5A high school football: Miners pull tricks to beat rival Hawks

It's important to beat a rival — especially in a playoff game.

It's so important that teams may work on special plays and strategies to use exclusively against their rival in a playoff game.

And if all goes according to plan, it can provide a much-needed spark.

Bingham successfully executed two plays that had Alta's name written all over them early in Friday's 5A state football semifinal at Rice-Eccles Stadium. And although the two plays didn't even give the Miners the lead, Bingham gained momentum on its way to dethroning the defending state champs 28-19.

Trailing 7-0 a minute into the second quarter, Bingham faced fourth-and-3 at the Alta 44-yard line. The Miners' first offensive series had gone virtually nowhere, and it looked as if another drive had stalled.

It was time for something different.

Normally conservative Bingham lined up to punt, but the snap went to Bridger Peck, who found daylight and ran 33 yards to give Bingham a first down at the Alta 11 — and an energizing lift.

"Since the first time we played (Alta), we felt like there was something there," Miners coach Dave Peck said. "We came into this game totally prepared to use that play."

"(Alta linebacker Nick Wolford) acts like he's blitzing every time; we called it and everything opened up," Bridger Peck said. "That's what we needed, a game-changing play."

Shortly thereafter, Bingham had the ball third-and-10 on Alta's 11. Running back Harvey Langi lined up in position to take a direct Wildcat snap while backup quarterback Stefan Cantwell stood at his side.

Surprise! The snap went to Cantwell, who faked a run, stopped on a dime, then lofted a pass to Ryker Hall, who beat his defender and snared the ball for Bingham's first score.

How many times has Bingham dialed up that play this year? "First time," Dave Peck said.

Beginner's luck? "I knew what to do. We practiced it. Coach trusted me," Cantwell said.

Braeden Loveless missed the extra point, and Bingham still trailed 7-6. But the Miners had made good on two plays reserved for this playoff game against this rival.

The touchdown began a deluge of 22 unanswered points. And Bingham's defense stood fast to keep Alta's passing attack off the board until the fourth quarter.

Cornerbacks Travis McRae and Braden Anderson held their own against the quick Alta receivers, and the Miners repeatedly pressured Alta quarterback Jordan Brown. Defensive linemen Kesni Tausinga and Seni Fauonuku led the charge up front, while linebackers Brandon Lambert and Jake Bright stepped up to help vex the Hawks' signal-caller, sacking him five times and bringing him back to Earth after a hot start.

"Our kids up front were awesome," Dave Peck said.

E-mail: rtrishman@desnews.com