High school football: Panthers slip past Tigers in double-overtime grudge match

ST. GEORGE — Sometimes sports writers have to make ugly games sound pretty. On the other hand, sometimes words just don't do justice. In a classic rivalry game Friday night from Panther Stadium, Pine View's Villiami Hafoka rushed it in from five yards in the second overtime and the Panthers edged Hurricane 34-28. It was a grudge match from a fractured region.

Hurricane, one of 3A's top teams, stood blow-for-blow with Pine View, one of 4A's better squads. Though the two schools have just about 100 students difference, they compete in different classifications in Region 9's split competition. None of that really mattered as both teams set out for bragging rights.

The game was so even, the two teams were within 13 yards of total offense (413-400 for Hurricane), within one in first downs (23-22, Hurricane) and within a minute of time of possession (24:26-23:34, Hurricane). They even split the ample penalty yardage, 108-103, Hurricane.

The game was tied at 7-7 after one quarter, 14-14 at halftime, 21-21 after three quarters and 28-28 at the end of regulation.

"I have a ton of respect for them," said Pine View quarterback Justin Ence. "They're a great football team. That was a great football game."

Neither team scored in the first overtime. Hurricane tried a fake field goal and was stopped by the Pine View defense. On the Panthers possession, PV got inside the 12-yard line, but Ence coughed up a fumble.

"I really felt like I was on the ground," he said. "If we had instant replay, they would have overturned it."

The second OT saw the Tigers drive inside the five. On fourth and a yard-and-a-half, Hurricane fullback bulled inside the one-yard line, but came up about a chain link short on the measurement, giving the Panthers another chance to clinch it.

After Hurricane came up just short in the second OT, Pineview capitalized. Ence carried three straight times to the 12-yard line for a first down. A Hafoka run of 11 yards made it first and goal at the two. Ence tried the right side sweep, but was stymied for a loss of three.

After a PV timeout, Hafoka took the handoff behind fullback Adam Bangerter and squirted through a hole into the end zone, sparking a raucous homecoming celebration.

"It looked like they had Villi stopped," Pine View assistant coach Telly Esplin said. "But he just pulled away and found his way into the end zone."

Ence rushed for 165 yards and three more touchdowns in the game, giving him a state-best 16 on the season for the Panthers, 5-1. Hafoka added 126 yards on the ground and a score for the Panthers, 5-1. Dotson was valiant in the loss, rushing for 178 yards on 33 carries. He also scored three times for the Tigers, who fell to 5-1