Corner Canyon Comes From Behind To Win 6A State Championship
Nov 21, 2024, 6:03 PM
Corner Canyon celebrates win in UHSAA playoffs (Photo: Ethan Herrick)
(Photo: Ethan Herrick)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Corner Canyon Chargers fell behind early but didn’t panic, scoring 23 straight points to beat Lone Peak 30-27. The Chargers have two-consecutive 6A titles.
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.@CCHSFOOTBALL_ ties the 6A title game at 21 after a Weston Briggs rushing TD. #GameNightLive #GNLonKSL pic.twitter.com/DR3KeRpSf2
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 22, 2024
RELATED: How To Watch Game Night Live: 4A, 5A, & 6A Championships
First Quarter
Before either team could get settled, Corner Canyon junior running back King Cooper took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage and sprinted 80 yards untouched to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead.
80 YARDS!! King Cooper gives @CCHSFOOTBALL_ an early lead in the 6A title game. #gamenightlive #GNLonKSL pic.twitter.com/xVcFIAc4Ht
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 21, 2024
Lone Peak bounced right back with a 40-yard kick-off return to start their first possession in great field position. Junior QB Kepa Niumeitolu found a crease on the keeper, tying the game at seven on a rushing score.
.@LPKnightsFB respond with a TD from Kepa Niumeitolu to even things at 7️⃣. #gamenightlive #gnlonksl pic.twitter.com/kHy9BdixzE
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 21, 2024
Both teams traded punts after scoring on their first possession.
Second Quarter
After forcing a second Charger punt, Niumeitolu marched the Knights into scoring position. The plucky junior fired a pass beyond the reach of two defenders, finding Ike Staley for a TD.
.@LPKnightsFB takes its first lead on a Niumeitolu TD pass to Ike Staley. #gamenightlive #GNLonKSL pic.twitter.com/KWRwIVTNOB
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 21, 2024
Corner Canyon QB Bronson Evans committed the game’s first turnover on the next possession, tossing an interception right to a Lone Peak defender. Niumeitolu scored his second rushing TD to take a 21-7 lead.
Kepa Niumeitolu's second rushing TD gives @LPKnightsFB a2️⃣-score lead. #GameNightLive #GNLonKSL pic.twitter.com/AG3G61Pazf
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 21, 2024
Corner Canyon’s offense got rolling on a two-minute drive to end the half. Weston Briggs took a handoff in the red zone and found a crease to the end zone, cutting Lone Peak’s lead to 21-14 with 48 seconds left in the half.
Mason Brady gets @CCHSFOOTBALL_ in the end zone, cutting the deficit to 21-14 in the 6A title game. #GameNightLive #GNLonKSL pic.twitter.com/jtjK2UtUoa
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 21, 2024
Third Quarter
Both defenses looked strong out of the break, forcing alternating punts to open the half.
A game-tying touchdown drive for Corner Canyon started with strong field position. After pounding away with the ground game in the red zone, Weston Briggs powered through the Knights’ defense for a TD.
Needing a stop, the Charger defense came up with a sack in the end zone, creating a safety to take a 23-21 lead.
Corner Canyon methodically moved the football into Lone Peak territory, eating up clock as they went. On 4th-and-11, Evans found Kai Meza wide open across the middle for a 34-yard TD.
Corner Canyon took a 30-21 lead after scoring 23 unanswered points.
.@CCHSFOOTBALL_ increases its lead to 9️⃣ after a Kai Meza touchdown. Less than nine minutes left to 👑 a 6A champion. #GameNightLive #GNLonKSL pic.twitter.com/5OoBhjwE55
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 22, 2024
Lone Peak refused to go away quietly.
The Knights moved quickly into positive territory, needing two scores to win. Niumeitolu scored on a rushing touchdown, but a failed two-point conversion left Corner Canyon in front 30-27 with 7:45 left.
The Chargers ran more than five minutes off the clock before giving the football back to Lone Peak on downs. The Knights took over with 1:39 on the clock.
Despite their best efforts, Lone Peak’s comeback fell short in a 30-27 loss.
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Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.
Find KSL Sports coverage of Utah High School sports here.
