Sandy football survives Reynolds scare after ‘gutsy’ quarterback check

Published 11:15 pm Friday, October 25, 2024

It takes a lot of guts as a high school quarterback to check out of the play your coaches drew up for you.

Doubly so when you are only a sophomore.

Triply so when everything is on the line in a final drive in which you are surprisingly trailing late in the fourth quarter.

But that is just what No. 21 Sandy football’s sophomore quarterback Micaiah Turin did. The Pioneers were backed up against the clock on the road against Reynolds — 4:25 left in the fourth quarter, with the Raiders leading 22-21 after junior receiver Elliot Bruce hauled in a 12-yard touchdown catch to take the lead on a 4th-and-12 (senior Rodell Akins caught the two-point conversion).

Sandy was marching down the field, 4 plays for 36 yards. It was 2nd-and-9, with 3 minutes left, when the play came in from the sideline — a handoff to star senior running back Mataio Olomua. But Turin spotted something, Reynolds was packing the box expecting that run. So the Pioneers quarterback improvised, calling a play that had fellow sophomore James Richards slip out on a route. He was wide open in the flat, setting up an easy toss and catch 26-yard touchdown.

“I think I looked down at my play card confused,” Coach Josh Dill said with a laugh. “But I trust Micaiah, he checked into something we have been talking about and working on all week.”

“Our young guys are all in, they battle and are committed to winning,” Dill added.

That extends to the final play of the game. Reynolds was driving with under a minute on the clock near midfield, hoping for its own miracle touchdown to snag victory from the jaws of defeat and keep the season alive. But it was another Sandy sophomore, linebacker Jonas Knott, who sealed it for the visitors with an interception he ripped out of the hands of the Raiders receiver. Before tonight he had taken less than 20 varsity snaps, with the majority on special teams.

“We have to do a better job finishing,” Dill said. “But we came out and got another ugly win — we lost two games like this earlier this year, so we keep getting better.”

Sandy (4-4, 3-3 League) won 27-22 over Reynolds (2-6, 2-4 League) Friday evening, Oct. 25, in the penultimate week of Mt. Hood Conference play.

“When you are trying to knock someone out, like tonight, they are going to come out with the heart of a champion,” Dill said. “Reynolds is a good football team, I have a lot of respect for what they did.”

“We won, but we could have done more,” Olomua said.

“That was too close, but way to fight,” added junior running back Caden McMahon

For Sandy, Olomua had 104 yards and 2 total TDs; McMahon ran for 77 yards and a TD, caught 3 passes for 49 yards, and snagged an interception; and Richards had 42 yards on the ground and 57 through the air.

For Reynolds, senior running back Travis Hull had 144 yards and a TD; senior quarterback Payton Chhay threw for 157 yards and 2 TDs; Bruce had 5 catches for 69 yards and a TD, and recovered an onside kick; Akins had 5 catches for 55 yards and a touchdown; and sophomore linebacker Josiah Jenkins had an interception.

“Travis Hull is an unbelievable football player, he really puts that team on his back,” Dill said.

It was a sloppy, ugly game marred with many, many flags. They not only led to a disjointed and long game, but also derailed promising drives for both sides. On that go-ahead touchdown by the Raiders in the 4th quarter, an unsportsmanlike penalty on Sandy moved the ball into a manageable down and distance. In the 3rd quarter Sandy ran four-straight first down plays after four-straight flags were thrown.

“No more stupid flags, that hurt us a lot,” said senior lineman Nick Harrell.

There is one more game in the regular season, on the road against David Douglas Friday, Nov. 1. Regardless of the outcome, the Pioneers will be playing in some sort of postseason game (if they beat the Scotts they could be hosting a Columbia Cup bout).

One goal has been echoing in that Pioneers locker room: Win a playoff game. If they do so, it will be the first time in 25 years.

“I love you guys, I’m proud of you,” said senior defensive end Jared Scott. “We have to ride this out, we are winning a playoff game this year.”