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MILLCREEK — The Green Canyon Wolves (8-5) are heading back to Rice-Eccles Stadium after a narrow 28-26 victory over the Skyline Eagles (9-4) that came down to a final 2-point attempt.
"Nothing really comes easy to us, which is fine, football isn't meant to be easy," Wolves head coach JT Tauiliili said. "We've been in every single game, just battling back and forth. It's really a testament to the experience this group has."
That experience was tested early when Green Canyon running back Huston Paremski left the game with a lower-leg injury shorty after scoring a 24-yard rushing touchdown to open the game 7-0.
"Honestly, the boys kind of pick themselves up. In the locker room is probably when it finally hit us, like we didn't have Huston," Tauiliili said. "We just wanted to rally, like we've been through difficult things before. That wasn't going to just stop us or take the momentum away from us."
Skyline answered quickly to tie the game 7-7 with a 23-yard strike from Xavier Cocci to Sione Tupua.
Green Canyon quarterback Ethan Munk and his receivers then took control of the game. Munk's first of three touchdown passes was a 36-yard rainbow toss to Cody Edelmayer to give Green Canyon a 14-7 halftime lead.
"I love my receivers. They've been working since Day 1, working on their craft getting better," Munk said. "They're making like heck of catches, I'm putting it up there letting them make the catch. They're coming down with it and I appreciate that from them."
Skyline Cocci scored his first of three rushing touchdowns to tie the game, but it was Munk, again, with a 63-yard countermeasure to Edelmayer that kept the Wolves in front 21-14.
It took Skyline less than three minutes to respond with another Cocci rushing touchdown, though the Eagles missed the PAT after a too many men on the field penalty that cost them 5 yards.
Green Canyon had the opportunity to run out the clock late in the fourth quarter but scored on a 21-yard pass to Bryson Pabst to give the Wolves a 28-20 lead with 2:06 left in the game.
"We've talked all year about execution, details, and playing with passion," Tauiliili said. "That situation wasn't going to change who we are. The guys just executed."
The Eagles then drove down the field and scored a touchdown with 3.1 seconds to go to make it 28-26. But Cocci was stopped rolling out to the right on the 2-point attempt, which ultimately ended the game and season for the Eagles.
Green Canyon now faces the No. 2 seed Crimson Cliffs for the fourth straight year, the Wolves losing all three previous matchups, including the 2023 4A state championship game 33-0
"The atmosphere is going to be insane," Munk said. "I dressed my freshman year, but this time I actually get to play. It's going to be so much fun. Green Canyon, we love to go on a Cinderella run."
