Unique rivalry: Orem tops Timpview 22-9 in defensive battle
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- Orem captains (from left to right) Tayden Ka’awa, Aisa Galea’i and Lopeti Moala greet Timpview captains before the start of a high school football game on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Orem’s Oliver Bills celebrates after scoring a touchdown in a high school football game against Timpview on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Timpview’s Duncan Stron (22) signals that the T-Birds had recovered a fumble in a high school football game against Orem on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Orem’s Beckham Curtis (26) tries to escape a tackle in a high school football game against Timpview on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Timpview football coach Travis Uale (left) talks to an official during the captains meeting before a high school football game against Orem on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Orem head coach Lance Reynolds Jr. (right) listens to an official during the captains meeting before a high school football game against Timpview on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Orem students look on as the Tigers play Timpview in a high school football game on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Timpview students react during a high school football game at Orem on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Orem captains (from left to right) Lopeti Moala, Aisa Galeai, Tayden Ka’awa and Kaue Akana walk to the center of the field before the start of a high school football game against Timpview on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Timpview captains (from left to right) Dennis Tauone, Sam Hepworth, Trinity To’a and Braxton Wilkerson walk to the center of the field before the start of a high school football game against Orem on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
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- Orem quarterback Tayden Ka’awa throws a pass in a high school football game against Timpview on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
Friday night’s 44th edition of the Orem-Timpview football series was typical of many of the games played between the two teams.
Plenty of talented athletes, big hits and penalties born of too much emotion were on display in one of the more intense and unique rivalries in the state.
Orem came out on top by a 22-9 count, breaking a streak of seven straight wins by the T-Birds.
Tigers running back/safety Aisa Galea’i, who transferred from Timpview to Orem this summer, scored a rushing touchdown and grabbed an interception against his old mates.
“I mean, it was definitely hard,” Galea’i said. “But we both balled out. I was happy to get the outcome.”
Orem’s coach, Lance Reynolds Jr., has also experienced the rivalry from both sides. He and his brothers played high school ball at Timpview.
“It’s just two great programs, two great teams, you know?” Reynolds said. “You think about it, even if it’s a blowout, it’s still entertaining. It’s hard fought, it’s physical and there’s a lot of Division I talent. It’s a no-brainer for me. That’s all a recipe for a great, great rivalry.”
As the clock wound down, Orem students started chanting “Little Brother!” at the T-Birds, even though it was the Tigers first win the series since the 2020 5A finals. Such is the unique nature of the Orem-Timpview rivalry: The T-Birds are the upstart in this scenario, with the school opening its doors in 1978 and winning 12 state titles (the last in 2023).
The original high school in “Family City USA” began as Lincoln High in 1912 (BYU legendary coach LaVell Edwards was an alum) and became Orem High School in 1956. The Tigers have claimed nine state championships, including four straight from 2017 to 2020.
The most unique aspect of the rivalry in the last several season is this: Orem and Timpview have played twice (regular season and playoffs) five times in the past six seasons.
“I mean, it’s a treat to play in this game and come out on top,” Galea’i said. “It’s a really good feeling, right?”
Something aytpical about the meeting was the five non-region losses between the two teams. Timpview had recovered to win three straight to open Region 7 play and Orem has risen from its two losses to the top RPI team in Class 5A.
After a scoreless first quarter on Friday, Timpview took a 3-0 lead on a 33-yard field goal by Luke Thornock with 5:24 remaining in the half. With under a minute to play, Tayden Ka’awa connected with Kaue Akana for 39 yards to the T-Birds 21-yard line. On the next play, Oliver Bills took a screen pass and weaved his way into the end zone for a 7-3 Orem lead at the half.
The Tigers began to wear down Timpview’s defense in the second half. Ben Bradley nailed a 33-yard field goal for a 10-3 Orem advantage midway through the third quarter. An interception by Timpview’s Tonga Tauteoli thwarted Orem’s next drive but the visitors gave the ball right back when Galea’i picked Dennis Tuaone and returned it to the T-Birds 36. Beckham Curtis scored on a 9-yard run for a 16-3 Orem lead after three quarters and Galea’i’s 49-yard burst put the game away with under two minutes to play, though Timpview tacked on a 59-yard touchdown pass from Tuaone to Braxton Wilkerson with under a minute remaining.
“Our defense was incredible,” Reynolds said. “That’s a good football team. I actually can’t believe how well our defense did keeping their run contained for the most part. I thought our defense played lights out and in the first half kept us in the game.”
Reynolds expressed disappointment in his team’s penalties, but said he feels like the Tigers are coming together.
“It’s a lot better than is perceived,” Reynolds said. “It’s easy to watch us and feel like it’s sloppy. The reality of it is that when I watch film, I’m really happy with what I see, almost entirely. You get into the game and you feel the frustration of the penalties but when you watch the film, it actually looks pretty good. They understand the scheme a lot better now than they did five weeks ago.”
Galea’i added: “I like that I’m seeing us come together more throughout the season. We’ve got a lot of transfers and new players and it’s important for us to build our chemistry and get going.”
Orem (5-2 overall, 4-0 Region 7) will travel to Pleasant Grove next Friday and Timpview (3-4, 3-1) will host Springville.
