Skyview heads into playoffs on high note

Win or lose, Skyview’s postseason fate wasn’t going to change on Friday.

But the Storm could still make some memories.

And few on Skyview’s team will forget the final play of the first half in Friday’s 34-17 win over Heritage at Kiggins Bowl.

With a pass rusher bearing down on him, quarterback Brody Barnum scrambled backward. He then flung the ball toward the back of the end zone.

Travis Yajko outleapt a Heritage defender for a 28-yard touchdown catch that gave Skyview a 14-3 lead.

“I was able to get around the (defensive back),” Yajko said. “Brody just threw it up so I could catch it.”

It was the jolt Skyview needed. The Storm ran away with the game in the third quarter behind 14-yard and 67-yard touchdown catches by Tavis Pinkney.

“We needed something to get us going,” Barnum said. “That really jump-started us. We came out of the locker room knowing that that’s what we needed to be doing the whole game.

Barnum finished with 230 passing yards and three touchdowns on 8 of 12 passing. Pinkney caught four passes for 102 yards.

Skyview (6-3, 3-1) had already locked up the No. 2 seed from the 4A Greater St. Helens League. The Storm travel to face Olympia on Nov. 4 in a Week 10 playoff game.

“We’ve just got to do what we know we can do,” Barnum said. “When we get rolling, it’s hard to beat us.”

Heritage (4-5, 0-4) was led by Tashiem Hurse, who had 94 receiving yards including a 64-yard touchdown pass from Michael Taras.

Led by 23 seniors, Heritage doubled its win total from last year.

“From spring ball up to now, we’ve grown so much as a family,” said Taras, a junior. “This class of seniors changed the culture at Heritage. They gave it everything they had.”

SKYVIEW 34, HERITAGE 17

Heritage        0          3          7          7   – 17

Skyview        0          14       13       7   –  34

Second quarter

S – Skyler Martin 8 fumble return (Travis Yajko kick)

H – Kyle Hood 30 FG

S – Yajko 28 pass from Brody Barnum (Yajko kick)

Third quarter

S – Tavis Pinkney 14 pass from Barnum (Yajko kick)

S – Pinkney 67 pass from Barnum (kick failed)

H – Tashiem Hurse 62 pass from Michael Taras (Hood kick)

Fourth quarter

S – Hayden Froeber 15 run (Yajko kick)

H – Gavin Lee 3 run (Hood kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING –  Heritage: Michael Taras 9-44, Tashiem Hurse 14-23, Gavin Lee 4-17, Oscar Gonzalez 5-31, Jalynnee McGee 1-10, Hayden Klimas 1-2.   Skyview: Hayden Froeber 10-67, Brody Barnum 3-44, Dyvon Green 4-17, James Millspaugh 6-24, Austin Holland 3-10, Max Rose 1-minus-2.

PASSING –  Heritage: Michael Taras 7-13-1-160.   Skyview:  Brody Barnum 8-12-230, Max Rose 2-3-23.

RECEIVING –  Heritage: Tashiem Hurse 2-94, Matt Rivera 1-2, Robbie Meadors 2-27, J’Wan Vick 1-34, Kahai Umiamaka 1-3.   Skyview:  Tavis Pinkney 4-102, Cole Grossman 1-40, Travis Yajko 2-48, Jeremiah Wright 2-53, Wyatt Stallman 1-10.