When it comes to its annual football game against Orem, something always goes wrong for Timpanogos.

In 1999, Timpanogos fumbled at the Orem 1-yard line.

In 2000, Orem stopped Timpanogos' 2-point conversion.

In 2005, Timpanogos lined up for a game-winning field goal. It was blocked.

Timpanogos just can't beat Orem.

Provo beats Timpview more often.

You are more likely to see the National League win over the American League in the Major League Baseball All Star game.

When Timpanogos played its first game against rival Orem, it was a mismatch. Orem won 63-0. The next year the Tigers won 68-34. It wasn't until Timpanogos' fourth year (1999) where the Timberwolves were able to compete with Orem.

In that season, Orem had a 10-6 lead in the final minutes of the game, but Timpanogos appeared to be driving for the winning score. Timpanogos fumbled at the goal line. Orem recovered in the end zone for a touchback and held on for a 10-6 win.

The following year, Timpanogos scored in the final seconds of the game and trailed 29-27, but Orem stopped Timpanogos' 2-point conversion attempt.

In 2005, Timpanogos lined up for the game-winning field goal but it was blocked. Orem won 7-6.

To look back on this rivalry, Timpanogos can only cringe.

In the 12 years of this rivalry, Orem had outscored Timpanogos by nearly double (376 to 185) and Timpanogos has won just twice.

But one of those wins came last year when Timpanogos hung for a 35-32 win.

Was the worm turning? Was it the beginning of the end for Orem's domination?

You knew the Orem game was coming up when junior quarterback Brooks Fowler broke his hand a week before the Orem game and running back JoJo Pili got into a skirmish with a Hunter player last week and was ejected.

In UHSAA, a player ejected automatically misses the following game.

It's the Orem curse.

Friday night it happened again. Orem held off Timpanogos 14-9 in a crazy, improbable fictitious type finish that would seem unbelievable if it were a movie.

Timpanogos had two chances to take the lead in the final five minutes of the game, but were denied both times even though Orem kept giving Timpanogos chances.

Timpanogos had a second-and-goal at the Orem two (compliments of an Orem offsides penalty), but Orem's defense held. The Tigers stuffed Jaxon Fowler for no gain and knocked the Timpanogos senior out of the game with a knee injury and on fourth down, stopped fullback Scott Curtis on a run up the middle.

"The goal line stand down there was awesome. Our offense was pretty bad. We just couldn't' get things clicking, but the defense played pretty good," said a relieved Orem coach Bob Steele. "I was pleased with those kids when they had their backs against the wall. They were put in some bad situations and gave up only field goals."

Game not over. This is high school football.

Orem's Josh Thomson intercepted a Parker Brown pass, but the Timberwolves defense gave Brown another chance and with 1:19 left Timpanogos made one final drive.

A pass to Kellen McWhorter down the middle of the field moved the ball to the Orem 18 where it looked like Timpanogos' drive would die when Brown's fourth down pass fell incomplete with 41 seconds left.

Never leave a high school game early.

A roughing the passer penalty was called on Orem giving Timpanogos first-and-goal at the nine. But with Brown in shotgun formation, the snap sailed over his head and Orem's Alifhi Faalafua picked it up and took off for the end zone. He was finally tacked at the Timpanogos 15, but Orem then ran off the final 20 seconds to win again.

It happened again.

Somehow Orem found a way to do it again. A fumble, a blocked field goal, an interception. The big play may be different, but the results seldom are.

When asked to explain Orem's stranglehold over Timpanogos, Steele was left speechless. He's not really sure why the Tigers dominate the series, but who is he to argue?

"I don't know what to tell you. I know we get our kids prepared," Steele said. "They know quite a few of our guys because the population is split with Canyon View Junior High and they've grown up in the same city, but I couldn't give you an answer on that."

The hope at Timpanogos is that this rivalry will eventually swing over to its side and based on how competitive the games have been, it eventually will.

In the meantime, these two teams sure play entertaining football.