State championship notes: Timpview football title season capped fittingly with late drama
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- Timpview players celebrate after getting a late fourth-down stop during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- TImpview players watch as the chains show they got a key fourth-down stop during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players celebrate after getting a late fourth-down stop during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players celebrate after getting a late fourth-down stop during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players celebrate after winning the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players celebrate after winning the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players celebrate after winning the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior Jacob Rust poses for a photo after winning the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior Isaiah Vaea (1) and junior Matthias Lesa celebrate after winning the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview pose for a photo after winning the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior Marley Filiaga celebrates after winning the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview head coach Donny Atuaia talks to his team before the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players celebrate after getting a fourth-down stop during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players take the field before the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players prepare before the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior Quezon Villa runs the ball during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior wide receiver Tei Nacua tries to make a catch during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview players head to the locker room before the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview defenders make a tackle during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview sophomore quarterback Helaman Casuga throws a pass during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview junior Matthias Lesa celebrates getting a sack during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview defenders make a tackle during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview head coach Donny Atuaia (center) talks to his team during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior Jackson Farrar runs the ball up the field during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior wide receiver Tei Nacua makes a catch during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior running back Tru To’a runs the ball up the field during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview defenders make a big fourth-down stop at the goal line during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior Isaiah Vaea tackles Bountiful running back Siaki Vekitoa during the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview defenders rush the quarterback during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
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- Timpview senior wide receiver Tei Nacua makes a catch during the 5A state championship game against Bountiful at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
One of the frustrating tendencies the Timpview football had in 2023 was getting a lead but then allowing opponents to rally to make thing interesting late in the game.
Since it happened multiple times, it wasn’t exactly a new experience for the Thunderbirds when they found the defense heading onto the field with just over a minute to play in Friday’s 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium needing a stop to prevent Bountiful from getting a potentially game-tying touchdown.
“It’s been like that this entire season,” Timpview head coach Donny Atuaia said. “It was great we had that kind of experience. We were just asking for one more good outcome. We have a poster that says defense wins championships. The defense was doing well.”
It helped the Thunderbirds that the Redhawks had no timeouts, so they needed to throw the ball. The first three passes, however, fell incomplete, forcing Bountiful to go for its seventh fourth-down conversion of the game.
Redhawk junior quarterback Emerson Geilman fired over the middle to where senior wide receiver Faletau Satuala was running a crossing route. Satuala caught it and turned it up field, fighting to get the necessary yardage.
He was met by Timpview junior linebacker Taani Makasini and other Thunderbird defenders and driven to the ground right near the line to gain.
“He caught the ball pretty short,” Timpview senior safety Haven Halladay said. “We all just rallied to the ball.”
The officials called for a measurement and all both teams could do at that point was wait to see what the result would be.
“That hit was pretty sweet,” Atuaia said. “The eyeball test was that it was short but I’ve been wrong before. It happens and that’s football.”
Thunderbird senior Quezon Villa, who plays both offense and defense, said that moment also made him recall the 2022 title game loss to Lehi when Timpview quarterback Helaman Casuga was marked down short.
“I was like, oh, no, they are going to get it,” Villa said. “But I knew our defense was going to handle its business. Our team is so family oriented that we trust if either side offense or defense has the ball last couple of minutes and we know we’re winning.”
The chains stretched beyond the football, meaning that the Timpview defense had gotten its sixth turnover on downs of the game with the final one sealing the 23-15 victory and the state title.
Halladay said that although it got dicey for a few moments, he felt the Thunderbirds never lost their confidence.
“We kind of let up a little bit but then we just kept working through the whole game,” Halladay said. “That’s been our problem throughout the rest of the playoffs. We’ve kind of led up a little bit, but this game we shut it down at the end.”
That meant the Timpview players got to celebrate, which was something to savor after not coming away with titles in recent years.
“It means a lot to me,” Villa said. “A lot of seniors don’t realize how much it means to them until the last the last seconds tick down. It hit me right there. Knowing that I was able to come out on top with my boys was part of the best thing in the world.”
Atuaia recalled how the players came together after losing to Lehi in double overtime in the 2022 5A title game.
“A week after that had happened, our seniors got everybody into the weight room,” Atuaia said. “For the seniors to call everybody in a week after that had happened says something about the leadership and the direction of our team this year. It’s been awesome. It’s been great for our seniors to step up and do things. They didn’t need coaches to help. They did it themselves.”
Halladay said that the story of the 2023 Timpview squad is one of determination and unity.
“I love my boys,” he said. “Throughout the whole season, I feel like we’ve had a good bond, like our team is also family. The whole year we’ve just worked together. Coming up with the cherry on top with the state championship is just awesome. It showcased all the work we put in and we definitely deserve it.”
About the numbers
Timpview got big games from a number of stars.
Leading the way was Villa, who had 128 total yards on six receptions for 112 yards and a TD as well as three carries for 16 yards. In addition, he had a pair of tackles on defense for the Thunderbirds.
Timpview also got 92 yards rushing and a touchdown on 21 carries from senior running back Tru To’a, while sophomore quarterback Helaman Casuga finished 16-of-29 for 231 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Thunderbird defensive effort was led by senior linebacker Pakaroa Haunga, who had 13 tackles and a sack. Makasini had eight tackles, while Halladay finished with seven.
Timpview ended up with just three more total yards than Bountiful (353-350) with the Braves leading the way on the ground (212 yards to 126 for Timpview).
Runners-up no more
Timpview became the third team on Friday to win a state championship after coming up short the year before.
The Thunderbirds lost to Lehi in the 2022 5A championship, then beat Bountiful in 2023.
Corner Canyon lost to Skyridge, 17-7, in the 2022 6A finals, then beat the Falcons, 41-27, in 2023.
In Class 4A, Crimson Cliffs lost to Desert Hills, 30-14, in 2022 but shut out Green Canyon, 33-0, in 2023.
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