SALT LAKE CITY — A last-second field goal from Highland’s Mike Kerr lifted the Rams 9-7 over Box Elder in a defensive battle that the Bees led until the final seconds on Wednesday night.
“We needed our offense to hold the ball a little longer,” Box Elder coach Robbie Gunter said. “We made some mistakes toward the end, but this was a great preparation for the playoffs to see where we stand and what we need to work on.”
Defense dominated in a game that saw nearly as many turnovers as complete passes with Highland turning the ball over four times and still escaping with a win over a Box Elder team that could only capitalize on one fumble in the second quarter.
Box Elder split quarterback duties as Shad Watson played the first half for the Bees throwing for 25 yards and running for another 25, including a one-yard scamper that gave his team a 7-0 lead in the second quarter.
Senior running back Kyler Allen led the game with 108 yards rushing on 25 carries for the Bees and was the workhorse on the night for the Box Elder offense.
Highland countered in the third quarter as running back Pisinga Vaenuku punched in a ball from two yards out but Box Elder blocked the extra point and kept the door open with a one point lead.
But with 2:56 left in the game the Rams drove from their own 34 down to the Box Elder 5-yard line and after a failed endzone attempt brought in Kerr to ice the game with his 20-yard field goal.
• BONNEVILLE 24, MURRAY 15: At Murray, the Lakers finished their season on a high note, getting 21 second-half points to defeat Murray in a non-league matchup.
Region 11
• STANSBURY 42, BEN LOMOND 0: At Ogden, the Region 11 champion Stallions showed no mercy to the Scots in their final game at home, sending Ben Lomond to a winless season.
• BEAR RIVER 60, TOOELE 14: At Garland, the Bears had no trouble with the Buffaloes in a tuneup for the state 3-A playoffs, as Jeramie Selman tossed TDs to Colton Jensen and Garrett Fronk.
Bear River got two defensive scores, as Edgar Lemus returned an interception 41 yards to the house and Parker Lewis capitalized on a blocked kick, returning it 32 yards for the TD.
• GRANTSVILLE 29, OGDEN 12: At Grantsville, the Cowboys piled up 238 yards on the ground to down the Tigers in their Region 11 finale.
Michael Richardson tossed a 1-yard TD to tight end Larry Rodriguez and Ethan Vosburgh returned a kickoff 98 yards to paydirt for Ogden in the loss.
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