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Taylorsville • Since playing in their last state football tournament over 11 years ago when former Ute and current Jacksonville NFL player Zane Beadles was on the team, nothing has come easily for the Hillcrest Huskies.

So it figured that Hillcrest would face some adversity Tuesday night to earn the final Class 5A playoff spot with a 43-41 victory over a Cottonwood team the Huskies defeated 34-13 last Friday night. The Huskies will meet Region Four champion American Fork in what will probably be a Saturday game.

"This was our number one goal going into the season," said emotional Hillcrest quarterback Tanner Thompson who scored four touchdowns and a two-point conversion scamper to help the Huskies stave off repeated Cottonwood comebacks. "To finally see all of our hard work and blood, sweat and tears in the weight room and practice field pay off was amazing. It was just great."

This was a playoff game filled with drama. It included turnovers at key junctures, a goal-line stand where Hillcrest stopped Cottonwood four times within the 3-yard line, three Colt on sides kicks, a blocked field goal and gutty performances by two teams that obviously didn't want their seasons to end.

"Before the season, we were the school that wasn't supposed to be there," said first-year Hillcrest coach Travis Mehlhoff. "We talked a lot about belief."

Cottonwood, which lost three fumbles and had a pass intercepted, scored first on a 6-yard run by Toso Fehoke. Hillcrest responded on Thompson's 63-yard run and a one-yard touchdown dive by bruising Ian Smith. But the Colts tied it at 14 on a 79-yard run by Malu Hosea. Hillcrest appeared to take control by leading 21-14 at the half on Smith's 27-yard run. Then, after a muffed Colt punt, Thompson gave his team a 28-14 lead on a 10-yard run.

But Cottonwood was far from finished. Hosea scored on a 10-yard run to narrow the margin and, after recovering a Hillcrest fumble, moved to the three-yard line where the Colts had it first and goal. That's when the Huskies made the defensive stand of the game.

The Huskies took advantage of an interception, Thompson's 1-yard run and two-point conversion to lead 36-21 with 7:30 left in the game and appeared to be in good shape. But Cottonwood came roaring back, taking advantage of a successful on sides kick and getting touchdown passes of 25 and 42 yards from Nolan Lotulelei to Taniela Pututau to narrow the margin to 36-34.

Hillcrest responded when Thompson scored his last touchdown with 1:03 left to play. The Colts weren't finished, though, as Lotulelei hit Pututau on a 19-yard pass with 27 seconds left. Hillcrest finally won the game when Cade Roemmich pounced on Cottonwood's on sides kick.

Maple Mountain 17, Spanish Fork 14 • Maple Mountain earned a chance to meet Woods Cross Saturday at 1 p.m. by beating Spanish Fork in dramatic fashion. The Dons were running out the clock when the Golden Eagles' Jason Blanthorne knocked the ball loose as time expired. Brandon Beebe picked up the fumble and raced 25 yards for the winning touchdown. This was a three-way game that also involved Wasatch, which lost to Spanish Fork in the first half of the contest.

Box Elder 17, Mountain Crest 0 • In the second half of a three-team contest where Mountain Crest beat Bonneville in the first half, the Bees prevailed to earn a 4 p.m. Friday matchup at Corner Canyon. Riley Burt scored on an 80-yard run for Box Elder on the first play from scrimmage and Bryant Tingey added a 35-yard touchdown run.

North Sanpete 40, Richfield 23 • The Hawks earned a 3A first-round matchup with Union. —

Prep football schedule

All games Friday except where noted

Class 5A

• Taylorsville (7-3) at Riverton (8-1). 5:30 p.m.

• Alta (3-8) at Fremont (7-3), 3 p.m.

• Weber (4-6) at Bingham (9-1), 4 p.m.

• Herriman (7-3) at West (5-4), 4 p.m.

• Jordan (7-3) at Davis (7-2), 3 p.m.

• Hillcrest/Cottonwood winner at American Fork (8-2), TBA

• Lone Peak (5-5) at Hunter (5-5), 4 p.m.

• Syracuse (7-2) at Brighton (8-1), 4 p.m.

Class 4A

• Springville (5-4) at Bountiful (8-2), 5 p.m.

• Mountain Crest/Box Elder/Bonneville winner at Corner Canyon (10-0), TBA

• Orem (4-6) at Roy (9-0), 2:30 p.m.

• Highland (7-3) at Salem Hills (9-1), 2:30 p.m.

• Murray (6-3) at Sky View (8-2), 3 p.m.

• East (5-5) at Timpview (10-0), 7 p.m.

• Wasatch/Spanish Fork/Maple Mountain winner at Woods Cross (9-1), TBA

• Logan (7-3) at Skyline (6-4), 3:30 p.m.

Class 3AA

• Uintah (4-6) at Dixie (6-4), TBA

• Cedar City (4-5) at Tooele (7-3), 7 p.m.

• Snow Canyon (4-6) at Bear River (4-6), 5 p.m.

• Park City (2-8) at Hurricane (5-5), 4 p.m.

Note • Desert Hills (9-1), Pine View (7-2), Juan Diego (5-4) and Stansbury (9-1) received byes

Class 3A

• Canyon View (3-7) at Judge (9-1), 5 p.m.

• Morgan (6-3) at Manti (6-4), 5 p.m.

• Grantsville (3-7) at Juab (9-1), 4 p.m.

• Richfield/North Sanpete winner at Union (8-2), TBA

Class 2A

• Enterprise (7-3) at South Summit (8-1), 3 p.m.

• North Summit (8-2) at South Sevier (5-4), Saturday, 1 p.m.

• Millard (6-4) at San Juan (9-0), 2 p.m.

• Beaver (7-3) at Summit Academy (8-1), 5 p.m.

Class 1A

• Monument Valley (3-5) at Rich (6-3), 1 p.m.

• Milford (3-4) at Monticello (4-6), 4 p.m.

• Altamont (0-8) at Diamond Ranch (5-4), 1 p.m.

• Kanab (5-5) at Duchesne (6-3), Saturday, 1 p.m. —

Winning Team XX, Losing Team XX

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