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Utah Senator John Curtis (in grey hat), accompanied by his wife Sue, tosses the coin before the start of the Provo vs. Salem Hills football game on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026.

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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Provo head coach Viliami Halasima addresses his team after the Bulldogs defeated Salem Hills 34-28 in 4A Region 8 football on Thursday. Sept. 3, 2026.

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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Logan Carrick of Salem Hills (left) and Provo's Seasei Lesa escort a veteran to the coin toss before the start of a high school football game on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026.

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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Provo players celebrate after the Bulldogs secured a 34-28 overtime victory over Salem Hills on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. 

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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The Provo offense (left) lines up against Salem Hills in a high school football game on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026.

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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When Penieli Pan took a swing pass from Drevin Christensen, planted his foot to elude two Salem Hills defenders, then burst up the seam on a 13-yard sprint to paydirt, it brought a cathartic release of emotion from Provo’s players and coaches, along with with students that stormed the track area near the end zone to celebrate an improbable 34-28 road victory in overtime Thursday night.

But while Pan’s touchdown gave the Bulldogs the victory in the first game of the 4A Region 8 gridiron wars, all of that wouldn’t have been possible without the heroics of Parker Marden.

With 16 seconds left in regulation and Provo trailing 28-21, Liam Schoenrock scored on a 7-yard pass reaching the football just inside the pylon. Then Cannon Brinley split the uprights after an illegal procedure penalty to knot the score at 28-28.

But then on the ensuing kickoff Salem Hills’ Lincoln Lewis broke through Bulldog defenders and headed down the sideline in what looked like would be the winning touchdown for the Skyhawks. But Marden didn’t give up and caught Lewis at the 3-yard line as the clock showed all zeroes after the tackle. The Salem Hills coaching staff argued that there was still one second left on clock and the officials conferred with each other but concluded that time had run out and the game would be sent to overtime.

“It was just effort,” said Marden. “It’s what we preach every day. It’s just effort and that’s what we do.”

What was remarkable about Marden’s game-saving play was that he came from the opposite sideline in which Lewis ran. Marden’s position on the kickoff team is second from the outside and his main job is outside containment. As Lewis busted through the wall of Bulldog defenders Marden had to both sprint across the field and take the correct angle to have any chance to make the game-saving tackle.

“It feels great (to get this win). I love my teammates and I love everyone out here supporting me,” Marden added.

In overtime, Salem Hills got the ball first and moved it to the 13-yard line. But then the Skyhawks coughed up the pigskin and Provo’s Jesse Noa pounced on it. This all set up Pan’s touchdown reception four plays later.

Salem Hills had some nice drives in the second half but missed two fields including one with 2:33 left to play that would have given the Skyhawks a two-score advantage.

The game itself had many other twists and turns.

Provo only ran three offensive plays in the first quarter but still found itself tied even though Salem Hills scored first on a 15-yard run by Reggie Smith. That’s because Provo’s Brexton Hunter returned the ensuing kickoff 98-yards to the house.

“We’ve been watching film on them all week and I’ve seen a hole every time,” Hunter said. “I saw the hole, just needed a block and that’s what I got.”

Salem Hills retook the lead 14-7 as Skyhawk quarterback Cash Hollingshead hooked up with Peyton Higginson on an 8-yard score.

With just over six minutes left in the second stanza, Hunter scored again on a 41-yard touchdown pass, high-pointing the ball and jogging into the end zone as the Skyhawk defender fell down.

On Salem Hill’s next possession, Talituno Lesa’s strip sack of Hollingshead led to a turnover and the Bulldogs took over on the Skyhawk 12-yard line. Three plays later Hunter scored his third touchdown via an 8-yard reception from Christensen to put Provo ahead 21-14.

But Higginson would haul in a 4-yard touchdown reception for the Skyhawks, which tied up the game 21-21 going into the second half.

Neither team scored in the third quarter but Smith scored his second touchdown of the game to give the Skyhawks a 28-21 lead. All of this set up the dramatics of the final minutes of the fourth quarter and then overtime.

Most prognosticators had either Provo or Salem Hills emerging as the league champion making this early season meeting extremely crucial.

“The message at practice all week, ‘this is the region championship'” said Provo head coach Viliami Halasima. “We know they have a great team, they know we’ve got a great team and it’s been a battle between us the last couple of years. They’re a great team, they’re well coached and they play hard.”

Halasima also had high praises for the Salem Hills quarterback Cash Hollingshead who made some incredible plays avoiding the pressure of Bulldog pass rushers to extend the action and make some long throws down the field.

“That quarterback hurt us all night,” said Halasima.

Hollingshead was 27-for-39 for 337 yards with two touchdowns and also had 22 yards rushing.

For Provo, this game has seemed to solve some of its issues at the quarterback position. Christensen, a junior who was the back-up to all-state signal caller Gehrig Orchard last year, has won the position as in its previous three games, the Bulldogs started two younger sophomore players.

Provo (1-3, 1-0) will host Mountain View next week while Salem Hills (2-2, 0-1) will hope to rebound as the Skyhawks visit Park City. Both games will be on Friday starting at 7 p.m.

PROVO 34, SALEM HILLS 28 OT

Provo 7 14 0 7 6 -34

Salem Hills 7 14 0 7 -28

SH-Reggie Smith 15 run (Jack Nelson kick)

P-Brexton Hunter 98 kickoff return (Cannon Brinley kick)

SH-Peyton Higginson 8 pass from Cash Hollingshead (Nelson kick)

P-Hunter 41 pass from Drevin Christensen (Brinley kick)

P-Hunter 16 pass from Christensen (Brinley kick)

SH-Higginson 4 pass from Hollingshead (Nelson kick)

SH-Smith 2 run (Nelson kick)

P-Liam Schoenrock 7 pass from Christensen (Brinley kick)

P-Peniele Pan 13 pass from Christensen