By Andrew Aragon, Deseret News
Published: Friday, Sept. 10, 2010 11:44 p.m. MDT
SANDY — Exhale, Alta fans.
The Hawks put their disappointing start and three-game losing streak behind them with a hard-fought 14-13 win over rival Jordan on the Beetdiggers' home field on Friday night. It was just what Alta needed in its Region 4 opener, and Hawk fans can go ahead and assume their rightful place.
Go ahead, jump back on the bandwagon.
"It feels good," said Alta linebacker Nik Wolford. "We needed this. We were in desperate need of a win."
That desperation showed in both good and bad ways against the Beetdiggers. The Hawks nearly took themselves out of the game in the first half with turnovers, penalties and miniscule production on offense. They were outgained 155-19 yards in the first quarter.
The good, however, as the final score indicates, narrowly outweighed the bad. Bryan Engstrom provided the game's turning point when he returned the second half's opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to give Alta a 14-7 lead.
"That was probably what won the game," said Alta's workhorse running back, Taylor Eyring. "That really stepped it up for us."
Eyring and the Hawks' defense also stepped it up. Eyring rushed 28 times for 145 yards. He got what had been a struggling offense going in the second quarter from the Wildcat quarterback position. He rushed for 83 yards on one drive, setting up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Boston Handley to Steven Richards.
"I wanted to give it to him 30 times," Alta coach Les Hamilton said of Eyring. "He's just a great player. He did a lot of things."
As did Alta's defense. The Hawks completely shut down Jordan's passing attack. Beetdigger quarterback McCoy Hillentered the game averaging 303.3 passing yards per game. Alta held him to 154 yards on 11-of-38 passing and picked him off twice.
"Special teams and defense were the difference in the game," Hamilton said. "We did just enough offensively down the stretch to keep the clock moving, but defense was the real winner. I really have to hand it to the defense."
Alta's secondary, led by Austin Lee, played tight coverage and batted several balls down to keep Jordan from getting in rhythm offensively.
Jordan stayed in the game until the end. The Beetdiggers answered Engstrom's kickoff return with a nine-play scoring drive that culminated with a 10-yard touchdown run by Hill. The snap on the extra-point attempt was botched, and Alta maintained a one-point lead.
The Beetdiggers' last real shot at winning was finished when Alta defensive back McKay Dunn, who had an interception earlier in the game, batted a pass away on a fourth-and-7 with 3:20 left in the game. The Hawks were able to drive to Jordan's 6, and kept possession until there were 1.9 seconds left.
The Hawks answered several questions about them with the victory. They fell apart down the stretch in their three losses, but were the ones to finish strong on Friday night.
"Our motto for this game was never give up," Eyring said. "This is a great relief."
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