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PLEASANT GROVE — The Pleasant Grove Vikings made the final defensive stand in a bitter battle with the visiting Lone Peak Knights to hold on for a 24-19 win, and to move to 6-0 on the season.
"The kids stayed in it, they stay focused, and we just kept battling," Pleasant Grove head coach Taylor Walkenhorst said. "That's the most important thing, and that's really what I'm proud about. (Our) defense stepped up big there."
The game came down to a goal-line stand, as Lone Peak earned a safety with 1:40 to go in the fourth quarter and had a chance to win the game. The Vikings defensive backs overcame a pass interference call to lock up the Knight receivers in the end zone and got the ball back with just seconds remaining.
The Knights were stopped short of their first offensive touchdown of the game, scoring 19 points on a 47-yard field goal, a 95-yard kick return, a pick-six touchdown and a safety.
The Vikings' star junior quarterback Carson Rasmussen had a rushing and passing touchdown in the first half, but a costly interception inside the 10-yard line gave Lone Peak a 17-14 lead at halftime.
Neither team scored a single point in the second half until Pleasant Grove tied the game 17-17 with a 35-yard field goal with 8:23 to go in the fourth quarter.
The game-winning score ended up being a tip-drill pick six by Ryker Mikkelsen, who was in the right place at the right time to return the ball 35 yards and avoid the Vikings' first loss of the season.
We've got a field storming in Pleasant Grove. Vikings beat Lone Peak 24-19 to move to 6-0 on the season. pic.twitter.com/RB7GdnZUfl
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) September 16, 2023
"The test was great," Walkerhorst said of the tight matchup. "We stepped up and we passed."
Pleasant Grove welcomes Westlake to town next week, while Lone Peak's gauntlet continues with a home matchup against the also undefeated American Fork Cavemen, who dropped 62 points on No. 4 Lehi Friday to move to 6-0.
