Schrader pick sets up Cards’ winner
5A-WEST
FARMINGTON 43, HARRISON 40
FARMINGTON — Morgan Schrader’s 30-yard interception for Farmington with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter set up the go-ahead touchdown pass from Ayden Lester to Akin Johnson as the Cardinals grabbed a 43-40 victory over the Harrison Goblins on Friday night.
The Goblins rushing attack in the first half was relentless with 133 yards on 20 carries, and they ended the game with 385 yards rushing on 46 carries and 4 touchdowns. That wasn’t enough, as the opportunistic Cardinals made the best of short-field situations that led to five touchdowns in the second half for the victory.
Both quarterbacks got off to a rocky start as they each tossed an interception to get the game started. Harrison took a 13-7 lead to the end of the first half.
The second half started the way the Cardinals coaching staff drew it up.
Farmington got a stop on Harrison’s first possession and then marched down the field 66 yards in 10 plays that were capped by a 9-yard toss from Lester to Jagger Gordon to close the scoring gap to 20-14.
The Cardinals took the Goblins’ best shot in the second and third quarters and weathered their rushing attack.
“Man, you know, we were a little bit inconsistent stopping the run. We did a really good job,” Farmington coach J.R. Eldridge said. “Felt like in the first quarter we just couldn’t really get any points. And then we gave up a couple of big plays before the half. But number 22, he’s a heck of a running back for Harrison. They got a good offensive line. I mean, they work at it. They’re really good coaches and players over there. But man, I’m just glad we came up and made some plays toward the end.”
The Cardinals made a little run in the latter part of the fourth. Lester found a wideopen Luke Elsik in the flat, and he ran the ball down to the 2-yard line on a 30-yard play. Elsik got the call from 8 yards out to trim the lead to 33-28.
Later in the fourth quarter, Gordon took a vicious hit to the abdomen, forcing him to be taken off the field on a stretcher. He was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
The interception fired up the crowd, and you could feel the energy in the Farmington sidelines and stands. Schrader felt like he was going to score before a Harrison defender ran him down at the 15-yard line.
“Well, the series before, they ran the same play, and I literally, I tipped it with my finger,” Schrader said about the interception. “They punted it right after. And he said hut, and I knew it was that play. And I just sat under it and picked it.”