SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Logan High won the 4A state football championship with a thrilling, come-from-behind victory over East, 18-11, at Rice-Eccles Stadium. This was Logan's 6th state championship, and first in 4A.
D.J. Nelson hit Jameson Hartman on a 40-yard pass with 36 seconds to go in the game to take the lead for good, and converted a two-point conversion to round out the scoring.
The Grizzlies took at 10-3 lead after Jesse Braddy recovered a fumble deep in East territory, and Nelson scored on a 1-yard run. But Nelson, who accounted for 606 yards of total offense in the semifinals against Bountiful, was held in check by the Leopards defense. Nelson passed for 135 yards and rushed for 33.
East had a 11-10 lead in the 4th quarter after a safety and Gavin Van Minde's third field goal of the game. But Nelson made the plays when they counted the most, leading the Grizzlies on the game-winning drive.
"It's a dream to win this in the final minute," said Nelson. "That's just really special. I never thought it would happen that way, but it did, so I'll take it."
"It's made for a movie," said head coach Mike Favero. "It makes it exciting, so we'll be able to relive that moment. It's one of the great moments of my career and the great history of Logan High football."
