Sunrise Mountain goes for two, beats Virgin Valley

Steven Wright hit Daltyn Pytrysson in the left corner of the end zone for a 2-point conversion in overtime to give Sunrise Mountain's football team a 22-21 home win over Virgin Valley on Thursday night.

"We looked how they lined up and we thought we had the out," Sunrise Mountain coach Chris Sawyers said. "We didn't want (Wright) to throw it up so high, but (Pytrysson) went up and made a play."

After Virgin Valley's Hogan Fowles scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper on the Bulldogs' overtime possession, Wright connected with Xavier Kyles with a 11-yard scoring pass to pull the Miners within a point at 21-20.

Sunrise Mountain (3-2, 1-2 Sunrise League) went for two, and Wright connected with Pytrysson for the win. The team's three wins are the most they've had in a season.

"I feel really good for these kids. They've earned it," Sawyers said. "They worked their butts off in the offseason. It's not about me or the school."

The Miners appeared to have things in control with a 14-7 lead as time wound down in regulation, but chose to pass on third-and-long. Virgin Valley's Josh Bishop picked off the pass and returned it 12 yards to the Sunrise Mountain 33 with 1:25 to play to give the Bulldogs (3-2, 1-1) life.

"I take full responsibility. That was completely on me for the run-pass option," Sawyers said. "I probably should have just ran the football. That's my fault. I told him to completely throw it out of bounds or run the football if he didn't have it."

After a sack, Fowles hit Jarron Linge with a 28-yard pass, moving the ball to the Sunrise Mountain 18.

On the next play, Fowles hit Nick Cox with an 18-yard scoring strike, and Cesar Zarate's extra point tied the game at 14 with 36 seconds left.

After the kickoff, Sunrise Mountain chose to take a knee, and the game went to overtime.

Claude Moore rushed for 168 yards on 19 carries to lead the Miners.

Wright completed 10 of 18 passes for 72 yards. He had a 14-yard scoring pass to Pytrysson with 3:36 to go in the second quarter, and Wright's 2-point conversion run put the Miners up 8-7 at the half.

"At the moment, I was feeling bad for myself," Wright said of overcoming the late interception. "But as I progressed, I had to get back in the game. My team did everything. The line blocked well, the offense did good and my defense fought."

Fowles completed 9 of 19 passes for 130 yards and scored on a pair of 1-yard runs for Virgin Valley. Cody Jones added 97 yards on 14 carries for the Bulldogs.