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Boca Raton, Fla. • Two-time Utah Class 5A football champion Bingham lost only two games this season.

Both were in overtime and both came against nationally-ranked teams.

The Miners lost a heartbreaking 34-28 overtime decision to Florida's third-ranked Booker T. Washington Saturday night in the Burger King State Champions Bowl Series at Florida Atlantic University before a national ESPNU television audience.

Earlier this season, Bingham dropped a 23-20 overtime victory at top-ranked Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas.

The Miners dominated the second half in retiring coach Dave Peck's final game as coach by using a bruising run game to keep the Tornadoes' potent offense off the field.

But in the end, the three-time Florida 4A state champions had too much speed and too many advantages to win its 41st consecutive game.

Bingham had not played since beating American Fork for the Utah title on November 21. Some of the star Miner players such as quarterback Kyle Gearig and running back Cameron Smith had to split time between football and basketball practice. And the Utah team traveled across the country to play one of the nation's top teams in its own backyard.

Bingham capped its second long drive of the night with a 1-yard scoring run by Gearig to lead 28-21 with 2:16 to play in the game.

Since the Miners' defense has been stout all season, they looked to be in good shape at that point.

But Booker T. Washington capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown from star quarterback Maurice Alexander to Vaquan Small with 18 seconds to play.

That forced overtime and Bingham lost the critical toss.

On third down, the Miners' Gearig was sacked for a 14-yard loss. That forced Bingham all-state kicker Chayden Johnston into a 35-yard try from a bad angle that he missed.

Starting on their own 10-yard line per high school overtime rules, Booker T. Washington started with a five-yard run by Miami-bound running back Mark Walton. Then Alexander ended the drama with a five-yard run.

Peck figured Bingham needed to win two of three facets of the game to have a chance. The Miners' lost the special teams battle but played to a draw on offense and defense.

Booker T. Washington opened the game with an impressive drive, only to be stopped by the Miners on a fourth and one play at the seven.

But, on the next drive, Alexander found Shaq Green on a 10-yard passing play.

Bingham tied it on a one-yard Smith run on fourth and one. Alexander answered with a one-yard run, only to have the Miners complete a 10-play 80-yard drive on a Gearig to Smith 26-yard scoring pass.

The Miner offense dominated much of the second half, chewing up both yards and time. Bingham earned its first lead on Smith's five-yard scamper that capped a 13-play drive.

But the speedy Florida team wouldn't go down easily. After being stopped twice from the one-yard line, Alexander hit Green on a one-yard pass to tie it at 21.

Bingham returned to its methodical ways, with Gearig scoring. But the Alexander and Walton were just too much in the end for the eighth-ranked Miners to overcome.

All three Florida state champion teams won in the first annual event with Miami Central defeating Bothwell, Wash., 37-27, and Trinity Christian beating Washington's Eastside Catholic 35-21. —

Storylines

P Bingham loses in overtime to first- and third-ranked teams in U.S.

• The Miners' Cameron Smith scores two on ground, one on pass play, while quarterback Kyle Gearig runs for one score and passes for another.

• Retiring Bingham coach Dave Peck watches team lose heartbreaker before ESPNU audience.