5A high school football championship: Darts impress in title loss

Davis High entered Friday's 5A championship matchup with Bingham as a heavy underdog. After watching a 10-point halftime lead dissipate into an eventual 35-24 loss, the Darts were left wondering what might have been.

"I'm really proud of the way the kids handled themselves, they did everything I asked them to do," Davis coach Ryan Bishop said. "(Bingham) made some nice adjustments at halftime. Give them credit, they're the number one team in the state for a reason."

The underdog role worked well for the Darts — for a half, at least. While the Miners were focused on shutting down Tanner Hinds and the Davis running attack, quarterback Gavin Fowler was finding open receivers for large chunks of yards through the air.

Bingham's style of defense is predicated on stopping the run first, but few teams had managed to pass the ball as well as Davis did against the Miners.

Fowler's 172 yards passing and two touchdowns at halftime were the most he had in an entire game this season.

The Darts' defense had done its part as well, forcing three sacks and several critical penalties while holding Bingham to just 106 yards of total offense in the first half. The combined result was a stunning 17-7 lead that few would have predicted.

"They came with a chip on their shoulder because nobody gave them a chance, while we came in thinking if we do what we do, then we'll be fine," Bingham coach Dave Peck said. "We found out real quick that wasn't going to be the case. Davis was unbelievable."

The second half turned into a much different story than the first. After Bingham took just 70 seconds to score its first points after intermission, Davis responded again behind a long drive that featured several clutch throws by Fowler.

After that, though, the Miners' offense continued to grind Davis with its running game while the defense finally halted the Davis passing attack.

"I don't know if it's a matter of us getting tired, or if it's a matter of them just being big, physical and getting downhill," Bishop said.

"Not that we didn't do a good job in the second half; Bingham is just a tough, physical team."

Despite earning a modicum of respect from the thousands in attendance, losing the game was a strong blow to a team that didn't consider itself an underdog.

"I'm not into moral victories. I want to win like everybody else and I know our kids do," Bishop said.

"Our kids battled. They made plays. They stood up to them. They left it all out on this field, and that's all we ask of them."