Hillgrove built a big lead in the first half and then held off McEachern’s second-half rally, beating the seventh-ranked Indians 42-37 Friday to claim the Region 4-AAAAAA championship.
The victory gave the Hawks (7-3, 5-1) their second region title in school history. McEachern (7-3, 5-1) finishes as the No. 2 seed in the region. Both teams will be at home in the first round of the state playoffs next weekend.
Hillgrove led 28-14 at halftime and added to the lead on the third play of the third quarter when Jeremiah Bridges returned an interception 56 yards for a touchdown. But McEachern scored on its next two possessions, on a 1-yard run by quarterback Bailey Hockman and a 23-yard run by Sam Jackson, to make it 35-28.
Hillgrove then took about eight minutes off the clock, driving 80 yards in 16 plays and scoring on an 8-yard pass from Matthew Wilson to Eric Montgomery to restore the lead to 14 points with 7:53 remaining.
McEachern got back within a touchdown on Hockman’s 72-yard pass to T.J. Rahming with 3:15 left, but the ensuing onside kick failed and the Indians never got the ball back. Hillgrove faced a fourth down at the McEachern 32 with seven seconds remaining, and Bridges took the snap from punt formation and ran 68 yards back into his own end zone, giving McEachern a safety but running out the remaining time.
Hillgrove was about as efficient offensively as a team can be in the first half in building the 14-point lead, and it was Wilson setting the tone. He was 19-for-20 passing, mostly on screens and quick-hitters, for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters. He finished the night 31-for-38 for 223 yards with three touchdown passes. Wilson completed passes to nine different receivers, with Bridges leading the way with six catches for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Wilson also ran for 55 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Hillgrove’s Sonny Harris finished with 106 yards rushing and scored on a 1-yard run late in the first half.
The Hawks never punted in the game and held the ball for 30:41 compared to 17:19 for McEachern. The total offense was about even, when counting the 68-yard loss by Hillgrove on the final play.
Hockman was 10-for-22 passing for 262 yards with three touchdowns for McEachern. Jackson ran for 74 yards for the Indians, who finished with 73 yards rushing on 20 carries.
McEachern – 7-7-14-9 – 37
Hillgrove – 7-21-7-7 – 42
H – Richard Hallman 10 pass from Matthew Wilson (Eirick Abney kick)
M – Tyler Smith 71 pass from Bailey Hockman (Cesar Dominguez kick)
H – Jeremiah Bridges 19 pass from Wilson (Abney kick)
H – Wilson 21 run (Abney kick)
H – Sonny Harris 1 run (Abney kick)
M – Jonathan Duru 11 pass from Hockman (Dominguez kick)
H – Bridges 56 interception return (Abney kick)
M – Hockman 1 run (Dominguez kick)
M – Sam Jackson 23 run (Dominguez kick)
H – Eric Montgomery 8 pass from Wilson (Abney kick)
M – T.J. Rahming 72 pass from Hockman (Dominguez kick)
M – Safety, punter tackled in end zone
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