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PROVO — After starting the season 6-1, the Salem Hill Skyhawks were on a three-game losing skid when they entered the playoffs against the Timpview Thunderbirds. Salem Hills jumped to a 13-0 lead in the first six minutes, but after that it was all Timpview.
The Thunderbirds went on to score 45 unanswered points before Salem Hills scored again. Timpview put up another 21 points, soundly beating the Skyhawks.
"We had a slow start," Timpview head coach Cary Whittingham said. "No panic though, we knew he had the ability to overcome that. We've got a good team, they hang in there, they keep going at it, and they know it's a long game."
Timpview scored 28 of its 45 unanswered points in the last four minutes of the first half. To Whittingham, it's just how good his team is when they're locked in. "Nothing changed," Whittingham explained, "They just settled down. Sometimes kids get overexcited and start thinking too much. You gotta give Salem Hills some credit, they did some nice things."
Next week, Timpview will play East, the team that beat it last year in the state championship game.
"This team has the ability to hang in there and know what to do against East," Whittingham said. "Slow starts are always concerning, especially when we know who we got next week. We want a fast start against East for sure, it's too much to overcome in some games."
The game started on a huge kick return on the opening kickoff by Salem Hills, which returned the ball within 10 yards of the end zone. From there it didn't take long for James Nelson to find Jacob Rolfe for the first score of the game. Salem Hills grabbed a 7-0 lead in 35 seconds.
The ensuing Timpview drive ended when Salem Hills' Kaden Kunz intercepted Timpview's Jordan Mariteragi's pass, returning it deep into Timpview territrory. Timpview's Beau Tuua returned the favor, intercepting Rolfe in the end zone, but it was called back on a roughing-the-passer penalty. A few plays later, Nelson found Rolfe again for a 6-yard touchdown. A missed point after the touchdown left Salem in the lead 13-0.
Timpview fought back with big plays from Alama Te'o and Brig Sibley, but got stalled within 5 yards, leading to a Mason Hayward field goal.
On the ensuing Timpview drive, Jacob Biggs came down with a huge catch on the 1-yard line. A wildcat formation came onto the field and Morgan Anderson took a direct snap for a touchdown, making the game 13-10.
The majority of the second quarter was a scrappy ball fight with each team making big plays on defense, including two consecutive plays that ended in interceptions, first by Timpview's Niles Herrod, then by Kunz.
With about four minutes left in the second quarter, the wheels came off for Salem Hills.
Mariteragi hit Kyle Van Leeuwen in stride for a 52-yard touchdown to give Timpview its first lead of the game.
On the next drive for Salem Hills, James Nelson was hit hard and fumbled the ball. The fumble was recoverd by Timpview's Jackson Cravens, putting the ball on the 5-yard line. The next play, Almea Te'o ran in for the touchdown.
After a three and out by Salem Hills, Timpview was desperate to score again. The drive ended when Chaz Ah You made an incredible one-man effort, breaking several tackles and finding the end zone on a 19-yard touchdown.
Kunz returned the following kickoff and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Timpview's Payson Madsen. Timpview only had 27 seconds to score, and after using all its timeouts, did it in 21, with a 10-yard pass to Van Leeuwen.
The scoring didn't stop there, when Van Leeuwen took the opening kickoff of the first half and returned 90 yards to the 10-yard line. Timpview scored on the next play on a pass to Kolby Enosa.
The ensuing Salem Hills drive ended Timpview's scoring streak. A huge play by Kunz and a fourth-down conversion led to a 1-yard touchdown run by Vili Manulea Wolfgramm, but a failed two-point attempt made the score 45-19.
It took three plays for Timpview to respond, and two turnovers turned into two more scores for Timpview, and Salem never scored again, as Timpview went on to win big at home, 66-19.
