3A prep football: Tigers run out of hole

Hurricane's Jarom Healy stif arms Park CIty's Blake Thorne as he tries to get around the corner during the 3A semifinal football game between Park City and Hurricane at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City Friday Nov 13, 2009. (Steve Griffin / The Salt Lake Tribune)

By Chris Homer's account, Jarom Healy's ability to explode through a hole didn't return until a week ago.

And if that account is accurate, the junior running back from Hurricane had a good reason. Torn MCLs tend to do that to a player.

But on Friday, in the most important game of the season for the Tigers, Healy looked more than explosive. He looked strong, he looked shifty and he looked spry in leading Hurricane to a 24-19 win over Park City in a Class 3A semifinal at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The win sets up a title date with Juan Diego next Friday, which will be a rematch of last season's championship game.

"That's what we expect of him every week," said Homer, the Hurricane coach. "He ran great today. We got him

Healy shouldered much of the offensive load Friday, taking the ball 24 times, running for 140 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Jacob Pugh, a senior running back, rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Still, the game wasn't over until the very last seconds when Pugh made the game-saving interception to ensure the victory when the Miners were attempting to drive for what would've been the winning touchdown.

"I intercepted an out pass and they had been trying to run that play all game," Pugh said. "I anticipated that they were going to try it again, and I was able to step in front of it."

The Tigers were able to rally from a quick 12-0 deficit

But Healy, on the next possession, scored on a 9-yard run and Pugh followed that with a nifty 13-yard run. And with the Miners whiffing on two extra point tries, the Tigers were able to take a 14-12 lead into halftime.

"We botched the snap on the first one," Park City coach Brandon Mattich said. "I don't know what happened, so I have to go back and look at the film. That made us have to go for two on the next touchdown and we didn't make it. We had our chances, but we didn't get it done."

The Miners, after surrendering the lead, were down for the remainder of the game. They did attempt to rally late in the game. They scored a touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-19 in the fourth quarter. After Hurricane extended the lead on a Cory Edwards 31-yard field goal, Park City, twice, attempted to score a winning touchdown. But Hurricane was too much.

"These kids are resilient," Homer said. "They don't quit, that's who they've been all season. They expect to win every game and they'll expect to win next week."

tjones@sltrib.com