.
Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
