Survive And Advance
Stephenson FG Helps Panthers Hold Off Rams
ST. GEORGE - Some football coaches have trained themselves to only focus on the game in front of them.
Pine View's Ray Hosner doesn't pretend to be that kind of coach. A lot of emotions were going through his mind after Michael Stephenson nailed a 36-yard field goal to give the Panthers the lead over Highland with less than two minutes to go.
The most prominent of them was gratitude.
"I told his mom, thanks for having all those boys," said Hosner, who coached another good kicker in Riley Stephenson for four seasons. "They've been a great asset to Pine View football. I was getting a little teary-eyed because of what a great family they are."
Pine View's defense held Highland after Stephenson's kick and the Panthers escaped with a 10-7 win over the visiting Rams on Friday to advance to the 4A semifinals at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. Pine View will face Cottonwood, which trounced Bonneville 44-7, in the 10:30 a.m. game Friday.
Stephenson's clutch kick was a big reason why.
"It was just like a PAT," Stephenson said. "I really didn't feel any pressure. I just blocked the crowd out."
Hosner was a bit more sentimental.
"When he was trotting out there, I thought 'what a special moment,'" the coach said. "He's going to kick the winning field goal, his brother (Riley) just got home off his mission, could you ask for a better situation than that?"
Hosner might also wonder if he could possibly ask for anything more out of quarterback, safety and holder Justin Ence. The unselfish senior had a part in almost in every play, rushing for 77 yards on 20 taxing carries, taking part in 17 tackles and perhaps his most important ball-handling of the day: pulling in a high snap for Stephenson's field goal.
The Panthers rode Ence all night, but even more so on Pine View's final possession of consequence. Taking over at their own 29, the Panthers got a 15-yard run by Ence, followed by a 3-yarder and a 14-yard scamper.
Although Ence probably could have done without the punishing out-of-bounds tackle delivered by Jordan Crayton on the end of the 14-yarder, he gladly accepted the added 15 yards.
"Our coaches told us it would be tough," Ence said. "They told us that if we execute our plays, they're going to make at least one mistake and that would be the game-changer."
Ence had one more rush of five yards to set up the field goal. He had a 3-yard touchdown in the second quarter that put the Panthers on top 7-0.
"It was frustrating we couldn't get in the end zone more," said Ence, who didn't complete any of his seven pass attempts, although two were dropped. "We would drive it and then we'd get a penalty. It's just little mistakes we need to improve on, but that was a heck of a team that we just played. They work hard and they have some big guys."
Rams running back Muli Kinikini had 23 rushes for 119 yards and scored a touchdown as Highland outgained Pine View 270-141. However, the Rams fumbled twice and they were recovered by Adam Bangerter.
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