Davis has success through the air

Gavin Fowler was the last Davis player to leave the Rice-Eccles Stadium field Friday evening, still wearing his helmet and carrying an equipment bag, silently shaking his head and walking toward the ramp when asked about his game.

The Darts' quarterback will always remember the interception he threw in the fourth quarter when Davis trailed by four points in an eventual 35-24 loss to Bingham for the 5A title. But until that moment, Fowler played brilliantly, keeping his team in position for an upset.

Fowler threw two touchdown passes in the first half as the Darts took a 17-7 lead and directed a scoring drive that kept them ahead 24-14 in the third period, before Bingham's defense asserted itself.

"Gavin's done a phenomenal job," said Davis coach Ryan Bishop. "Gavin does two things very well: He protects the football and he manages games."

In Friday's case, with Bingham shutting down Tanner Hinds and the Davis running game, the coaching staff asked much more of Fowler. He delivered, recording 172 of his 231 passing yards in the first half.

Daniel Moffett finished with seven catches for 133 yards and appeared to be open down the middle on the game's critical play, but Bingham safety Travis McRae cut in front and made the interception.

"I just got enough height to get it," McRae said.

"On that last pick, we're trying to make something happen, we're trying to get back in the game," Bishop said. "[Fowler's] doing

It just was not enough to complete an unlikely victory. "They'll be upset, they'll be heartbroken," Bishop said before addressing his players. "I'm going to try to pick them up a little bit and say, 'Hey, we came down here and battled and there's not one thing to hang our head about.' "

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com