Dominick Woodward, Kirsten Potts and Timothy Boleratzky , For West Valley Preps
On Nov. 1, Deer Valley emerged victorious 28-11 against Buckeye Youngker in the final game of the regular season.
The teams were evenly matched going into the game, both having 2-7 records.
Following an 0-10 season in 2018, every measure of progress was crucial for the Skyhawks.
"It means a ton! Seniors get to go out on a win. I'm extremely happy for them," Deer Valley coach Dan Friedman said. "And it builds momentum for the off-season."
The Skyhawks had a rough start, fumbling within the first minute of the game. However it quickly started to turn around when sophomore tailback Ashton Hill got the first touchdown of the game with five minutes left in the first quarter.
Youngker fired back with a field goal before the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter shaped the game in favor of the Skyhawks, beginning with an interception by senior cornerback Charles Hill, leading to a second touchdown by Ashton Hill a few plays later.
Directly after, Youngker fumbled again, and senior cornerback A.J. Shaffer recovered the ball, resulting in a third touchdown by Ashton Hill with 3:09 left on the clock.
The Skyhawks held the Roughriders at the 14-yard line, and interrupted a field goal attempt. The Skyhawks entered halftime up 21-3.
Youngker’s defense stepped up and stopped Deer Valley’s offense, forcing the Skyhawks to fumble the ball.
Right after, Youngker scored their first touchdown of the night, along with a 2-point conversion, bringing the score to 21-11 in an attempt to close the gap.
In the fourth quarter, the Skyhawks continued to pull ahead as Charles Hill got his first touchdown of the night.
Even though victory was imminent, the Skyhawks continued to give it their all until the clock hit zero.
Friday night’s win concludes the Skyhawks’ season with a record of 3-7 losses, an improvement.
“We broke the 0-10 curse,” said sophomore backup quarterback Djevon Miles.
Editor's Note: Dominick Woodward, Kirsten Potts, Timothy Boleratzky and Dustin Koeppel are Deer Valley High School students on the yearbook staff.
