CEDAR CITY — The Canyon View Falcons gave everything they could Friday night, but could not come away with the win over the Timpanogos Timberwolves, falling 26-20 in overtime.
“We just put it in the hands of our kids,” Falcons head coach Skyler Miller said. “We believe in them. It just didn’t go our way. But that won’t change our mind in the future.”
Canyon View failed on a fourth-down try in overtime, then watched as Timpanogas scored quickly to end the game on a 30-yard Gabe Sweeten pass to Haydn Sandstrom. The OT strike sent CV to its fourth loss in a row.
Despite the defeat, the Falcons have shown improvement each week, from a shutout loss in Week 1 to a couple of scores, but a 19-point loss last week, to this OT effort.
The Falcons started the game off by scoring on the first possession of the game. Quarterback Colten Shumway ended the nine-play, 80-yard drive by sneaking in for a 4-yard rushing touchdown. The ensuing point after was no good and the Falcons took a 6-0 lead with 7:52 left in the first quarter.
Only two plays and 55 seconds later, Timberwolves quarterback Sweeten connected with a wide open Sandstrom for a 50-yard touchdown to give the Timberwolves a 7-6 lead.
Canyon View was unable to do much on its next drive, but caught a break when the Timberwolves fumbled the ball on the Falcons’ 19-yard line. The Falcons were able to escape the first quarter with no extra damage being done, but still trailed 7-6.
The Timberwolves fumbled once again on their next possession and the Falcons scooped up their prey. After a fourth-down conversion, Shumway threw the ball up to Gabe O’Connel, who high-pointed the ball over the defender for a touchdown to give the Falcons a 13-7 lead, which they took into halftime.
Shumway was also able to break off first half runs of 24, 40 and 43 yards en route to 123 rushing yards in the first two quarters.
“(My line) did a really good today setting up blocks,” Shumway said, “I just tried to make quick decisions and when I saw a hole, I tried to hit it as hard as I could to get yards for this team.”
Shumway finished the night with 25 carries, one touchdown and 142 yards for a stellar 5.68 yards per carry average.
Timpanogos took the lead on the first possession of the second half when running back Rory Ziegra ran into the end zone for 10 of his 70 rushing yards.
Canyon View again caught a break on the next possession when the Timberwolves muffed a punt that the Falcons recovered deep in Timberwolves territory. Unfortunately, no points came out of this drive as a 32-yard field goal was no good. The third quarter ended with the Timberwolves up 14-13.
Timpanogos almost won the game on the next possession when Sweeten and Sandstrom connected again on a big 10-yard touchdown pass. But the Timberwolves were called for having an illegal man downfield. They tried again for the end zone, and almost had a sweet, Sportscenter-worthy catch. But that pass fell incomplete.
On the next play, Timpanogos turned the ball over for the fifth time in the game on a fumble and the Falcons swept it up again with 8:45 left in the game.
The ensuing drive took up most of the fourth quarter. The Falcons went on a 13-play, 85-yard march that took up 6:45 of the clock, while also having six first-down conversions.
“(It was) one play at a time,” Miller said. “Our theme this week has been execution.”
“We had a lot more confidence that drive,” Shumway said. “Everyone believed in each other and that’s what happens when we do.”
The atmosphere in the stadium change a lot as well.
“I could feel something different.” Miller said.
Hunter Anderson, who finished with 24 carries and 122 yards, capped off the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run to put the Falcons up 19-14 with 2:04 left in the game.
Shumway saw the field goal unit coming onto the field and ran over to his coach to see about going up seven, instead of six. The Falcons attempted to call timeout, but were too late as the extra point had already sailed through the uprights.
However, the Falcons almost gave the game away moments later. Sweeten rolled out to his left, and found a wide open Maxx McWhorter off a wheel route. McWhorter raced down the field to tie the game at 20-20.
The Falcons got a good push on the extra point and were able to block the point after try to keep the game tied.
“They could have won the game right there,” Shumway said, “But we got a good push from the line … and they saved us for a little while longer.”
The Falcons elected to go to overtime rather than cover the length of the field in less than a minute.
In overtime, Canyon View came out on offense first. After three plays, they were faced with a choice to go for a field goal, or go for it on fourth-and-2.
When asked if it was his choice or his players choice to go for the conversion, Miller said, “We want our kids to understand this is a collaboration. We are trying to build leaders. We are trying to put them positions where they can step up and lead.
“This is their game. This is their team. They wanted to go for it and we wanted to tell them that we trust them. They didn’t give us any doubt that we couldn’t trust them. We had full faith in what they wanted to do.”
Shumway tried a jump pass, but it was just outside the reach of his receiver.
After a penalty, Timpanogos had a first-and-15 from the 30 with a chance to win the game. Sweeten saw Sandstrom call for the ball deep as he beat his defender, and threw the ball up. Sandstrom dove for the ball and came down with possession, and the game for the Timberwolves.
Canyon View (0-3) will take on Cedar (1-2) next Friday at Canyon View High School at 7 p.m. to start off Region 9 play.
QUICK STATS
Canyon View
Colten Shumway: 2/4 40 yards 1 TD 1 INT, 25 carries 142 yards 1 TD
Hunter Anderson: 24 carries 122 yards 1 TD
Timpanogos
Gabe Sweeten: 12/17 242 yards 3 TD 1 INT 128.0 QB Rating, 6 carries 65 yards
Rory Ziegra: 10 carries 70 yards 1 TD
Haydn Sandstrom: 2 catches 80 yards 2 TD
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