High school football: Corner Canyon tops Skyridge in matchup of 6A juggernauts

Give Corner Canyon an inch and the Chargers will turn it into a mile. A morsel into a meal. A thread into an unraveling.

Corner Canyon topped Skyridge on the road in a matchup of vaunted 6A teams Friday, 38-28, after a crucial five minutes to end the first half in which the Chargers forced two interceptions and opened the decisive 10-point victory margin.

After a spectacular one-handed Skyridge defensive interception from Tavian Edwards, Falcons quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne threw a pick of his own into the chest of Corner Canyon’s Mason Wood to end a scoring chance inside the 15-yard line.

The Chargers kicked open the crack in the door and ate up a quick 44-yard drive punctuated with an 11-yard Helaman Casuga scoring keeper up the middle to make it 21-14 with 44 seconds until halftime.

On the very next offensive play, Sweetwyne threw up a prayer into double coverage for an easy Diesel Dart pick. The Chargers added a Spencer Kirkham 31-yard field goal for two scores in less than a minute to end the opening half with a 24-14 lead.

“Diesel did a great job just playing centerfield, went and got a pick for us, then we turned it down and got a couple good plays and hit that field goal,” Corner Canyon coach Eric Kjar said.

“That was huge for us.”

Skyridge set out with a methodical mix of run and pass to move down the field and keep the ball away from the Chargers offense, but Falcons running back Jared Iakopo fumbled inside the 6-yard line and Corner Canyon responded with a 97-yard scoring drive to strike first.

“I think that’s why we won the game. That was really a game changer,” Corner Canyon defensive back Brock White said. “Get the offense the ball back. That’s all we work for.”

Casuga found friendly slot target Chryshaun Lee with a 10-yard breaking route to the pylon, taking the early 7-0 lead with 3:37 left in the first quarter.

Kjar said his quarterback navigated the game well after not taking any practice reps this week while nursing a shoulder injury, part of a larger injury wave rippling through the Chargers offense.

Skyridge responded with a potent combo of Sweetwyne tosses and Zaeden Selu runs before the duo hooked up for a 12-yard touchdown behind Skyridge’s hulking offensive line to even up the score.

Corner Canyon’s quick strike offense tilted the field again as Lee cut wide open down the Skyridge sideline for a 42-yard touchdown catch and 14-7 lead with 9:07 left in the second quarter.

Sweetwyne went to work with a pair of chunk plays to his wide receivers to tee up a Selu 3-yard scoring dance and the offensive chess match seemed to be on, 14-14 with 6:11 left in the first half.

The Casuga-Lee connection was explosive once again for the duo’s third touchdown of the night with 5:41 left in the third quarter. Lee beat his man and exploded for an 87-yard touchdown catch up the Skyridge sideline to make it 21-14.

Kjar said he spent part of the bus ride to Lehi scheming up how to get Lee more involved in the game plan and Casuga said he “loves him to death.”

“We built that connection and it’s great being able to have a guy that’s open almost every time,” Casuga said. “I’m grateful for him for sure.”

Skyridge showed life in the final quarter through the dual threat Sweetwyne’s 4-yard swerving and scoring keeper. The Falcons scooped up a bad Corner Canyon snap on the ensuing Chargers drive and Iakopo sprung free to the edge for an 8-yard scoring tote to get within a field goal, 31-28, with 10:11 left in the game.

The Chargers were forced to punt and Sweetwyne looked like he might break open a 40-yard keeper to take the lead but tripped up in the open field.

Two plays later, he floated a ball too high for Selu that White plucked for the third Corner Canyon interception of the night.

“I saw that QB pull out and just saw the ball come out and just broke on it,” White said.

Casuga relied on his legs to burn clock and running back Weston Briggs rumbled untouched from a tight Chargers formation for a 24-yard backbreaking score with 3:03 left in the game.

After a tough non-region schedule replete with road games, Corner Canyon enters region play battle tested and among the favorites in 6A.

“After a great win, it’s hard. People lose focus and lose that grind. We come into the weight room and to practice with ‘Hey, it’s a new week and we’ve got to win,’” Casuga said.

“That’s the expectation here.”