Defense, backup quarterback direct Orem past Woods Cross into 5A semifinals
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- Orem defensive players (from left) Will Rassmusen, Aisa Galea’i and Kaue Akana leave the field after a fourth-down stop in a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem quarterback Lucky Suguturaga (in white headband) listens to coaches after a 35-7 victory against Woods Cross in a 5A football state quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem quarterback Tayden Ka’awa (in red) listens to coaches after a 35-7 victory against Woods Cross in a 5A football quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem’s MJ Bateman (4) shows he recovered a fumble in a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem students cheer during a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem quarterback Lucky Suguturaga (left) warms up on the sideline in a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem quarterback Lucky Suguturaga (left) warms up on the sideline in a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem’s Kaue Akana runs routes for the start of a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem quarterback Lucky Suguturaga (in white headband) listens to coaches after a 35-7 victory against Woods Cross in a 5A football state quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem football coach Lance Reynolds Jr. (white hat) has a discussion with officials before the start of a 5A state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- A group of Orem players kneel in the end zone before the start of a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem captains (from left) Lopeti Moala, Aisa Galea’i, Tayden Ka’awa and Kaue Akana take the field for the coin toss before a 5A football state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
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- Orem’s Mac Christensen runs with the football before the start of a 5A state quarterfinal game against Woods Cross on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
By all standards of measurement, Orem’s defense rose to the occasion against Woods Cross in Friday’s 5A football quarterfinal.
The Tigers silenced the Wildcats’ potent running game and earned a dominant 35-7 victory, sending them to the 5A semifinals.
“I’ll be honest, Woods Cross is a good football team,” Orem head coach Lance Reynolds Jr. said. “They have a lot of talented guys and that offense, it wears you down. I expected that they might break a big one for a big play, and our defense just kept the effort high and kept the energy high. The assignments were sound and we just kept holding them short. So it was a great job by the defense and I’m super proud.”
The game was not without drama, though, including an emotional second quarter filled with numerous personal fouls and the loss of Orem star quarterback Tayden Ka’awa. He was replaced by sophomore Lucky Suguturaga, who led the Tigers to three scores.
“All year, I’ve been waiting for my turn to get in,” Suguturaga said. “It’s really been an honor learning under Tayden and Coach Mic (Hixson) and Coach Lance and Coach Bean. They’ve really helped me improve my craft every day. So I’m thankful for them.”
A big hit from Aisa Galea’i caused a fumble on Woods Cross’ first possession, which was recovered by MJ Bateman. The Tigers defense also stopped the Wildcats on two fourth-down conversion attempts in the first half.
Ka’awa, meanwhile, was throwing darts in leading Orem to a pair of scores. After the fumble recovery, Ka’awa connected with Kaue Akana on a perfectly thrown route to the corner of the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Early in the second quarter after an Orem defensive stop, Ka’awa threw a deep strike to Mack Ellison to the Woods Cross 11. Two plays later, Easton Kojima scored on a 1-yard run and the Tigers led 14-0.
With just under eight minutes to go in the second quarter, Ka’awa scrambled and was hit hard after releasing the pass and stayed motionless on the ground. Orem coaches and players thought the hit was late. Tempers flared, the two teams mixed it up on the sidelines on the next play and an officials was shoved the ground.
In other words, chaos.
“The hard part at this phase in the season is you get a team who feels like they’re starting on their way out and they start doing things that they shouldn’t and wouldn’t normally do,” Reynolds said. “There was some of that chippiness, I think. But the reality is that there was one really bad hit on our quarterback really, really late, and they (the officials) didn’t see it and that just caused a lot of frustration on the next few plays. Our guys felt like they should retaliate and things got out of hand for a minute. After we reigned it back in, we were able to play within the whistles.”
That’s when Orem turned to Suguturaga. Reynolds said he called the offensive plays during Suguturaga’s JV season and felt comfortable with the youngster at the helm.
Suguturaga led the Tigers on an 85-yard touchdown drive with Galea’i scoring from 15 yards out and that produced a 21-0 halftime lead. Po Faumui returned the second half kickoff 60 yards to set up another Orem score, a 37-yard sprint by Galea’i to make the score 28-0. Later in the third quarter, Suguturaga completed a 20-yard pass to Akana to the Woods Cross 16. Suguturaga took the ball on a quarterback keeper and got into the end zone from there and Orem led 35-0 with 6:34 remaining.
“Lucky is a super smart kid, very cerebral,” Reynolds said. “He’s a little undersized but you saw him step right in and he plays really big. I was probably, by far, the player of the game, because we needed him and he stepped up.”
Orem (10-2) will take on No. 1 West in one of the 5A semifinals next Thursday at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium. Ka’awa is in concussion protocol and his status is questionable for the semifinals.
The Tigers haven’t been to the semifinals round since 2022 and last won a state title in 2020.
“It’s been a few years since we’ve been there,” Reynolds said. “I know we’re really excited about it. The reality of it is that it’s big-time football. We’re going into the semis up at Rice-Eccles. It doesn’t get much better than this.”
NO. 4 OREM 35, NO. 5 WOODS CROSS 7
Woods Cross 0 0 0 7 – 7
Orem 7 14 14 0 – 35
O-Kaue Akana 30 pass from Tayden Ka’awa (Ben Bradley kick)
O-Easton Kojima 1 run (Bradley kick)
O-Aisa Galea’i 15 run (Bradley kick)
O-Galea’i 37 run (Bradley kick)
O-Suguturaga 16 run (Bradley kick)
WX-Viliami Tapa’atoutai 24 run (Jesse Simmons kick)
