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Provo • The Provo Bulldogs will spend a long time blaming themselves for all the mistakes they made in the school's first playoff appearance in six years.
Eventually, they'll realize how much credit Murray's Gage Cuthbertson deserves.
Cuthbertson's 99-yard interception return for a touchdown to conclude the first half was just of one several big plays the Spartans produced in a 26-17 victory in the Class 4A playoffs Friday. Murray ended up needing the help of a muffed punt at the Provo 3-yard line to score the go-ahead touchdown after the Bulldogs tied the game in the fourth quarter, but Cutherbertson can take some credit for that play too. He's the punter.
"He's the heart and soul of our football team," said Murray coach Mike Richmond.
In a matchup of Murray's methodical passing scheme and Provo's big-strike attack, consistency prevailed. Murray quarterback Drew Cash's first 15 completions accounted for 100 yards; Provo's Vili Iongi topped the 100-yard mark with four completions, including a 71-yard touchdown to Ty Jones. But he also threw three interceptions, including Cuthbertson's two picks — highlighted by the TD return on the last play of the first half for a 17-7 lead.
"I couldn't breathe, toward the end zone, but once I got there, I was so happy," Cuthbertson said.
The Bulldogs found more rhythm in the second half with Daniel Kelley's running and Ionian's short passing and threatened to take the lead, but a holding penalty negated a touchdown run and they settled for a field goal and a 17-17 tie.
The muffed punt, recovered by Jordan Wells, led to Hunter Jones' 3-yard TD run. The extra point was blocked, leaving Provo a chance to win in regulation.
But the Bulldogs lost another turnover when Maxs Tupai — "He's got the be the best player in the state," Richmond said — forced a fumble that Carson Chacon recovered. Cuthbertson then kicked a clinching 29-yard field goal, before officially wrapping up Murray's playoff victory in 19 years with another interception.
"We've been the underdogs all year; that's Murray football," Richmond said. "We haven't had respect for a long, long time."
Richmond has coached many of the Spartans since they were 8 years old, so Tupai said the breakthrough victory "feels no different than little league."
Twitter: @tribkurt —
Storylines
R Murray takes advantage of Provo's mistakes to score the game's last nine points in Class 4A playoff victory.
• The Spartans' Gage Cuthbertson intercepts two passes and kicks two field goals.
• Provo quarterback Vili Iongi completes his first seven passes of the second half after going 7 of 22 in the first half.