By Bruce Smith, For the Deseret News
Published: Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010 12:18 a.m. MDT
SANDY — Pleasant Grove coach Dale Sampson felt like dying at least a dozen times on his team's sideline Friday night. But his biggest decision ended up being the key play in the Vikings' 21-16 Region 4 victory over Alta.
Sampson instructed his players — notably punter Quinn Newbold — to take a safety with PG punting from its own 24-yard line. The play occurred with 1:16 left and Pleasant Grove holding a 21-14 lead. The questionable move paid off and enabled the Vikings to play again.
Pleasant Grove improved to 4-6 overall and 3-3 in region. More importantly, it moved the Vikings into a tie for fourth place. On Tuesday, Pleasant Grove and Brighton will meet at 4 p.m. on Alta's field, with the winner going to the 5A state playoffs.
"I don't know how we did it, but we get to play again," said an exasperated Sampson after the game. "The kids saved my job tonight."
Alta, meanwhile, fell to 4-6 overall but the Hawks are 4-2 in region. The defeat didn't affect their second-place finish in the region standings.
Alta still has a chance to change that, however. The Hawks play host to Northridge next Friday at 4 p.m. in the first round of the 5A playoffs.
All of that seems a long ways off after Friday night's long, exciting matchup. Most of it occurred in the fourth quarter.
Immediately following the safety, Vikings' kicker Winston Sorhaitz slammed the kickoff out of bounds. Alta, however, chose to accept the 5-yard penalty and have Pleasant Grove kick it again, rather than taking the ball at PG's 45-yard line.
Alta apparently made the wrong decision because Sorhaitz's next attempt was a screaming line drive from the 15-yard line that bounced past the Hawks defenders, and Bryan Engstrom was tackled at the Alta 20, causing a celebration on the PG sideline.
Alta quarterback Tyson Blackner, who replaced an injured Eric Emery in the first quarter, Blackner had a decent night, completing 10 of 21 passes for 166 yards. Casey was his favorite target, catching six balls for 113 yards.
Alta's running game, however, was mostly a no-show. Pleasant Grove's lines played one of its best games of the season. The offense recorded just 126 yards rushing, but held on to the ball and dominated time of possession.
"We felt one of the keys to this game would be turnovers," said Sampson, whose team was perfect in that department. "We couldn't give them anything easy. We had to make them earn it."
The Vikings' gave Alta an easy score in the second quarter. Leading 7-0, the Hawks forced Pleasant Grove to punt and their excited defense kept moving around, forcing three consecutive illegal procedure calls. Newbold faked a punt and was tackled far short of the first down. Taylor Eyring's 5-yard run a couple of minutes later tied the game.
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