CEDAR CITY — It was definitely a tale of two halves in the game between Cedar and Desert Hills Friday night. And the ending was storybook-like for the Thunder when a Cedar missed field goal allowed them to escape with an 18-17 road win.
Cedar kicker Blake White-Schreibman lined up for the kick with just over 40 seconds remaining in the game and his Redmen down by one point. He had already made a 43-yard field goal, but this 34-yard try was was partially blocked by DH safety Ryan Hoppie and sailed wide left of the goal post. The Thunder then ran out the clock and grabbed their sixth straight win over Cedar.
“I’m proud of the way both teams played,” DH senior Nephi Sewell said. “Both played hard. I’m proud of my team. Even though we were down, we never gave up, we still fought.”
It was a defensive war in the first half with only two touchdowns on the scoreboard.
Cedar scored first on a 35-yard pass from Mason Fakahua to Braden Garrett at the start of the second quarter.
Nephi Sewell intercepted Fakahua on the next Cedar drive and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. But the Thunder failed to convert the two-point conversion, leaving the Redmen ahead 7-6.
White-Schreibman kicked a 43-yard field goal to take the team into halftime with a 10-6 lead.
Desert Hills had a total of 48 yards in the first half, but with 172 yards in the second half, moving the ball seemed easy.
Cedar scored one more time, on its second possession of the second half, when Fakahua found Derek Ball for the 30-yard touchdown.
After that touchdown, it seemed like the Thunder offense could do no wrong. Quarterback Quinn Kiser found Logan Hokanson for a 20-yard score. The two-point try was unsuccessful again, leaving the score at 17-12.
Another touchdown pass, from Kiser to Braxton Porter this time, put DH ahead by one at 18-17 after the third failed two-point conversion midway through the fourth quarter.
Cedar looked poised to take the game on its final drive, moving it crisply into Desert Hills territory. But when the drive stalled, CHS had to settle for the ill-fated field goal attempt.
Desert Hills next plays Hurricane Friday at 7 p.m. at home. Cedar will host Dixie for its fourth straight home game Friday at 7 p.m.
For more on this game and the rest of the 3AA South Friday night lights, including photos, quotes, stats and insight, go to Saturday Breakdown on St. George News.
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