Hart Beats Quartz Hill, 23-20, on Long Field Goal by Vilensky

With a strong wind at his back, Hart High’s Brady Vilensky boomed a 45-yard field goal with 1 minute 51 seconds remaining Friday night to propel the Indians to a dramatic 23-20 nonleague win over Quartz Hill.

The kick completed a drive that started with 6:21 left and followed Quartz Hill’s touchdown and tying two-point conversion with 6:22 left.

In the drive, quarterback Ryan Connors completed three passes for 38 yards and Hart (3-2) converted two key third-down plays. Finally, after a personal foul on Hart moved the ball back from the 14 to the 29, Vilensky came through.

“Oh, man, you wouldn’t believe (what I was thinking),” Vilensky said between postgame hugs. “I had complete concentration on the ball. But when we were moving it back, I was like, ‘Hey, where are we going?’ ”

It didn’t matter. His kick cleared the crossbar with plenty to spare and two plays later Davis Delmatoff picked off Jake Haro’s desperation pass to end the game.

Connors completed 11 of 19 for 208 yards, with Brian Bernier catching six for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Hart took a 20-12 lead on Tucker Setterberg’s three-yard run after a botched Quartz Hill punt gave the Indians the ball at the Rebel 31-yard line. Quartz Hill (3-2) answered with a Selves Smith one-yard scoring run and a two-point pass from Haro to Jake Patterson.

Haro led Quartz Hill rushers with 60 yards.

Not surprisingly, the wind dictated the first-half scoring. Quartz Hill, with the wind at its back for its initial drive, marched 58 yards in 10 plays, the clincher being a 23-yard touchdown pass from Haro to David Nelson. Attila Rethi’s point-after attempt was blocked. The Hart offense, while waiting for the second quarter to get the wind at its back, managed to churn out a touchdown when Setterberg plunged from one yard in the first period.