Updated Aug 21, 2010 12:35AM
Before kicking off the football season they have dedicated to their coach who died last month, the Cottonwood Colts presented Teko Johnson’s family a personalized jersey, an autographed football and yellow roses.
And then the Colts gave Johnson a victory that they never could have scripted.
Trailing by seven points in the last three minutes Friday night, with No. 2-ranked Alta about to clinch a win, Cottonwood responded in almost fictional fashion. Anthony Lewis’ 90-yard return of a blocked field goal and Kami Sofele’s 50-yard interception return for touchdowns gave the Colts a stunning 28-21 victory.
Nearly three hours after the somber pregame tribute, the Colts stormed off the sideline in celebration as the clock ran out after three straight Alta incompletions from the Cottonwood 8-yard line.
“It’s amazing,” Lewis said. “We’re just happy we could make [Johnson] proud. It’s something we always wanted for him.”
Earlier, Cottonwood’s defense made two fourth-down stops and recovered a fumble after Alta’s long drives, only to wear down and allow a 98-yard touchdown march midway through the fourth quarter. Leading 21-14, Alta also moved inside the Cottonwood 10-yard line in the last three minutes, but a field-goal try barely got off the ground. Lewis grabbed the ball and raced to the end zone, about a half-minute before Sofele’s winning play.
The upset came against an Alta program that beat Cottonwood twice by a combined 96-33 last season.
This effort was everything the Colts promised in honor of Johnson, almost exactly a month after he died of an apparent heart attack while vacationing with his family in New Jersey.
“The game’s going to be for Teko,” linebacker Luke King said after the team’s final preseason practice. “We’re going to play for him with passion, intensity - just how he would want us to play, so we’re going to be ready.”
Johnson had recently joined the Cottonwood staff after coaching at Mountain View in Orem, where he revived the program. Johnson’s wife, Jody, their three children and several other family members attended the game.
While they knew him only briefly during summer workouts, the Colts bonded with Johnson.
Josh Lyman, an assistant who became Cottonwood’s interim coach, learned from him as well. “Just the way he interacted with the kids,” Lyman said. “He didn’t just teach them about football; he stressed family, being good people off the field, in the classroom, in the community. That’s something I’m trying to help carry on.”
Lyman was not concerned about Colts being too emotional, after the way they prepared for the season. “I think we’ve done a good job of channeling it,” he said after Thursday evening’s practice. “The kids still talk about Teko and they really want to make his family proud. I think it’s helped push them along and got them going even more.”
On a pivotal play late in the first half, though, the Colts played too aggressively. A roughing-the-passer penalty nullified an interception, enabling Alta to score a tying touchdown on Boston Handley’s 12-yard pass to Taylor Eyring. A similar penalty also kept Alta’s last drive alive, making Lyman agonize more about his first victory.
A senior co-captain, Lewis is among the Cottonwood players who will always remember how Johnson spoke with them individually, trying to maximize their abilities. The coach once told Lewis he looked good in practice, but would he come through in a game?
“I guess this is my time to prove it,” Lewis said.
“The game’s going to be for Teko,” linebacker Luke King said after the team’s final preseason practice. “We’re going to play for him with passion, intensity - just how he would want us to play, so we’re going to be ready.”
Johnson had recently joined the Cottonwood staff after coaching at Mountain View in Orem, where he revived the program. Johnson’s wife, Jody, their three children and several other family members attended the game.
While they knew him only briefly during summer workouts, the Colts bonded with Johnson.
Josh Lyman, an assistant who became Cottonwood’s interim coach, learned from him as well. “Just the way he interacted with the kids,” Lyman said. “He didn’t just teach them about football; he stressed family, being good people off the field, in the classroom, in the community. That’s something I’m trying to help carry on.”
Lyman was not concerned about Colts being too emotional, after the way they prepared for the season. “I think we’ve done a good job of channeling it,” he said after Thursday evening’s practice. “The kids still talk about Teko and they really want to make his family proud. I think it’s helped push them along and got them going even more.”
On a pivotal play late in the first half, though, the Colts played too aggressively. A roughing-the-passer penalty nullified an interception, enabling Alta to score a tying touchdown on Boston Handley’s 12-yard pass to Taylor Eyring. A similar penalty also kept Alta’s last drive alive, making Lyman agonize more about his first victory.
A senior co-captain, Lewis is among the Cottonwood players who will always remember how Johnson spoke with them individually, trying to maximize their abilities. The coach once told Lewis he looked good in practice, but would he come through in a game?
“I guess this is my time to prove it,” Lewis said.
Updated Aug 21, 2010 12:35AM
Before kicking off the football season they have dedicated to their coach who died last month, the Cottonwood Colts presented Teko Johnson’s family a personalized jersey, an autographed football and yellow roses.
And then the Colts gave Johnson a victory that they never could have scripted.
Trailing by seven points in the last three minutes Friday night, with No. 2-ranked Alta about to clinch a win, Cottonwood responded in almost fictional fashion. Anthony Lewis’ 90-yard return of a blocked field goal and Kami Sofele’s 50-yard interception return for touchdowns gave the Colts a stunning 28-21 victory.
Nearly three hours after the somber pregame tribute, the Colts stormed off the sideline in celebration as the clock ran out after three straight Alta incompletions from the Cottonwood 8-yard line.
“It’s amazing,” Lewis said. “We’re just happy we could make [Johnson] proud. It’s something we always wanted for him.”
Earlier, Cottonwood’s defense made two fourth-down stops and recovered a fumble after Alta’s long drives, only to wear down and allow a 98-yard touchdown march midway through the fourth quarter. Leading 21-14, Alta also moved inside the Cottonwood 10-yard line in the last three minutes, but a field-goal try barely got off the ground. Lewis grabbed the ball and raced to the end zone, about a half-minute before Sofele’s winning play.
The upset came against an Alta program that beat Cottonwood twice by a combined 96-33 last season.
This effort was everything the Colts promised in honor of Johnson, almost exactly a month after he died of an apparent heart attack while vacationing with his family in New Jersey.
“The game’s going to be for Teko,” linebacker Luke King said after the team’s final preseason practice. “We’re going to play for him with passion, intensity - just how he would want us to play, so we’re going to be ready.”
Johnson had recently joined the Cottonwood staff after coaching at Mountain View in Orem, where he revived the program. Johnson’s wife, Jody, their three children and several other family members attended the game.
While they knew him only briefly during summer workouts, the Colts bonded with Johnson.
Josh Lyman, an assistant who became Cottonwood’s interim coach, learned from him as well. “Just the way he interacted with the kids,” Lyman said. “He didn’t just teach them about football; he stressed family, being good people off the field, in the classroom, in the community. That’s something I’m trying to help carry on.”
Lyman was not concerned about Colts being too emotional, after the way they prepared for the season. “I think we’ve done a good job of channeling it,” he said after Thursday evening’s practice. “The kids still talk about Teko and they really want to make his family proud. I think it’s helped push them along and got them going even more.”
On a pivotal play late in the first half, though, the Colts played too aggressively. A roughing-the-passer penalty nullified an interception, enabling Alta to score a tying touchdown on Boston Handley’s 12-yard pass to Taylor Eyring. A similar penalty also kept Alta’s last drive alive, making Lyman agonize more about his first victory.
A senior co-captain, Lewis is among the Cottonwood players who will always remember how Johnson spoke with them individually, trying to maximize their abilities. The coach once told Lewis he looked good in practice, but would he come through in a game?
“I guess this is my time to prove it,” Lewis said.
“The game’s going to be for Teko,” linebacker Luke King said after the team’s final preseason practice. “We’re going to play for him with passion, intensity - just how he would want us to play, so we’re going to be ready.”
Johnson had recently joined the Cottonwood staff after coaching at Mountain View in Orem, where he revived the program. Johnson’s wife, Jody, their three children and several other family members attended the game.
While they knew him only briefly during summer workouts, the Colts bonded with Johnson.
Josh Lyman, an assistant who became Cottonwood’s interim coach, learned from him as well. “Just the way he interacted with the kids,” Lyman said. “He didn’t just teach them about football; he stressed family, being good people off the field, in the classroom, in the community. That’s something I’m trying to help carry on.”
Lyman was not concerned about Colts being too emotional, after the way they prepared for the season. “I think we’ve done a good job of channeling it,” he said after Thursday evening’s practice. “The kids still talk about Teko and they really want to make his family proud. I think it’s helped push them along and got them going even more.”
On a pivotal play late in the first half, though, the Colts played too aggressively. A roughing-the-passer penalty nullified an interception, enabling Alta to score a tying touchdown on Boston Handley’s 12-yard pass to Taylor Eyring. A similar penalty also kept Alta’s last drive alive, making Lyman agonize more about his first victory.
A senior co-captain, Lewis is among the Cottonwood players who will always remember how Johnson spoke with them individually, trying to maximize their abilities. The coach once told Lewis he looked good in practice, but would he come through in a game?
“I guess this is my time to prove it,” Lewis said.
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