High school football: Ridgeline runs over Green Canyon in battle of Region 11 unbeatens

The big question heading into Friday’s Region 11 showdown between Ridgeline and Green Canyon was whether or not Green Canyon’s vaunted defense could slow down Ridgeline’s explosive offense.

Nope.

Ridgeline scored every time it touched the ball but once, rolling to a 39-21 victory to spoil Green Canyon’s homecoming in a battle of 4-0 teams.

Ridgeline coach Travis Cox said his players had heard all week about how Green Canyon’s defense had shut out three of its four opponents this season, but he was proud of how they went out and played unfazed by the talk and the atmosphere of the big region game.

“I was really proud of our offense. We were able to a lot in the air and on the ground, and that’s what we try to preach all year long with our guys is being able to be multiple,” said Cox.

Quarterback Nate Dahle threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns, while senior wideout Graham Livingston hauled in two of those TD receptions as he finished with 218 yards through the air. Well over 100 of those yards were after the catch as he outran Green Canyon’s defense to the end zone.

On the ground, J.T. White was a beast as he carried the ball 27 times for 182 yards, including the final TD of the game.

“It was his game to get out there and do his thing. We knew coming into it the run game looked pretty good for us,” said Cox.

As great as White was in bumping his season rushing yards total to 576, Dahle was quick to praise Ridgeline’s five offensive linemen — Cade Berrett, Easton Hammond, Tayson Knighton, Tjay Tulimasealii and Kyler May — for opening up the massive holes for White.

In improving to 5-0, 4A No. 1 Ridgeline is one of just two teams left unbeaten in 4A along with Park City.

Dahle said it was all about having the right mentality from the opening kickoff.

“We were big on no doubt, no expectations for the game, just go out and do your job and get the W,” he said.

Ridgeline started fast, taking the opening kickoff and marching 80 yards in three and a half minutes as Cooper Clark hauled in a 7-yard TD reception from Dahle for the early 6-0 lead after the failed two-point conversion.

White tallied 38 rushing yards on the drive as Ridgeline’s offensive line set an early tone at the point of attack, a trend that continued much of the game as White got to the second level untouched.

Ridgeline scored on all four of its drives in the first half, but twice it settled for field goals by Aaron Young and then on both its touchdowns it missed two-point conversions.

The Riverhawks’ other TD in the first half came on a perfect short slant route by Livingston, who caught Dahle’s pass just past the line of scrimmage on third and six and raced 70 yards for the touchdown and the 15-0 lead at the 8:48 mark of the second quarter.

The two later hooked up on a 76-yarder in the third quarter.

“We try to throw on the downs that seem like we’re going to run it, and so I think those plays were all set up with how we run the ball,” said Cox.

After sputtering for most of the first half with just three first downs and 49 yards on its first three possessions, Green Canyon’s offense finally put a drive together in the final minutes to give itself some hope heading into halftime.

QB Payton Wilson engineered a quick scoring drive completing three passes, the last of which was a 25-yard TD strike to Hayden Scramm with 30 seconds remaining, cutting the deficit to 18-7 at the half.

The momentum spilled into the third quarter with Wilson connecting with Cody Edelmayer on a 76-yard TD pass on the third play of the second half and the Wolves suddenly found themselves only down 18-14 after an otherwise awful first half.

Green Canyon’s defense fed off that momentum and forced Ridgeline into its only punt of the game, although Ridgeline’s defense had a response of its own, pinning Green Canyon deep in its own territory and forcing a punt.

“Take away the one big play I thought the defense played phenomenal tonight. A lot of negative yardage plays,” said Cox.

After that one offensive hiccup, Ridgeline’s offense responded with three touchdowns to finish the game with a relatively easy victory.