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SALT LAKE CITY — In the last meeting between Timpview and Orem, the two schools combined for 104 points in a Timpview win.
So when the two met in Friday afternoon's 5A semifinal contest at Rice-Eccles Stadium with a championship game appearance on the line, it was expected a shootout would ensue again.
The first half was anything but that.
The two teams struggled to get points on the board but finished with Timpview controlling a 14-10 lead at the halftime break. The final two quarters of the game, though, were an onslaught of points on the back. But in the end, Timpview, once again, came away with a victory, a 48-31 win on the back of senior running back Micah Beckstead.
The senior finished the night with an all-encompassing four touchdowns — three rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdowns — and 208 all-purpose yards, including an impressive 188 rushing yards on the night.
Beckstead opened up the second half for the Thunderbirds with a 42-yard rushing touchdown on a five-play, 76-yard drive to open up a second half that featured five touchdowns. He followed it up on Timpview's next drive with a 20-yard run to put distance on an Orem team that hung around for much of the first half.
For good measure, Beckstead added a fourth score in the fourth quarter — this time a 20-yard reception to give Timpview a 42-25 lead with just under seven minutes left in the game.
And though Beckstead had a monstrous half for the Thunderbirds, Orem didn't go down without a fight.
The Tigers continued to work the ball down the length of the field and found the end zone three times in the second half, but it was never enough to catch up to a Timpview team that was inevitable.
That was most apparent when Orem scored its first touchdown of the second half — after Beckstead already had a hat trick — and then Quezon Villa returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a score to keep the Tigers away. Every time Orem scored, Timpview had an answer.
Timpview moves past Region 8 foe Orem to take on fellow region opponent Lehi in the 5A state title game on Nov. 18. Kickoff for the championship game is expected to kickoff at Rice-Eccles Stadium at 2 p.m. MST.
