Hagerman advances to 2A state football semifinals with thrilling win over Valley
HAZELTON, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The Hagerman Pirates football team defeated the Valley Vikings 56-52 in a thrilling state quarterfinal matchup on Friday night at Valley High School.
The Pirates jumped out to a 16-0 lead thanks to two passing touchdowns from Wyatt Mavencamp before Valley’s offense and defense was able to settle in as they tied the game in the middle of the second quarter on a Josh Hardy touchdown pass to Pedro Robles.
Hagerman took the lead 22-16 before half on a Mavencamp rushing touchdown, but from after the break both teams defenses seemed like they stayed in the locker rooms.
The Vikings scored on each of their first two possessions out of half, both Josh Hardy rushing touchdowns, to tie it at 22 and then take a 30-22 lead.
Hagerman responded with a score of their own and the teams traded touchdowns right until the middle of the fourth quarter when Thomas Vargas looked to put things out of reach with a rushing touchdown to put Valley up 10.
Hagerman though was persistent and just a few plays later Mavencamp found Shaymus Merrill for a touchdown off a tip, the two point was no good and the Pirates trailed by four.
Valley was then trying to run down the clock and with about 1:30 left, a four point lead and the Pirates having no timeouts Valley was sitting pretty.
Then disaster struck for the Vikings as Hardy fired a pass that was picked off by Ky Kendall and returned over 100 yards for the game-changing interception, Hagerman was successful on the two point attempt and led by four.
Valley somehow moved it into the redzone again with just 20 seconds to play and Hardy hit his receiver over the middle and as he was diving over the goal line the ball cam free, Hagerman jumped on it and that was all she wrote as the Pirates pull off an improbable win over Valley to move to the state semifinals.
The Pirates will take on the Pirates of Butte County next weekend in a rematch of a game earlier this season that Hagerman won 30-14. The winner will play in the 2A state championship against the winner of Logos/Kendrick, game time and site have yet to be announced.
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