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Springville' Tua Naufahu carries a tackler in a 5A football semifinal game against Brighton at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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Springville players celebrate with fans after a 30-24 victory against Brighton the 5A football semifinals at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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SALT LAKE CITY — Springville head football coach Dave Valeti said senior running back/defensive end Tua Naufahu has “warrior blood.”

There’s a lot of that going around on the Red Devils side.

Naufuau ran for 83 yards and a touchdown and also led his No. 3 seeded team with ten tackles in Thursday’s 30-24 5A semifinal victory against No. 7 Brighton at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

“He (Naufahu) puts in the time,” Valeti said. “I know that sounds cheap but he’s put in the time in our program for a decade. There’s nobody else we want with the ball with two two minutes left in his hands. The funny thing is, we have a five-headed monster. We’ve got five guys that can really run the ball. And that’s a testament to the guys up front. The guys we truly lean on are up front with their hands in the dirt.”

Springville ran for 173 hard-earned yards against Brighton, with Lisiate Valeti scoring two touchdowns on the ground and Max Harris adding a fourth rushing score. Zach Henderson caught four passes for 109 yards and even punter Bridger Frischknecht got into the act, averaging 45.2 yards per boot (including a 55-yarder) and pinning the Bengals on their own 1-yard line in the final two minutes.

See? There’s warrior blood all over this team.

“We’ve preached it all season,” Coach Valeti said. “We knew what kind of game this was going to be. Brighton is a heck of a team and they’ve got some big old dudes. I’m just proud of our boys for believing in our scheme and ourselves. We made enough plays today.”

Naufahu plowed into the end zone from two yards out for a 30-21 Springville lead with 5:28 to play. Coach Valeti, the team’s defensive coordinator as well, saw his defense stiffen and hold Brighton to a field goal on a drive into Red Devil territory, which cut the lead to 30-24.

The Bengals tried an onside kick that failed but forced a fourth down with just over two minutes left. That’s when Frischknecht punted to the Brighton one-yard. On the first Bengals play, Springville’s Sioasi Toki picked off a Ryce Palepoi pass to set off a wild celebration on the Red Devils sideline.

“We believe in ourselves,” Naufahu said. “I believe in us. I believe in what the coaches say. All of us believe in each other. We just have something special about this team. No matter what people say about us, as long as we believe in ourselves, that’s all we need.”

Springville marched down the field on its first possession of the game, a connection from Beckett Burton to Henderson giving the Red Devils a first down at the Brighton 26. A facemask penalty moved Springville to the 13 and a few plays later, Lisiate Valeti scored from five yards out for a 7-0 lead.

Brighton responded with a methodical 17-play, 69-yard drive that chewed up 8:11. William Little busted over from the two to tie the game at 7-7 with 10:48 to play in the second quarter.

Springville re-took the lead by driving 80 yards on seven plays, Harris turning right end for a 10-yard touchdown run and a 14-7 advantage at the 7:51 mark.

Brighton’s Cole Heemeyer broke off a 35-yard run to set up another short Little TD run to forge a 14-14 tie with 1:50 to play in the half.

Springville executed the two-minute drill and reached the Brighton 6-yard line with ten seconds remaining. Burton found Toki wide open in the end zone for an apparent touchdown but the play was called back for illegal procedure. Ben Smith booted a 29-yard field goal as time expired to give the Red Devils a 17-14 halftime lead.

Lisiate’s second touchdown run, a 21-yard scamper, pushed the Springville lead to 23-14 late in the third quarter. Brighton countered with another long drive ending with a 3-yard scoring run from Samuel Tauvao to make the score 23-21 with 9:18 to play.

Springville (12-1) gets another shot at Orem in the 5A championship game next Thursday. The Tigers (11-2) routed No. 1 West 34-7 in the earlier semifinal.

Back on September 5, Orem edged the Red Devils 17-14.

Springville has won nine straight games and will play for its first state title since 1985.

“We’ve played these guys (Orem) before,” Coach Valeti said. “We know how good they are but we also know how good we are, and our guys will be ready. We’ll prepare like every other week. I’d like to say it’s like every other week but we know it’s for all the marbles. These boys stay together, they’re resilient and I’m just happy for them.”

NO. 3 SPRINGVILLE 30, NO. 7 BRIGHTON 24

Brighton 0 14 0 10 – 24

Springville 7 10 6 7 – 30

S-Lisiati Valeti 5 run (Ben Smith kick)

B-William Little 2 run (Kaden Hansen kick)

S-Max Harris 10 run (Ben Smith kick)

B-Little 3 run (Hansen kick)

S-Smith 29 FG

S-Valeti 21 run (kick failed)

B-Samuel Tauvao 3 run (Hansen kick)

S-Tua Naufahu 2 run (Smith kick)

B-Hansen 39 FG