NAMPA — Three weeks ago, with its season on the brink, the Skyview football team needed a spark.

That spark came in the form of a high-powered offense, led by senior quarterback Sam Cook.

After starting the season with a 1-4 record, the Hawks found themselves trailing Emmett 18-3 early in the second quarter of Week Six.

But Cook and a strong core of receivers, cut the lead down to 18-17 with two quick touchdown drives. A field goal by Luke Cornilles just before halftime gave Skyview the lead, one they never let go of in the 27-21 victory.

It was just what the Hawks needed to turn their season around. After three straight wins, Skyview (4-4 overall, 4-2 4A South Idaho Conference) is back in the state playoff picture. A win against Middleton (6-2, 4-1) tonight would get them in. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Skyview High.

"When we came back and won (the Emmett) game, it just gave us a lot of inspiration going into the ongoing weeks," said Cook, who had 293 yards passing against the Huskies. "And it's kind of snowballed."

Cook has been one of the keys to Skyview's late-season turnaround, and not just because of his numbers.

The senior has thrown for 2,434 yards this season, more than any other quarterback in the 4A SIC.

Skyview coach David Young said Cook's season total is more than any quarterback has passed for in a season during his seven years at the school.

In comparison, Cook is nearing the 2,783 yards Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins threw for during his senior season at Bishop Kelly in 2005.

Cook has been able to spread the ball around to Skyview's three receivers.

Luke Austin leads the 4A Southern Idaho Conference with 952 receiving yards.

Greg Krahenbuhl (700 yards) and Travis Gropp (582 yards) rank second and fourth, respectively, in the same category.

"To be able to drop back and have receivers with the caliber of speed that we do, it makes my job way easier," Cook said.

Teammates and coaches say Cook has done much more than throw the ball.

He's kept the team together, even when the team was trailing Emmett earlier this season.

He's been calm and collective throughout.

"He wasn't nervous at all," offensive lineman Tanner Hansen said. "He was confident for sure. I never saw him get upset or yell at anybody.

"It keeps our spirits up," he added. "If things are going bad, we still have to persevere."

It was exactly what the Hawks needed. In addition to a slow start to the season, the Hawks were battling all sorts of illness in the weeks leading up to the Emmett game — everything from bronchitis, to pneumonia, to H1N1 that kept as many as four starters out in three straight games, Young said.

But through it all, the quarterback never lost confidence in his team. And by the time the Hawks were nearly back to full health, they were in position to get back on track.

"It was just a matter of getting healthy enough," Young said. "The health has come on and the confidence has come with it, and the Emmett game was kind of the catalyst for that."

With a running game that has struggled this season, averaging just 27.4 yards on the ground per game, the Hawks have relied heavily on their passing game.

Young said a lot of the credit still does go to the quarterback, a second year varsity starter. He had some tough times during his junior year. The Hawks battled injury and finished with a 3-6 overall record. But those experiences helped him this year when times got tough again, according to Young.

"There were a lot of times last year where his confidence was shaken, there were a couple times where he had good games," the coach said. "But through all those growing experiences, you can see he's a very good quarterback this year."