Springville bruises its way past Box Elder in 5A quarterfinals
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- Springville’s Tau Naufahu carries the ball against Box Elder in a 5A football state quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Springville players take down Box Elder’s Judd Howells in a 5A football state quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Springville’s Tua Naufahu carries the ball into the end zone in a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Box Elder on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
Facing a tie game and a complete swing of momentum late in a quarterfinal matchup against Box Elder on Friday, Springville turned the game over to its big boys.
With eight minutes remaining, tight end Tua Naufahu took five of the next six snaps out of the Wildcat formation to rush the ball into Box Elder territory.
The Red Devils switched things up and gave the ball to Treyton Harris, who sped to the outside for a first down, then ran over a pair of defenders on his way to the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 4:41 remaining to secure a 28-21 win.
“Tua was doing his thing. We had just kind of been setting it up and setting it up, and Treyton was ready when his number was called. And that was a pretty physical run for him too,” Springville coach Dave Valeti said.
The drive epitomized what the Red Devils have done all year on their way to a 10-1 record: playing hard-nosed, smash-mouth football; daring opponents to stop them when everyone in the stadium knows the ball will be moved on the ground via Springville’s array of big boys.
“I got all the trust in the world in the offensive line,” Naufahu said. “I know they’re the best in the state, and I know if you give me the ball, I’m gonna come out with the first down 10 out of 10 times. I’m really proud of this group. This group is really special. I’m so proud to be a part of this team.”
Said Box Elder coach Carson Mund: “Big is probably the key word. They’re tough to slow down because they can take up a lot of space.”
Springville finished the game with 367 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns from three different players. Naufahu, Harris and Lisiate Valeti all had runs of 30 or more yards.
Yet it was Box Elder’s own physicality and resourcefulness that required the Red Devils to manufacture a game-winning drive in the first place.
After trailing 21-7 in the second quarter, the Bees (10-2) scored the game’s next 14 points — a pair of 40-plus-yard field goals, a touchdown and a game-tying 2-point conversion.
“I love these guys. They battled, and I think they loved each other. They fought for one another. And I couldn’t be more proud of this group of boys, and especially these seniors,” Mund said.
In the first half, Springville opened with a 12-yard touchdown run from Lisiate Valeti, and after a Box Elder three-and-out, responded with a 32-yard run from Valeti and a 2-yard touchdown from Naufahu to lead 14-0 in the first quarter.
The Bees got on the board with a nine-play drive powered by a 29-yard pass from Kadyn Reyes to Bridger Richards and capped by a 4-yard Reyes touchdown run.
But the Red Devils struck again in the second quarter, as a pair of long Valeti runs set up a 2-yard Naufahu touchdown to go up 21-7.
The turning point came in the third quarter, when a Box Elder punt clipped a Springville player’s leg. The Bees recovered and capitalized with a 41-yard field goal from Tytan Hubb to cut the lead to 21-13.
After forcing a defensive stop, the Bees struck on a 48-yard pass from Reyes to Landon Harding, followed by a 3-yard Judd Howells touchdown run — breaking the school rushing record — and a 2-point conversion.
“Judd Howells punched it in and broke the school rushing record, which was held by my brother, who is coaching him. So that was kind of a cool moment tonight,” Mund said.
But Springville’s decisive touchdown drive, followed by a turnover on downs and a few more first-down wildcat runs from Naufahu, sent Springville to the 5A state semifinals for the first time since 2021.
“They had some adversity strike, and I was just super proud that I never saw a chink in their armor,” Valeti said. “They were ready for it. They were up for the challenge. And we’ve told them all year, and they bought in, that playoff ball is different, that records go out the window and it’s 10 yards at a time.”
Springville will play Brighton in the 5A state semifinal at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
SPRINGVILLE 28, BOX ELDER 21
Box Elder 0 10 3 8 – 21
Springville 14 7 0 7 – 28
S-Tuiono Valeti 11 run (Ben Smith kick)
S-Tua Naufahu 1 run (Smith kick)
BE-Kadyn Reyes 4 run (Tytan Hupp kick)
S-Naufahu 2 run (Smith kick)
BE-Hupp 40 FG
BE-Hupp 45 FG
BE-Gray Davis 3 run (Davis run)
S-Treyton Harris 38 run (Smith kick)
