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LEHI — After taking a trip to Nevada to face Liberty last week, Skyridge welcomed an out-of-state team of their own Friday, the Cherry Creek Bruins from Colorado, who have won four of the last five state championships in the 5A division.
And a stalwart defense was enough for the Falcons to get by the Bruins 24-14 at home.
In the first half, it was all Skyridge, starting early to dictate the terms of the game. A 9-yard rushing touchdown from junior quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne put the Falcons up 7-0 just four minutes into the game.
On the ensuing defensive possession, Skyridge blocked a punt and recovered it on the Bruins' side of the field, and looked to do more damage. Skyridge finished the possession with an 18-yard field goal, giving the Falcons a 10-0 lead over the Bruins.
The Bruins got the ball back, but the Falcons defense got in the way again. Senior defensive end Deshawn Toilolo was a force on the line, hitting the quarterback and forcing a ball in the air. The errant pass was picked off by Iakopo Malufau, giving Skyridge the ball again.
Up 10-0 and the ball in scoring position, the Falcons wanted to end the game early.
Skyridge was on the 1-yard line when head coach Justin Hemm tried to call timeout, but it was not granted. The Falcons fumbled the ball and Cherry Creek returned it all the way to the 50-yard line, keeping themselves in the game.
Another great defensive stop by Skyridge, though, gave the Falcons the ball back, and the offense took care of business by scoring on the next drive, going up 17-0 heading into the second half.
But that is where things turned around for the Bruins.
A 72-yard reception put the Bruins on the 1-yard line, and the team later converted to narrow the lead to 17-7. Cherry Creek then got the ball back, and again had a big play for a 75-yard touchdown, trimming the lead to 3 with a quarter to go.
"Those guys (Cherry Creek) are not going to tap out," Hemm said. "We knew that, and we told our boys at halftime to be ready for it."
But Skyridge was not about to lose its lead.
A six-and-a-half minute drive by the Falcons in the fourth quarter resulted in a touchdown, ending the Bruins' hope of making a comeback. All the Falcons needed was a stop and the game was over.
Toilolo and Malufau came to the rescue, again. On first down, Malufau sacked the quarterback, then recorded a tackle for loss. And, finally, Toilolo finished it off with a strip sack that ended the game.
Malufau ended the game with six tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception. Toilolo finished with two and a half sacks, three quarterback hits and a forced fumble. The three-year senior starters proved to be kryptonite for the Bruins offense.
"Those two are as good as they come," Hemm said. "Getting after the passer is their superpower."
The Falcons will head to Bingham next week to face the Miners.
