Catching fire: Pula brothers help send Timpview past Orem 35-21
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- Timpview’s Abraham Ogata (21) celebrates after Aisa Galea’i scores a touchdown against Orem in a Region 7 football game on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
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- Timpview quarterback Carson Rasmussen (2) gets ready to take a snap during a Region 7 football game against Orem on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
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- Captains from Orem and Timpview embrace before the coin toss of a Region 7 football game on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
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- Orem’s Feleti Iongi (center) hands a lei to coach Lance Reynolds Jr. during Senior Night before a Region 7 football game against Timpview on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
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- Orem’s Stephen Schow (middle) walks onto the field with his parents during Senior Night before a Region 7 football game against Timpview on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
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- Timpview fans react during a Region 7 football game against Orem on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
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- Orem captains (from left) AJ Snow, Easton Finch, Feleti Iongi and Ryker Mikkelsen walk onto the field for the coin toss before the start of a Region 7 football game against Timpview on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
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- Orem fans react during a Region 7 football game against Timpview on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
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- Timpview captains (from left) Taani Makasini, Alema Foster, Daniel Beckstead and Zedakiah Anahu-Ambrosio walk out for the coin toss before a Region 7 football game against Orem on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
No matter who plays quarterback for Timpview, just throwing the ball anywhere near Jaron or Kennan Pula is a pretty good idea.
The Pula brothers, who recently committed to UCLA, combined for over 200 yards receiving and made four highlight-reel catches as the T-Birds clinched the Region 7 title on Wednesday with a 35-21 victory at Orem.
“It’s all about how we get the ball out,” Timpview coach Donnie Atuaia said. “It’s awesome for our O-line and our running backs blocking well. We are pretty stacked with playmakers, and we like having those options. Coach Nick (Robbins) did a really good job calling the plays today and using what we have to find those advantages.”
Carson Rasmussen, a transfer from Pleasant Grove, has been excellent at quarterback this season for the T-Birds (19 TD passes, three interceptions) but went out in the fourth quarter on Wednesday with a shoulder injury. Sokai Aston, who transferred from Provo after winning the Region 8 MVP as a quarterback last season, has been playing running back but might have to move to the quarterback spot for Timpview’s playoff run.
Aston completed a 53-yard pass to Jaron Pula and a 21-yard touchdown pass to Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio on the game-clinching drive to give the T-Birds a two-score lead and handled to kneel downs to put the game away.
“Carson’s been our main guy but it’s such a nice thing to have Sokai there,” Atuaia said. “We hope Carson can heal up and come back to contribute to our run in the playoffs. But Sokai was prepared for this moment.”
The game started fast as Kennan Pula made a terrific juggling catch on a long ball from Rasmussen and completed an 84-yard touchdown play on Timpview’s first play from scrimmage for a 7-0 lead.
Orem countered with one of the state’s most dangerous players, Feleti Iongi, breaking loose on a 56-yard scamper to tie the score at 7-7 with 6:59 to play in the first quarter.
With 2:05 to play in the first, Aisa Galea’i scored on a 3-yard run to give Timpview a 14-7 lead.
The T-Birds defense got a key fourth down stop on Orem’s next series that led to another spectacular scoring play. Rasmussen dropped back to pass, reversed his field and fired a pass to the opposite side that freshman Dennis Tua’one tracked down for a 28-yard touchdown and a 21-7 halftime lead.
Early in the third quarter, Jaron Pula made a unbelievable one-handed catch for a 41-yard gain to the Orem 2-yard line. Timpview ended up going backwards on penalties and had a botched field goal attempt to kill that scoring drive.
The Tigers responded with a long march and on fourth-and-goal from the 1, Ryker Mikkelsen broke a tackle and scored to trim the deficit to 21-14 entering the fourth quarter.
Another great catch by Jaron Pula for 40 yards set up a Galea’i 13-yard run and Timpview went up 28-14 with 9:33 to play. Orem countered with a drive that ended with Tayden Ka’awa finding 6-foot-7 tight end Kai Wesley with a pass into the end zone. Wesley took a hard shot but held on and Orem was down 28-21 with 7:40 remaining.
With Rasmussen out, Aston came in and led the T-Birds on the clinching scoring drive.
“When I heard Carson got hurt we had to trust in our backup, Sokai,” Jaron Pula said. “I don’t think he was nervous. I think he was ready for it because he’d been practicing for his moment all week. It think the difference tonight was that we really came in prepared.”
Atuaia said he’s proud of the way his players responded after the cancellation of the Provo game on Aug. 30, which was the result of threats against Provo coaches on social media. Since a 56-20 loss to California powerhouse Corona Centennial 56-20 on Sept. 6, the T-Birds have won five straight games and outscored their opponents 203-45.
“Our leadership, with our captains, having these guys have been a part of the program for the entire four years, knowing that it (the Provo cancellation) was a bad situation, for them to say, OK, let’s just move on, that shows us what they can do,” Atuaia said.
Timpview (6-2) came into the game as the No. 5 seed in Class 5A, one spot behind Orem (8-2). The win on Wednesday would likely move the T-Birds past the Tigers for final seeding for the state playoffs, which will be announced Saturday morning.
TIMPVIEW 35, OREM 21
Timpview 14 7 0 14 — 35
Orem 7 0 7 7 — 21
TV-K. Pula 84 pass from Rasmussen (Thornock kick)
O–Iongi 56 run (Akana kick)
TV–Galea’i 3 run (Thornock kick)
TV–Tua’one 28 pass from Rasmussen (Thornock kick)
O–Mikkelsen 1 run (Akana kick)
TV–Galea’i 13 run (Thornock kick)
O–Wesley 14 pass from Ka’awa (Akana kick)
TV–Anahu-Ambrosio 21 pass from Aston (Thornock kick)
