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SALT LAKE CITY — Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime.
That has been the motto of the Timpview Thunderbirds in the 4A playoffs and they've backed it up on their way to the 4A state championship game.
Timpview won on the road in the first two rounds of the playoffs against two ranked teams, Logan and Woods Cross. Then they had to face powerhouse East, the team that beat them in last year's semifinals. They got their revenge in a snow storm at Rice-Eccles stadium with a 32-14 victory.
"This is a great bunch of kids," says Whittingham. "They are very resilient. They are very tough. They are very confident. They know they can win these games yet they are a very humble bunch. They know they need to work for every game and they've been doing that."
Their semifinal win over East was a perfect example of that. They trailed by a point at the half in extreme weather conditions but overcame those challenges shutting out East in the 2nd half and forced 5 turnovers in the win.
Timpview quarterback Jake Lloyd wasn't fazed by the bad weather and turned in a remarkable performance considering the conditions. He was 17-of-24 for 266 yards, 4 touchdowns and most importantly no interceptions. "It was a fun day" he said.
Timpview won the turnover battle and surprisingly was more physical than East, a team that was considered by many to be the most physical in the state.
"Our defense is so much more physical than they were last year." Lloyd says.
Now Timpview will be the favorite to win their 6th state championship in the last 9 years. That's just fine with Mountain Crest.
"I love being the underdog," says running back Eddy Hall. "We just come out and battle every game."
The Mustangs have flown under the radar all year. They weren't even favored to win their region but since knocking off Logan to claim that title Mountain Crest has emerged as a contender. They enter the 4A championship game with a 10- game winning streak.
"Our coaches tell us every year that this is how far we need to get, " says Hall. "This is our mindset."
Eddy Hall has been the top playmaker for the Mustangs this season. He has rushed for 1,504 yards and 17 touchdowns including 124 yards and a score against Highland in the semifinals. Mountain Crest has always been known for their explosive offense but this year their defense has been terrific. They held Highland to just 115 yards of total offense and have given up just 8 points per game during their 10-game winning streak. They haven't given up more than one touchdown in a game since September 14.
"This is what we've worked for all our lives," says Mustangs wide receiver Faimafili Laulu-Pututau who is committed to BYU. "Let's go get it."
No. 2 Mountain Crest (11-2) vs. No. 4 Timpview (8-5) Friday 6:30 p.m.
Timpview state championships: 8 (1986, 1991, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
Mountain Crest state championships: 3 (1987, 2001, 2005)
What Timpview must do to win: If Jake Lloyd continues to play the way he has in the postseason Timpview will be very tough to beat. In three playoff games he has completed 66 percent of his passes for 843 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has not thrown an interception in the playoffs. Protecting him and allowing him to continue making plays will be the key on offense. Defensively the Thunderbirds must contain Eddy Hall and put pressure on Mustangs quarterback Jamison Webb. Timpview linebacker Pita Taumoepenu leads the state with 21 sacks.
What Mountain Crest must do to win: Eddy Hall needs to have a big game. He has been their playmaker all season and they will need some big plays against that tough and physical Timpview defense to open things up for their pass game. The Mustangs defense has come up big all year and if they can force turnovers and even score points defensively as they have a number of times this season they can win their first state championship since 2005.
Timpview and Mountain Crest have a history. They met in the semifinals for three straight years from 2007-09. Timpview won each meeting but the games were highly entertaining. You can expect the same on Friday night. This is a great matchup between two very talented teams.
KSL Prediction: Timpview 35 Mountain Crest 28
