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Lone Peak senior Kailey Woolston drives to the basket during the non-region game against Timpview in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lone Peak junior Naia Tanuvasa goes up for a layup during the non-region game against Timpview in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lone Peak junior Naia Tanuvasa dribbles into the lane during the non-region game against Timpview in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lone Peak junior Sarah Bartholomew goes up for a shot during the non-region game against Timpview in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lone Peak junior Shawnee Nordstrom drives to the basket during the non-region game against Timpview in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview senior Kim Saili goes up for a layup during the non-region game against Lone Peak in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lone Peak head coach Nancy Warner directs her team during the non-region game against Timpview in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview head coach Haley Steed watches her team compete during the non-region game against Lone Peak in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lone Peak senior Makeili Ika comes onto the floor before the non-region game against Timpview in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview senior Katie Hansen does a starting lineup routine before the non-region game against Lone Peak in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview senior Brookelyn Eyre goes up for a shot during the non-region game against Lone Peak in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview sophomore Lina Ballin gets fouled on a drive during the non-region game against Lone Peak in Highland on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

The Timpview girls basketball team knew coming into Tuesday’s non-region game at Lone Peak that it was facing a tall task.

The Thunderbirds were taking on the defending 6A champs — and the Knights have almost everyone back including 2022 Utah Valley Player of the Year Kailey Woolston (now a senior).

Still, Timpview couldn’t be too disappointed with the start of the game.

Yes, behind seven quick points from Woolston, Lone Peak went up 9-2. But the Thunderbirds rallied to score six of the next nine points to make the score 12-8.

Then Timpview discovered just how quickly the talented Knights can take over a game.

Lone Peak junior Naia Tanuvasa scored five straight, then sophomore Katy Lawrence drained back-to-back treys and freshman Kennedy Woolston knocked down a jumper. Just like that, a four-point game turned into a 17-point lead and the Knights never looked back, pulling away to get the 66-34 win over the Thunderbirds.

“We’ve been waiting so long to play this game, so it was just fun,” Tanuvasa said. “Everyone was just excited to be out there playing and everyone played hard.”

Lone Peak head coach Nancy Warner said she was pleased with how her team played in the first half but saw room for improvement as well.

“Practice is fun and all but everyone was ready to come out and be tested in a game situation,” Warner said. “It was great to see them in action and playing together. But there are always things to get better at. For us, it is fine-tuning and making sure we stay disciplined on both sides of the ball.”

She particularly like the defensive intensity from her athletes as they kept a good Timpview team from getting comfortable.

“Defense is about talking and communicating,” Warner said. “We want to have no lapses and to stick to the game plan. But it was a great first game.”

Timpview had its best stretch during the third quarter, when it was able to stay with the Knights. In the end, though, it was just too tall of a task to do that for all 32 minutes.

Kailey Woolston led the way for the Knights, tallying 19 points, while senior Shawnee Nordstrom added 11 points. Timpview was paced by 12 points from Kim Saili.

Tanuvasa said that while being the defending champs might mean more pressure, this is a group who can handle it.

“Our coaches always say that we deserve the pressure and everything that comes,” Tanuvasa said. “We just need to embrace it and enjoy it.”

Warner wants her team to get everyone’s best shot because that type of intensity will make Lone Peak better in the long run.

“Those things challenge you and anything that can challenge us will make us better,” Warner said. “We know that is going to be the case and we are willing to accept that. It’s going to be difficult on some nights If we do it the right way and do it together, then we can find ourselves getting better.”

That was the same mentality from Timpview head coach Haley Steed, who said she liked seeing how her team would handle facing such an elite opponent.

“I wanted the girls to compete and learn from the way that Lone Peak plays,” Steed said. “They have incredible talent but the thing I love is that they also play so hard. They do all the little things, which is impressive. The girls were talking in the locker room about what we can do better. It was a great measuring stick at the start of the season.”

The Knights (1-0) will get their next test when they play at Layton on Thursday, while the Thunderbirds (1-1) next play at Davis on Dec. 6. Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

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