Brian E. Preece, Herald correspondent

No. 23-seed Wasatch had won two playoff games in its magical run in the 2022 5A state tournament, but the Wasps finally ran into a wall — a blue and orange wall — in No. 2-seed Timpview.

The Thunderbirds scored early and often in a 63-21 rout of the Wasps.

“They did well, they responded,” Timpview head coach Donny Atuai said of his team. “It was a great game for us.”

Timpview scored 56 first half points, 28 each in the first two quarters, and at one point scored 56 unanswered points in the blowout victory.

Timpview scored first when Micah Beckstead caught a pass from Helaman Casuga in the flat and powered it in from 12 yards out. After Jacob Larsen connected on his first of nine successful extra points, Timpvew led 7-0.

Brian E. Preece, Herald correspondent

“I love my offensive line,” said Beckstead, who has been a touchdown scoring machine all season.

Beckstead knows that two tough games lie ahead if the Thunderbirds want to capture their 13th state title and first since 2014.

“We’ve got to stay disciplined and not get ahead of ourselves,” Beckstead said.

Wasatch struck back and tied the game as Mack Kelson found Tavian Edwards streaking behind the Timpview defense on a 65-yard score.

All of this happened before four minutes had gone off the first quarter clock.

Brian E. Preece, Herald correspondent

But Timpview’s offense went to work and the Thunderbird defense, while giving up some long plays here and there, stopped Wasatch’s high-octane offense when it needed to. Two interceptions by Jeff Tuha Jr. and Haven Halladay set up Timpview scores. And then Wasatch also failed on three fourth down attempts, one in their own territory, which allowed Timpview’s offense to play on shorter fields.

This meant that in the last 20 minutes of the first half Timpview scored eight touchdowns.

Isaia Vaea caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from Casuga, while Kervin Tua’one and Beckstead added nine-yard scoring runs in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Casuga hooked up with Jared Esplin on a 35-yard score, Luke Atuaia plunged from three yards out, and former Wasp stand out Quezon Villa scored twice, once on a 2-yard run and then on a 52-yard pass reception from Casuga, which was his fourth touchdown pass of the first half.

The second half went quick as the running clock went into effect. But Timpview’s offense tallied one more touchdown when Tua’one crossed the plane one more time on a 2-yard run.

Wasatch came alive a bit in the final stanza scoring twice.

Chris Cook scored on a short run for the Wasps and then Crew Erickson scored on a 55-yard bomb with just 1:38 remaining. Erickson played well for the Wasps as he hauled in four passes for over 40 yards.

Though his team was soundly defeated in the quarterfinals, Wasatch head coach Steve Coburn was still pleased with how his team played in the playoffs.

“This game isn’t indicative of our season,” said Coburn. “One game doesn’t define what these guys are all about. These guys are great.”

Timpview (9-2), which played all their home games this season at Mountain View due to construction at their school, will play Orem (7-4) on Friday at 2 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah.

This season Timpview won the regular season match-up 62-42 between the two football powerhouses, but the Tigers have been a recent nemesis for the Thunderbirds in the playoffs, twice beating Timpview in the 5A state championship game.

Meanwhile, Wasatch finished their 2022 gridiron campaign 5-7 but were the last team standing from Region 9.

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