A play that is simple yet effective for many teams.
For Lone Peak it's simply unstoppable.
Of course when you have a quarterback like Chase Hansen, pretty much any play is going to work. Hansen racked up 482 yards in total offense along with accounted for five touchdowns to help Lone Peak complete the season 14-0 and win the state 5A title with a 41-21 win over Fremont on Friday afternoon at Rice Eccles Stadium
After finishing second twice, once in 2002 and once in 2004, the Knights passed around the gold trophy and took turns kissing it while the Lone Peak fans shouted "We are Lone Peak."
"I can honestly say that we had the offense and defense in sync tonight. It was just unbelievable. I don't know what else to say," said Lone Peak coach Tony McGeary. "We ran him (Hansen) a little more than we wanted to tonight but we saw a crease where we could take advantage of their defense. Chase Hansen was the man. He just proved why he was the best quarterback in state tonight with the way he played."
Hansen, who signed with the University of Utah, plans on enrolling at Utah following the basketball season so he can be in Utes program for spring ball. Utah is lucky to have Hansen. He capped off one of the best seasons in prep football history with a dominating performance in the finals. He rushed for 233 yards and two touchdowns. He threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns.
His 484 yards of total offense fell just 12 yards short of a state record for a championship game that is held by BYU quarterback Riley Nelson when he played for Logan in 2004.
"I don't even know how to put this in words right now. I'm just overwhelmed right now. I'm sure it will hit me more later when we're celebrating," Hansen said. "I'm just a quarterback on a really good team, in a really good program. I'm extremely blessed and thankful I could play with my teammates. This memory will never leave me."
Hansen had plenty of help. Lone Peak's defense came up with four interceptions and a fumble recovery and Brody Berry sparked the special teams with a pair of blocked kicks.
Fremont came out of the locker room at the half determined to cut into Lone Peak's 28-13 lead. The Silverwolves got the ball to start the half, but when the Knights defense forced them to punt, Berry's eyes lit up. He had already blocked an extra point in the first half. This time he got a punt. He came around the left end to block the punt. He recovered not the Fremont 23.
"We have two coaches, the Harward brothers, who were telling me before the game that I could get one," Berry said. "I looked over at them and they said go for it. I'm so glad I got it. I wanted to return it but it wouldn't bounce up so I just dove on it."
On the first play from scrimmage Hansen found Connor Humphrey in the end zone to give Lone Peak a commanding 35-13 lead following Trevor Robb's PAT.
After both teams traded turnovers, Berry came up big again at the end of the third quarter when he stopped a Fremont drive at the Lone Peak 20 after intercepting a pass.
The Knights defense then came up big again. When Fremont moved the ball into the Red Zone, Spencer Reinstein picked off a pass at the 10 and returned it all the way to the Fremont 38.
Talon Shumway put Fremont away when he scored on a 4-yard run that gave Lone Peak a 42-13 lead with 5:07 left in the game.
"We felt like our conditioning would take over in the second half," McGeary said. "Give Fremont all the credit in the world. They prepared all week for us and played us tough, but it was just our night."
The first half was wildly entertaining. After Hansen opened the game's scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Fremont countered with a 98-yard kickoff return by Jordan Preator to tie the game.
Hansen put Lone Peak back on top with a 3-yard run less than a minute into the second quarter.
Then came a pivotal sequence that was a key to the first half. Hansen was hit and coughed up the ball right before he hit the ground. Fremont recovered at the Lone Peak 45, but before the Silverwolves could take advantage of the turnover, the Knights got the ball back.
Fremont called an option play. Shumway knows that play well. He anticipated the pitch and intercepted the ball. He was tackled at the Fremont 45.
Hansen wasted no time making up for his mistake. He threw a perfect pass to Micah Hannemann in the end zone from 34-yards out to give Lone Peak a 21-7 lead.
Fremont tried to keep it close. Nick Vigil took a pitch out 55 yards for a touchdown. Berry then blocked that extra point. to keep the score at 21-13.
Hansen brought the Knights right back on their next possession. He broke off a quarterback draw up the middle and turned down the sideline. He used a de-cleating block from Berry to carry the ball to the Fremont eight.
Hansen then found a wide open Hannemann from 8-yards out to give Lone Peak a 28-13 lead with 5:25 left in the half.
It proved to be all the Knights needed. Fremont scored a touchdown in the final minute of the game that did little from quieting Lone Peak's fan base that had stock in what proved to be a perfect season.
Berry summed up the celebration this way: "This is amazing. It's like I'm on the top of the world right now. All my dreams have come true so far. It feels so good."
Fremont 7 6 0 8 - 21
