Standing tall: Lone Peak defense comes up big in closing seconds to stop Timpview
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- A host of Lone Peak tacklers force Timpview’s Sokai Astin out of bounds just before the goal line in a high school football game on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Lone Peak kicker Breckin Carr (45) celebrates with his teammates after scoring on a fake field goal against Timpview on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Timpview’s Soakai Aston (11) approaches the end zone as Lone Peak’s Dallas Anderson (17) and Landen Goff pursue during a high school football game on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Lone Peak quarterback Kepa Niumeitolu makes a throw against Timpview in a high school football game on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Timpview’s Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosia (7) carries the ball against Lone Peak in a high school football game on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Timpview students react during a high school football game against Lone Peak on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Timpview’s Jaron Pula (5) reaches for a pass against a Lone Peak defender during a high school football game on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Timpview’s Luke Thornock (37) approaches the ball for the kickoff in a high school football game against Lone Peak on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Timpview quarterback Carson Rasmussen tries to evade Lone Peak defenders during a high school football game on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Five Timpview defenders surround Lone Peak’s Sean Tahi (23) during a high school football game on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- The Timpview football team takes the field before the start of a high school game against Lone Peak on Friday, August 23, 2024.
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- Timpview’s Mathias Lesa peaks out to the field before the T-Birds game against Lone Peak on Friday, August 23, 2024.
How did the Lone Peak defense rise up to get a last-second stop in its 31-24 victory against Timpview on Friday?
Knights coach Bart Brockbank wasn’t quite sure how to answer the question.
He just knew he liked it.
“Our defense is so resilient,” Brockbank said. “I don’t know how to explain it other than they’ve got leadership. They get guys in the right spot and they know the plays.”
Trailing by seven points late in the game, Timpview forced a punt, taking over near midfield with 1:35 to play and no time outs remaining. Quarterback Carson Rasmussen carefully worked the sidelines to move his team into the red zone, finally reaching the Lone Peak 2-yard line with 34 seconds to play. A third down pass was tipped away by Jayden Mayberry, and on fourth down, Jr. Tahi and Kalvin Liavaa got into the backfield, forcing Rasmussen to throw the ball out of the back of the end zone.
“We knew they were trying to go deep the whole time, so we tried to stay over the top,” said senior safety Jayden Mayberry, who had two interceptions. “If we did that, we knew our d-line would get to the quarterback. We just know our defense is really good.”
The game was tied at 10 at halftime, which included a fake field goal touchdown run from Lone Peak kicker Breckin Carr. Brockbank credited assistant coaches Ryan Denney and Matthew Grimmer for the call. Holder Anthon Grimmer took the snap and flipped the ball to Carr, who outraced a surprised Timpview defense on a 38-yard scoring run.
“We worked that one up over the weekend based on some stuff we saw and we practiced it all week,” Brockbank said. “We got the exact look we wanted and that never happens. Sometimes you practice all week for something like that and it never happens.”
The teams traded scores to open the second half but Timpview led 17-16 after Lone Peak botched an extra point. The Knights retook the lead late in the third quarter, converting a fourth down when quarterback Kepa Niumeitolu found Jasean Mayberry uncovered on a 32-yard scoring play. Isaac Staley and Jasean Mayberry also teamed up for the two-point conversion and a 24-17 Knights lead.
Mayberry, who led the state with 12 interceptions last season, picked off Rasmussen early in the fourth quarter and raced 67 yards to the Timpview 5-yard line. Sean Tahi rumbled over from there and the visitors took a 31-17 lead with 11:11 to play.
“Jayden just knows how to read the quarterback and where to be,” Brockbank said. “He just ends up in the right place and you’re like, ‘How did that even happen?’ We just stopped yelling at him, because he’s so good at it.”
Rasmussen led the T-Birds back by throwing to his favorite target, Jaren Pula, who caught 12 passes for 165 yards. Pula made a spectacular one-handed catch for a 10-yard gain across the middle to set up first and goal. On a short pass, Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosia was knocked backward by a Lone Peak defender but kept his feet and powered through three tacklers into the end zone, helping to cut the Knights lead to 31-24 with 3:25 to go.
Lone Peak managed one first down on its next possession but eventually Timpview forced a punt, setting up the final drive.
“Our defense, we must have had 20 offsides calls,” Brockbank said. “That’s why I lost my voice. But Mayberry and Wesley Valgardson and all those guys, they were just making plays all night. We asked them to do a lot of stuff. Landan (Goff, who had 15 tackles), he was on an island all night (against the Timpview receivers) and so was Valgardson. Jayden, he kind of surveys the defense and gets everybody in the right spot. We got beat a couple of times deep, but that’s going to happen against athletes like they have. We just wanted to put pressure on Rasmussen. We wanted him to have to make great throws. And we came out with a victory tonight on the final play.”
Lone Peak (2-0), which shut out Bingham last week, has another big test coming up with top-ranked Corner Canyon, which upset the nation’s third-ranked team, IMG Academy of Florida, on Thursday.
“We want to play the best teams in the preseason, because that’s what we’re going to see in the postseason,” Brockbank said. “So we lined it up this way.”
Timpview (1-1) will take on city rival Provo next week.
Lone Peak 3 7 14 7 — 31
Timpview 0 10 7 7 — 24
LP-Carr 35 FG
TV-Galea’i 4 run (Thornock kick)
LP-Carr 38 run (Carr kick)
TV-Thornock 33 FG
LP-Staley 2 run (kick failed)
TV-Galea’i 2 run (Thornock kick)
LP-Jasean Mayberry 32 pass from Niumeitolu (Staley pass to Jasean Mayberry)
LP-Tahi 2 run (Carr kick)
TV-Anahu-Ambrosia 2 pass from Rasmussen (Thornock kick)
