Skyview resilient in rallying past Union

With its back to the wall, Skyview stood tall.

With his team trailing Union in a must-win game Friday, senior Blake Ingram felt turbulence on Skyview’s sideline beyond the wind and rain that buffeted McKenzie Stadium.

“There was a little sense of panic,” Ingram said. “But we dug down deep because we knew it was now or never, especially for the seniors.”

Skyview overcame an 11-point first-half deficit to beat Union 38-21. The win means Skyview (7-2, 4-2) will play in a “Kansas” tiebreaker against Mountain View and Battle Ground on Monday. Two will advance to the postseason as the 4A Greater St. Helens League’s No. 2 and 3 seeds.

Friday, Skyview students honored Kym Tyelyn-Carlson, a former principal who is fighting pancreatic cancer, by wearing purple. Skyview’s football team paid tribute with its resiliency.

Trailing 14-3 early in the second quarter, Skyview responded by scoring 28 unanswered points.

“We came out flat,” Skyview quarterback Brody Barnum said. “But once we got the wheels rolling, we couldn’t be stopped.”

Ingram was the engine turning those wheels. The 6-foot-3, 210 pound running back rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Much of his 6.3 yards per carry came after he absorbed an initial hit.

“He’s just a workhorse,” Barnum said. “He never stops running, His feet never stop moving. He’s definitely the heart and soul of our team.”

Ingram also clutched a blocked punt that gave Skyview a stranglehold on the game’s momentum. After Aaron Wise smothered the ball as it hit the punter’s foot, Ingram returned it 25 yards for a touchdown that gave Skyview a 17-14 lead midway through the second quarter.

Skyview’s defense, led by Ingram at linebacker, shut the doors on Union from there. After scoring early in the second quarter, the Titans gained only 30 yards until their final scoring drive in the fourth quarter.

What was the key to Skyview’s resiliency Friday?

Family. Brotherhood,” Ingram said. “We all love each other and we know that when things get down to the grind, we’re all in it together as one.”

The resiliency of Union (4-5, 2-4) was also tested this season. The Titans, who were eliminated from playoff contention last week, were without three starters due to injury including running back JoJo Siofele.

Yet the Titans came out loose and creative on Friday. They tried trick plays. They made Skyview sweat.

“We could have folded over after losing last week and not making the playoffs,” junior receiver Keithen Shepard said. “But we came out hard, and that shows a lot.”

Shepard had seven catches for 99 yards and one touchdown. He also threw a 25-yard TD pass to Nate Kuratli after catching a lateral from quarterback Jordan Lawson.

“We’ve got to come back bigger, faster and stronger,” Shepard said. “We’ve got to use this year as motivation for next year.”

SKYVIEW 38, UNION 21

Skyview 3 21 7 7 – 38

Union 7 7 0 7 – 21

First quarter

S – FG, Braden Hadfield 40

U – Kiethen Shepard 33 pass from Jordan Lawson (Connor Culp kick)

Second quarter

U – Nate Kuratli 25 pass from Shepard (Culp kick)

S – Jeremiah Wright 8 pass from Brody Barnum (Hadfield kick)

S – Blake Ingram 25 yard return of blocked punt (Hadfield kick)

S – Tavis Pinkney 22 pass from Barnum (Hadfield kick)

Third quarter

S – Ingram 4 run (Hadfield kick)

Fourth quarter

U – Rey Green 4 run (Culp kick)

S – Ingram 1 run (Hadfield kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Skyview: Blake Ingram 22-139, Brody Barnum 2-18, Dyvon Green 4-10, Josh Seynaeve 1-2. Union: Rey Green 21-78, Kiethen Shepard 4-28, Jordan Lawson 6-2.

PASSING – Skyview: Brody Barnum 11-19-141. Union: Jordan Lawson 17-23-150, Rey Green 0-1-0, Kiethen Shepard 1-1-25, Connor Culp 0-1-0.

RECEIVING – Skyview: Braden Hadfield 3-43, Jeremiah Wright 5-49, Skyler Martin 2-27, Tavis Pinkney 1-22. Union: Keithen Shepard 7-99, Melvin Rosas 3-14, Nate Kuratli 6-43, Carter Clay 1-8, Rey Green 1-11.