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Show 1 is Davis so successful Why By TOM HARALDSEN Panthers the first and only mythical state championship), cross country, football (the 1974 season), boys track, girls track, and volleyball. They also captured the Davis Cup band competition, and the state forensics title. Not a bad year. Sports Editor It was in 1975 that a young college student began dating a girl from a town called Kaysville. That was the first time Id ever heard of the community, and subsequently, the high school from which she graduated. Since then, Ive come to know Davis High very well. MY WIFE Shara-Daw- n graduated from Davis in 1974. It was the next year that the Darts had unprecedented success in athletic competition. Davis captured state titles in basketball (and ended up losing a one-poithriller to champ West when Scott Runia hit a jumper to give the Perhaps what has impressed me most about Davis High, however, is the support it gets from the community. Kaysville has a population of around 12,000. On any given Friday night in the fall, and this season there were six such nights, the football grandstands at Davis are literally filled to the rafters. Against Bountiful on September 27 and against Highland last month, fans were actually standing on the track in both end zones. When the school decided to replace its lighting 4-- nt system last summer, it turned to the community for support. Sure enough, the needed capital was raised and now Davis High sports a football field lighting system easily as good as any in the state (and better than some colleges have). SUCH SUPPORT has become a tradition in Kaysville. So it wasnt too surprising when Dave Wilkey, assistant director of the Utah High School Activities Association, whispered to me during last week s state Cross Country champion-ship- s that he hoped the Dart football squad made it all the way to the state finals. After all, he stated, we get better support from the Davis High parents and fans than anyone 4-- A else. Whenever they play in a state game, we know well draw a big crowd. TODAY THE circle of Davis High support is bigger than ever. Weve had governors and television celebrities and professional athletes graduate from its hallowed halls. Today probably 0 percent of the residents of Davis County are graduates of Davis High. It is a school with a tradition of class, athletic programs of class, and fans with 30-4- class. They say success breeds success. Certainly the proof of that statement is more clearly defined by the success of Davis High than of any other program, academic or not, in the state. reflex-journ-al UDdDfffe DAVIS NOVEMBER 13, 1985 REFLEX-JOURNA- Darts big plays beat Mountain View, By TOM HARALDSEN Darts offense failed to move the and the Bruins had two more golden scoring opportunities. ball effectively, Sports Editor - Years SALT LAKE CITY from now , when they recap the history of Davis High football, they'll still refer to it as "the steal." In Orem, it will be forever known as "the robbery. But in Utah State playoff annals, it will remain a classic. TO SAY Davis was the better team during its 6 victory over Mountain View Friday at Rice Stadium would only be half true. This could have been the state championship final. Both teams are so much alike that it's hard to say one 4-- 7-- better than another. Dart coach Jim Dickson knows. During a frenzied celebration at midfield after the wild finish. Dickson was surrounded by reporters and players. When asked if he felt he had as many lives as a cat. he is replied. "I feel like we dodged a helluva bullet here today." Then, looking down at his portly figure, he added, Of course, it would probably take a helluva bullet to knock me down." MEANWHILE, the Darts now must prepare to meet the only other undefeated team in the state, surprising Granger, in the 4-- semifinals F'riday at 12:30 p.m. at Rice. Should they win again, they would play the winner of the game in the finals, slated for Nov. 22 at 12:30 at Rice. But for most of the game, in fact 47 minutes and 59 seconds, it looked like the Darts would be bitten again by the artificial turf jinx. Davis has not fared well playing in the state games at the University of MIDWAY THROUGH the second period. Mountain View appeared ready to score again. The Bruins had moved from their 22 to the Davis 29. On second down. Roberts floated a pass in the vicinity of Andrus in the end zone, but Greg Willard picked off the pass for one of the two biggest catches in his life (the second came later, as you will see), and Davis held. But the Bruins got another chance when Blake Hart and Clay Singley got crossed up on a hand-ofthe ball fumbled and recovered by Mountain View at the Dart 23. ON THIRD and goal from the 10. Roberts again threw into the end zone, with Kurt Mounteer intercepting the pass and alertly downing it, forcing a touchback. Those two missed opportunities will haunt the Bruins all winter. f, Stat Chat MV 13 First downs Rushes-yard- s 37-13- 6 Passing Passing Yards D 16 38-17- 6 11-25- -2 98 Penalties-Yard- s 8-4- 8 Purrts-Av- 3-3- 4 72 4 ta Utah, particularly when their bench is on the west side, as it was Friday. Mountain View entered the game with two offensive threats: the running of Chris Cooper and the passing combination of Kyle Roberts to Matt Odle. The latter put the Bruins up early. DAVIS TOOK the opening kickoff and moved from its 27 to the 47. but had to punt from there. Mountain View started at its 2 , as Cooper picked up 15 on first down, Roberts kept for another five, and then he hit Tom Andrus with a 12 yard pass, moving to the Davis 47. Roberts ran for 1, Cooper picked up , and then Roberts found Odle for a 30 yard TD pass. But the extra point was wide, leaving the score 0 with 3:14 left in the first 1 6-- quarter. Thats how the halfended. Davis trailing, but it could have and should have been much worse. The g. Fumbles-Los- t 2-- 4-3- 1 0 4-- 2 Halftime found Dickson and his assistants closing the doors for a "chewing" discussion with the Darts. As the players emerged from the locker room after that meeting, their determination was visably improved. Davis played much better offensively and defensively the second half. THE THIRD period saw both teams move the ball between the 30's but no one really got close to scoring. Mountain View opened the final period by driving to the Dart 26. where on fourth and two. AGAIN DAVIS defense held, forcing a punt. The Darts took over in great field position at the Mountain View 38. Instead of running., however, Davis chose to pass. Singleys first two throws were just out of reach, and his third was deflected and intercepted by Odle. who returned it to the Dart 43. But just when you thought this one was over, fate continued to smile on Davis. Kevin Broderick fumbled at the 33, Davis recovering. There was 3:50 to go. and the Darts were 67 vards from scoring. SINGLEY completed a pair of passes to Hart, moving the ball to the Bruin 38. But then the blitz forced a couple of hurried passes that fell incomplete, and on fourth and 17. Singley was sacked by Trent Allsup. giving the Bruins the ball at the 45 with just over two minutes to go. Davis had only two time outs remaining. Enter burgler of the year Roger Horne. Coach Dickson just told us to be grabbing at the ball, hoping to cause a fumble. When I saw Roberts holding the ball high. I just reached for it." he stated after the game, with a smile that is probably still on his face. THE PLAY of the game came when Mountain View faced second and six. Roberts decided that, rather than falling on the ball, hed try to pick up some extra yards. The Davis defensive line stood him up. failing to let him go down. Horn literally grabbed the ball out of his hands and rambled to the Bruin 46. Davis had the ball back, one time out left and 1:26 to go. From that point on, Singley. who did not have his best day passing of the year, began picking Mountain View apart. He hit Card for 17, then six yards, then rushed for four himself. On fourth and inches at the Bruin 23. Hart picked up three yards. Davis used one of its time outs with 39 seconds left and the ball at the Mountain View' 16. did what it does best. Its double wing offense finally clicked. as Chris Card, injured in the first quarter and playing on a tender ankle, bolted for 30 yards. Hart rambled for 22, Card for another 13. and Davis appeared on its way at the Bruin eight. But Singley fumbled the snap on first dow n and the Bruins recovered. Davis and Layton both won opening round matches as the state girls volleyball tournament began at West High Monday evening. The Darts, second place finishers in Region Four, beat Cottonwood, and were slated to meet Mountain View of Orem Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. LAYTON, THIRD place finishers in Region One, surprised Bingham, and advanced in the winners bracket against Cyprus, also at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Results of those matches were not available at press time. Clearfield, which beat Granger in a playoff to qualify last Thursday, lost its opening match to Mountain View. The Lady Falcons will now meet Cottonwood in a losers bracket match Tuesday evening at 4 p.m. THE tournament will continue through Thursday at West High, with matches at 4 p..m., 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. PULLING OUT A WIN Davis Highs Greg Willard, top, rolls over in the end zone after catching the winning TD against Mountain View as time expired Friday afternoon. He was hit after crossing the goal line by Bruin Matt Odle (88). Seconds later, Kyle Knowles, lower left, added this PAT to state playoff give the Darts an unbelievable win. Photos by Jim Haskett. 7-- TWO QUICK completions to Willard followed, for four and three yards, respectively. An incompletion forced a fourth and' three at the nine, with just 12 seconds left. Card rolled out into the flat, and Singley hit him perfectly, the pass good for a first dow n by six inches. That left just seven seconds left, and David with a first and goal at the six. They called their final time out. On the next play. Willard also rolled out into the fiat, and Singley nailed him at the goal line. The Mountain View defender hit him immediately, but his forward motion carried him across the plain of the goal line as time expired. THAT LEFT the stage to senior Kyle Knowles, who isn't really quite 57" as the program stated, but w ho has the heart of a man the size of, well. Dickson. "You wait and dream for an opportunity like that all of your life. he said after the game. "1 just tried to think it was another extra point, but I was pretty scared." KNOWLES kick split the uprights perfectly (he practiced all year by hitting the flag pole behind the north Davis end zone in Kaysville with his PAT's). and Davis had escaped with the win. "The group never quits, there's no quit in them." Dickson added. "Maybe that's what w ill make this 6 team different." ANI) REGARDLESS of what happens from here. Friday's contest w ill prove to be one of the most talked about events in Kaysville since Davis High's inception. Be-- I ve me. no Dart win was ever more thrillirm than this one. GAME RECAP Mountain View 6 0 Davis MV-Odl- e 0-- 7-- 6 7 30 pass from Roberts 6 pass from Singley (kick wide) (Knowles kick) Keiths comments the determined Davis defense knocked Cooper for a one yard loss. That seemed to fire Davis up. On the ensuing drive, Davis Girls state volleyball 4-- A 7-- 6 lit aint over til its over noons practice that .would prepare By KEITH DUNCAN Thus far, no athletic experience can rate with as much memorable zap in the lives of 40 or so Davis High football players as what last victory over Mountain Fridays View does. 7-- the team for their against Granger. semi-fin- al game After a weekend to think about, just what was going through their minds? 6 THE VICTORY was a god send, it was dramatic, it was it was nearly heart stopping and it was anything anybody chose to call it. i It al so kept ali ve a d ream of wi the coveted state championship, a certain state title that this school has never won. Yes, there are plenty of and trophies in the case, but as of yet no d, 4-- A 2-- A 3-- A COACH JIM Dickson said, You never say never when you get on this level of football. What I mean by that is that some years you look at a junior or sophomore class and you say to yourself that the job just probably wont get done with those guys. But it seems every year the guys rally around each other and they go out and get the job done. Ive simply learned by that, you never say never. s. THE HEROS were many in Frgame at Rice idays quarter-finStadium and many of them had a million opportunities to relieve their heroics before Monday after al THE SECOND-yea- r head coach, who now has a record of 21-- 1 , was proud of everyone who cont buted to the dramatic win, but piled a little exttra praise on his quarterback, Clay Singley. The kids needed someone to rally around in those final few seconds and because Clay kept coming back with a key play here and a key play there, he was the logical guy to do it with. None of the eleven were thinking defeat though, said the coach. with SINGLEY, WHO was 1 69 yards, did admit that after so many chances to get the pigskin across the goal line, he may have lost all hope. With just less than two minutes left and Mountain View having the ball, I thought to myself that if we were going to do it, it would have to be accomplished right then. But I can be honest that thoughts of defeat were clouding my mind fairly heavy," said Singley. In describing the games final d TD lob to play, the short Greg Willard, ingley commented, The play was really designed to throw the ball out of bounds to six-yar- stop the clock. But as I pulled out and turned around, Greg was standing there all alone and I zipped it his way and he made a great effort of getting it in the end zone. Its a good thing 1 did hit him or we would have been out of time. IT WAS a learning experience for Singley, talking about the Mountain View game as & whole. But perhaps the thing he teamed the most was to not underestimate your opposition. Maybe we did take Mountain View a little lightly but it wont happen again, he said. Clay is the younger brother of Jeff Singley who a few years back was an hurdler for the Darts. Jeff is now on an LDS mission in Australia, and according to Clay will get the word of the win as fast as the postman can get the word across the ocean. all-sta- Continued on iSxt pay 1 I |