5A high school football championship: Bingham captures title over Davis

They were down by four points and had yet to take control as they were expected to against a scrappy Davis High team.

But once the third quarter ended, their sideline and fans erupted yelling "four!" and it was time to start the game's final period, there was no way the Bingham Miners were losing in the 5A championship game.

The Miners learned their lessons from a year ago and dominated the fourth quarter against Davis en route to a 35-24 victory over the Darts. Bingham earned its second 5A state championship in four years at Rice-Eccles Stadium with the win on Friday.

"Now we're on top," said Bingham running back Harvey Langi. "It's our year and we all get to go home with a ring on our finger. I'm so excited."

It was a complete turnaround from last year's championship game for the Miners.

Last season, it was Bingham that entered the fourth quarter with a double-digit lead against Alta in the 5A title game. The Miners watched the entire advantage wither away, and their entire offseason workout program was based upon finishing in the fourth quarter. It paid off on Friday, as Bingham outscored Davis 14-0 in the fourth.

"You could just feel the energy (when the third quarter ended)," said Miners coach Dave Peck. "All (offseason) when our kids would lift, they would finish with a burnout set and before they would do it they would have to yell out 'four!' Our motto was we will not lose in the fourth quarter. We will not lose a game in the fourth quarter."

When the fourth quarter started, the Miners trailed 24-21 and were on Davis' 18-yard line. The Miners had already started imposing their will on the Darts, although it had yet to show on the scoreboard. Bingham's drive threatened to stall after a penalty, but it got on track when Ty Hannay threw a 19-yard pass to Dalton Fackrell. Three plays later, Stefan Cantwell scored from 1 yard out to give Bingham its first lead of the game at 28-24 with 8:36 left.

The Miners' defense then did its part in bringing home a title. Bingham defensive back Travis McRae intercepted a pass by Davis quarterback Gavin Fowler to get the Miners the ball at their own 44. Bingham called seven straight running plays, and Cantwell scored from 7 yards out to put the game out of reach with 3:43 remaining.

"That was a big pick," Peck said of the play made by McRae. "He's been our defensive points leader all year and he came through big. That was a big momentum changer and we needed it at that point."