Prep football: Oly downs Skyline again

On Oct. 12, I covered the traditional rivalry game between Skyline and Olympus. This is one of my favorite matchups. The schools are only a couple miles apart and both teams know each other well. This year, it was played on Oly's beautiful field, but it in a driving rain. Here is the article that I wrote and will also appear in both team's yearbooks.

By Bruce Smith

For the Deseret News

                The annual “Battle of the Rock” got a little soggy Friday night, but the Olympus Titans didn’t care.

                Corbin Anderson ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more and the Titan defense shut down Skyline in the second half, lifting Olympus to a 27-9 win and forcing a three-way tie for first place in Region 7.

                “Wasn’t that great … how we came out in the second half?” said Olympus coach Aaron Whitehead. “We started out slow, but we’re peaking at the right time. Great win.”
                Afterward, the Titans celebrated on their still-new field as heavy rains fell. It was a great football atmosphere between two neighborhood rivals. While construction continues on the new Olympus High School nearby, crews managed to finish the stadium’s west side stands in time for Friday’s game and it successfully handled the big crowd from both schools.
                Jake Jones rushed for 113 yards on 22 carries. However, the biggest play he made came early in the fourth quarter. Leading 14-9, Oly faced 1^st-and-goal from Skyline’s 1-yard line. Anderson took the ball forward on a quarterback sneak, but dropped the football. It lay still for a split second near the goal line while the huge crowd roared.
                Jones leaped forward and cradled it to keep the drive going. Anderson scored on the next play.
                “They got all the breaks,” said Skyline quarterback Tyler Snyder. “We didn’t play like we’re capable. Now we’ve got to regroup and get ready for the playoffs.”
                With the region season over, Olympus, Skyline and Herriman (a 55-7 winner over Westlake Friday) each finished on top with 4-1 records. A coin flip Monday will determine seeding for the 4A state playoffs, which begin Oct. 26.
                Skyline had a chance to end a three-game losing streak to the Titans, regain the rivalry’s keepsake and sew up the region with a victory. Snyder led the Eagles right down the field on their opening drive, and then Skyline took advantage of a turnover deep in Oly territory to claim a 9-0 lead on Stuart Barrett’s 30-yard field goal.
                But the Eagles’ offense was stymied after that. Playmaker Garrett England made a few big plays on kick returns, but also had a few blunders, including intentionally kicking the ball on an Oly fumble that allowed the Titans to keep the ball and add 15 yards because of the penalty.
                Skyline also blocked one punt, and got a hand on another, but couldn’t turn either into points. The Titans’ defense stuffed Skyline’s running game, and limited the Eagles to just two first downs after halftime.
                Anderson completed 7 of 11 passes for 69 yards and had scoring throws to Nate Goldsberry and Tate Benson. He also ran for 48 yards. Anderson’s 15-yard pass to Benson put the game away.