Prep football: McGrath, Skyline pass test vs. Brighton
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline WR Briggs Binford makes a fingertip catch to help set up a field goal attempt late in the first half. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline's Taylor Larsen catches a TD pass in the waning minutes of the first half to give Skyline a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline's Dax Lowe, center, celebrates with team mates after his interception stymied a Brighton drive late in the first half. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline's Dax Lowe, center, celebrates with team mates after his interception stymied a Brighton drive late in the first half. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline RB Sainone Matagi runs the ball to the Brighton one yard line late in the first half. A very short field goal was later missed keeping Skyline's 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline QB Tommy McGrath passes during first half play. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Brighton fans celebrate homecoming prior to kickoff against Skyline. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Brighton players take the field prior to the home matchup against Skyline. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Brighton QB Alexander Zettler pushes the ball across the goal line, but the TD was called back due to holding and the Bengals settled for a field goal for a brief 10-7 lead during first half play. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline's Taylor Larsen makes a juggling catch of a Tommy McGrath pass during first half play in front of Brighton DB Kepu Fifita. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Fans at the Skyline / Brighton football game were treated to a nice sunset during first half play. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Brighton QB Alexander Zettler scrambles during first half play. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Brighton QB Alexander Zettler runs during first half play. Earlier he had a 63 yard TD scamper to give the Bengals an early 7-0 lead. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Brighton QB Alexander Zettler celebrates his 63 yard TD scamper to give Brighton an early 7-0 lead. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline's Zach Boyd tackles Brighton QB Alexander Zettler after a short scramble during first half play. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline's Taylor Larsen makes a TD catch behind Brighton DB Salua Masina to tie the game at 7-7 during first half play. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline kicker Jacob Bagley pounds his helmet after missing the shortest of field goal attempts at the end of he first half. Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline head coach Zac Erekson organizes a last shot at the end zone in the waning seconds of the first half. The running play failed, and the ensuing FG attempt was no good, but Skyline held a 14-10 lead at the half over Brighton, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Skyline DL/C Dax Lowe, left, talks with starting QB Tommy McGrath, center and RB coach Aryah Fard during the last minute of the game as Skyline beat Brighton 42-28, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Brighton RB Nicholas Parker scores a late TD to make the score more respectable as Skyline beat Brighton 42-28, Friday, September 15, 2017.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Brighton's Salua Masina catches a 2-point conversion after a TD in the last minute as Skyline beat Brighton 42-28, Friday, September 15, 2017.
Cottonwood Heights • Tommy McGrath put on an aerial show and Skyline showed it’s once again ready to play with the big boys.
The senior quarterback threw for 375 yards and five touchdowns and led an Eagles big-play offense that routed host Brighton 42-28 on Friday night in a game not nearly as close as the score indicated.
“I felt like everything was working tonight,” said McGrath, who now has 15 touchdowns and just one interception this season. “The line gave me a ton of time, which when they do that, with our receiving corps, as coach says, ‘We are unstoppable.’”
McGrath connected with senior Taylor Larsen for scores of 24, 25 and 39 yards, and capped his night with a 76-yard scoring strike to Hayden Hansen in the fourth quarter. McGrath finished 15-of-23 passing and got some help from Briggs Binford, who made two one-handed grabs for big gains.
“I think we put it all together tonight and we’re going to continue to do that the rest of the season,” McGrath said.
The Eagles (3-1) shut down Brighton’s potent run game and held Evona Hall to just 57 yards on 16 carries. Hall came into the game with 435 yards on the ground.
SKYLINE 42, BRIGHTON 28 <br>• Tommy McGrath throws five touchdownpasses – three to Taylor Larsen – as Skyline scores on its first fourpossessions of the second half. <br>• Brighton quarterback AlexZettler rushes for 159 yards and two scores, but the Bengals’ run gamestruggles after a fast start. <br>• Skyline leads all-time series19-6. It was the schools’ first meeting since 2008.
Brighton quarterback Alex Zettler ran for a game-high 159 yards and two scores – from 63 and 28 yards out. But he was bottled up for most of the second half, which meant the Bengals (4-1) had to turn to their little-used pass game.
That was bad news for Brighton. Skyline intercepted three passes and held Zettler to just four completions on 11 attempts. A team not built to play from behind was forced to do just that the entire second half, which played right into Skyline’s hands.
“They practiced their butts off this week, and it showed,” Skyline coach Zak Erekson said. “It’s easy to call plays when your guys execute like that.
“When Tommy’s on, I think he’s as good as anyone in the state. He’s got the size, he’s got the arm. … When he’s on, I absolutely love our chances.”
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