How 2 defensive plays helped Timpview beat Orem in a shootout


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OREM — It's not often that a defensive play is the focus of a football game featuring 104 combined points, but that was the case Friday night when Timpview traveled to Orem for a key Region 8 contest.

BYU commit Siale Esera is not like many players, either.

The 6-foot-4 edge rusher scored one of two interceptions returned for a touchdown in the first half to help the Thunderbirds, one of the top-rated teams in 5A, pull away for a 62-42 win Friday night at Orem, setting up a colossal clash next week.

After Orem (4-3, 2-1 Region 8) clung to a 14-13 lead after the first quarter by matching Timpview's offensive pull whit-for-whit, the Thunderbirds took a 20-14 lead on Micah Beckstead's 4-yard TD plunge to open the second quarter.

A few minutes later, Esera jumped a route and plucked one of Lance Reynolds' Jr.'s passes from mid-air and bolted 71 yards for a touchdown to double Timpview's advantage. That sparked a 28-0 run through the second quarter en route to a 41-14 halftime lead, and the reset is history.

"For that to happen, Siale was right in the right place at the right time," Timpview coach Donny Atuaia said. "Coaches put him right there, he listened, and he made a play.

"He's a special player, and we're going to need a lot more special plays on the road to come."

Orem took a 14-13 lead when Reynolds found 6-foot-5 pass catcher Roger Saleapaga on a 78-yard touchdown pass that Saleapaga took to the house from more than 50 yards out.

But after Kerven Tua'one scored on a 4-yard run, the Thunderbirds used Esera's pick six to score 28 unanswered points in the second quarter, including a 20-yard interception return by Isaiah Vaea that came less than a minute of game time after his own 68-yard touchdown run on offense.

"It was a good piece of momentum pushed into our favor," Esera said. "I feel like once it died down and we went into the half, the momentum kind of died out for us. We made a few mental mistakes, and it cost us; it cost us big-time.

"We won by a lot, but that wasn't the kind of score we wanted. We sure didn't want them to score that many points."

Freshman quarterback Helaman Casuga opened the half with a 28-yard touchdown toss to Jared Esplin for Timpview. But Orem responded with a 90-yard kick return from Feleti Iongi before Reynolds converted a muffed kickoff recovery into a 31-yard touchdown to Patrick Hervey as the Tigers scored two touchdowns just one minute apart.

Timpview's Quezon Villa runs into the end zone for a touchdown as Orem and Timpview play a high school football game at Orem on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. Timpview won 62-42.
Timpview's Quezon Villa runs into the end zone for a touchdown as Orem and Timpview play a high school football game at Orem on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. Timpview won 62-42. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

But that only pulled Orem to 48-28, and the Tigers could get no closer as Casuga found Quezon Villa with back-to-back scores to put the game away for good.

Every time Orem attempted a comeback, Timpview — which has been known for its offense all year — had an answer on offense, scoring seven touchdowns on the first five offensive drives (including the two interception returns), and only punting one time with 6:23 left in the fourth quarter. The Thunderbirds also took a knee inside their own 5-yard line with 8 seconds left in the half.

"Offense has been showing up all the time," Esera said. "Our offense is really good; I love them. I'm not gonna lie, I'm biased, but I think our defense is better. But our offense is really good."

Cole Johnson added a late touchdown for Orem, and Reynolds — who also had a 10-yard touchdown run in the first quarter — threw his second touchdown pass to Iongi from 23 yards out with 4:28 before the Thunderbirds ran out the clock.

"When it comes to a rivalry game like this, Gabe (Sewell, Orem head coach) got those guys for a game like this," Atuaia said. "We know each other; I've even coached players on that team. It was just that kind of game, and we know it coming in.

"But to have that kind of game, it was fun to watch a constant game of adjustments. We had people in and out, some injuries to replace, but it was very good to see the guys respond to what was happening on the sidelines."

Atuaia expects another big game Thursday when the Thunderbirds head to Lehi in a game that will likely decide the region title — and further implications for the upcoming 5A state playoffs. Friday's game film will provide Timpview (6-1, 2-0 Region 8) with plenty of mistakes to correct on the short week.

"We know Lehi and how powerful they are, and how disciplined we aren't," Atuaia said. "That's going to be something where what we do is what we need to be better at."

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