Unga earns first victory as Mountain View scores late to edge Payson
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- Mountain View football coach Uani Unga (center) talks to officials during a game against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View quarterback Tate Johnson (2) throws the ball against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Payson’s Valentin Sanchez holds up the football after scoring a touchdown against Mountain View on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View’s Garell Pierre Victor (4) runs the football against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View’s Hyrum Stafford (8) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View fans react during a high school football game against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View’s Camy Little (80) is pulled down after making a catch against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Payson’s Valentin Sanchez (12) hold the football up after scoring a touchdown against Mountain View on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Children slide down the Mountain View Bruins logo during a high school football game against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View’s Briggy Moses (17) crosses the goal line against Payson in a high school football game on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View’s Briggy Moses, left, and Brawley Tuitupou take a moment before the start of a high school football game against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Payson’s Cade Muir, left, shakes hands with Mountain View’s Hyrum Stafford before the start of a high school football game on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- The Payson football team takes the field before the start of a game against Mountain View on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View’s Carter Peterson, right, knocks the ball loose from Payson receiver David Fullmer in a high school football game on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Payson quarterback Trevyn Wall, left, runs toward the end zone in a high school football game against Mountain View on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- Mountain View’s Ratu Malungahu celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
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- The Mountain View football team takes the field before a game against Payson on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
Mountain View quarterback Tate Johnson said he watched nine hours of game film in preparation for the season opener against Payson.
All of that extra viewing paid off in big way.
Johnson led the Bruins on a stunning game-winning drive against Payson on Friday, throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass to Hyrum Stafford with 10.1 seconds to play in a 40-36 victory that made a winner out of former BYU and NFL linebacker Uani Unga in his first game as a varsity football coach.
“It’s hard to explain,” Unga said about the impact of his first win. “I told the boys not to worry about winning or losing, I just wanted them to fight. Guys are going both ways, and they were going down with cramps, but it was a good fight.”
Mountain View led 22-20 at halftime but Payson scored on a 3-yard run by quarterback Trevyn Wall with 7:23 to play. Wall connected with Valentin Sanchez on the 2-point conversion for a 36-28 lead. Mountain View closed to within two, 36-34, on a 20-yard touchdown run by Ratu Malungahu with 2:36 remaining. The Bruins two-point conversion attempt failed and so did an onside kick. Mountain View’s defense got a turnover on downs and the offense took over at its own 24-yard line with 29.1 seconds to go and no time outs.
Johnson, a junior who transferred from Wasatch and was playing in his first varsity game, said his game film study allowed him to read Payson’s defensive coverage and he went to work.
“Sitting on the sideline, I was like, ‘Coach, I think we have some time,'” he said. “We get on the field and we knew what defense they were going to be in.”
On the first play, Johnson rolled to his left and found a wide-open Brawley Tuitupou down the sideline for a 55-yard gain. After stopping the clock by downing the ball, Johnson stood in the pocket and delivered a strike to Stafford — last year’s starting quarterback — over the middle for 26 yards and the winning score.
“I had like four of five seconds to throw the ball,” Johnson said. “We’ve had some struggles this week with our pass protection, some calls and stuff, and sometimes it was rocky throughout the game. But man, they dialed it in or that last play wouldn’t have happened.”
After Mountain View kicked off, Payson had time for just one play that the Bruins smothered to earn the victory.
“We threw the ball and made a catch,” Unga said. “The boys came together when we needed it. Everybody stepped up.”
Unga credited his coaching staff, which includes three former BYU teammates in Devin Mahina, Alani Fua and Neil Pau’u, as well as several others who played college football.
“They really prepared our players,” Uani Unga said. “I didn’t think the first game was going to be like this, but the staff obviously prepped them well enough to come through in this situation.”
Johnson finished 17 of 32 for 257 yards and four touchdowns, three of his scores going to Stafford.
“I was fighting for the starting quarterback spot (at Wasatch) last year, then I had elbow surgery,” Johnson said. “I had to come back from that. I got the opportunity to play here and all I needed was that opportunity. All of us, we’ve been working since January, every day, 6 a.m. to eight at night every day.
“Coach Unga, he’s the best role model and a great freaking coach. It’s the best deal. He welcomed me, brought me in and loved me. All the time on the sidelines, he’s just hyping everyone up. He’s there for everybody.”
The Bruins also ran for 205 yards, with Garell Pierre Victor going for 77 yards on 10 carries, Carter Vance totaling 71 yards on 10 totes and Malungahu adding two rushing touchdowns.
The win broke a seven-game losing streak for Mountain View, dating back to last season.
Wall accounted for five touchdowns for Payson, throwing for 358 yards and three scores while rushing for two more. David Fullmer finished with 160 yards on nine catches for the Lions, who were bumped up from 4A to 5A and have lost nine straight games dating back to last year.
Mountain View (1-0) travels to Tooele next Friday and Payson (0-1) will host Juab.
MOUNTAIN VIEW 40, PAYSON 36
Payson 6 14 8 8 — 36
Mountain View 7 15 0 18 — 40
MV-Stafford 4 pass from Johnson (Moses kick)
P-Sanchez 3 pass from T. Wall (kick blocked)
MV-Moses 15 pass from Johnson (Moses kick)
P-Sanchez 20 pass from T. Wall (T. Wall pass to Sanchez)
MV-Malungahu 1 run (Moses run)
P-T. Wall 1 run (run failed)
P- C. Wall 12 pass from T. Wall (T. Wall pass to Fullmer)
MV-Stafford 28 pass from Johnson (kick failed)
P-T. Wall 5 run (T. Wall pass to Sanchez)
MV-Malungahu 20 run (pass failed)
MV-Stafford 26 pass from Johnson (pass failed)
