In football, as in all team sports, a season can change with one big play. 

With four seconds left to play against Riverton Sept. 19, the Miner defense needed one more. Ahead by the razor-thin margin of 28-26, their rivals were lining up for a two-point try. 

The Miner defense leaned in on the goal line and stuffed the run cold, handing Bingham its first victory of the season, 28-26. 

It had already been a trying season. At least half of last year’s roster transferred to other schools. The Miners lost their first five games by a combined 167-29. 

But against Riverton, the Miners nearly equaled their season total. They steered away from running the football as often and got back to what won them games in their most recent past: the throw game. 

Passing the football got Bingham back to Rice-Eccles Stadium for the first time in several years. And, with seniors John Kulimushi at wideout and quarterback Boston Singley back in the fold, why not? 

With 39 ticks on the scoreboard clock to go in the first quarter, Miles Ward wriggled free on a skinny post route to his right. The senior had a career-high four grabs and 28 yards receiving in a 40-0 loss at Herriman a week prior, and so now he would almost equal that, on one play. He caught a spiral from Singley for a 23-yard touchdown reception. 

With the PAT from Tucker Brown, the Miners were tied, 7-7. Riverton would storm back ahead off a pick six and two field goals in the second quarter to place Bingham in a 20-7 hole. 

What would the Miners do to get back in the game? 

Well, Bingham had a flair for the dramatic. With just 33 seconds left in the half at Ron Thorne Stadium, Singley found Kulimushi open on a comeback route, and the Bingham senior did the rest along the right sideline. Kulimushi juked two Riverton defenders and jogged into the end zone, cutting Riverton’s lead to 20-14 at the half after Brown’s PAT. 

Bingham (3-5) would take the lead late in the third quarter when Singley found Kulimushi on a slant. The senior wideout bounced off one Riverton linebacker in the middle of the field and then made a diagonal beeline to his left toward his rival’s sideline to complete a 41-yard TD reception. With the Brown PAT, the Miners had their first lead of the game at 21-20 with 1:33 to play in the third. 

On literally the same play as the touchdown in the first quarter but to his left this time, Ward created separation on a skinny post. By the time Ward entered the end zone, the ball from Singley was already there, completing a 35-yard TD reception to put Bingham ahead for good, 28-20 after the PAT, with just 5:22 left in the game. 

On this night in South Jordan, Brown’s four PATs also played a role in the outcome. Had Bingham gone for two on every possession, there is no telling what the score of this rivalry game might have been. Singley threw for 257 yards, completing 17 of 27 passes for four TDs. Kulimushi had 7 catches for 152 yards receiving and two TDs; Ward 58 yards receiving and two scores. 

The huge win over rival Riverton kickstarted a three-game winning streak where Bingham blasted Region 2 newcomer Cedar Valley 49-39 on Sept. 26 with five rushing TDs and a pick six from senior Grady Johnson and then on Senior Night had more dominance on the ground Oct. 3 in a 34-10 victory over Copper Hills. 

For the season, Singley now has five TD passes and 530 yards in the air along with 66 yards rushing and three scores. Senior Owen Peterson has rushed for 430 yards and three TDs and Kulimushi has 439 yards receiving and three TDs. 

On defense, Bingham senior Judd Bowen leads the team with 61 tackles and four tackles for a loss while junior Monson Tukuafu has the most sacks, with three. A ball-hawking secondary has eight interceptions; Johnson himself has three while sophomore Jayden Cumbee has two. 

With two games left to play at press time – at Mountain Ridge in the region finale – and at home against Lone Peak on Senior Night in a non-league matchup, the Miners still have much to play for. They were ranked No. 13 in the latest 6A RPI and appear to be locked in for a state playoff berth. 

That’s all thanks to a concerted effort to improve on offense after an 0-5 start.