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PROVO — Does lightning actually strike twice?
Last week against Skyridge, Timpview scored with less than 60 seconds left in the game to come out with a crucial Week 1 victory. In Friday night's matchup against Lone Peak, the Thunderbirds found themselves in the same situation.
With 56 seconds left, the Thunderbirds drove down the field to eventually get to a third-and-goal situation on the 2-yard line. But Lone Peak's swift defense stopped two consecutive plays to defeat Timpview on the road 31-24.
Timpview opened up the game aggressive, picking off Kepa Niumeitolu thanks to a tipped ball that allowed Matthias Lesa to come down with an interception.
On the ensuing drive, Timpview attempted to push the limits, taking deep shots down field, but Lone Peak's Jayden Mayberry picked off a pass of his own on a deflected tip before going out of bounds at the Knights' 1-yard line.
"See ball, get ball; that's what I say," Mayberry said. "We knew they were trying to go deep the whole time, so we try to stay over top."
Even backed up on their 1-yard line, the Knights were unfazed.
Niumeitolu got Lone Peak out of the situation and into field goal range, where Breckin Carr knocked one through the uprights to open the scoring with a 3-0 lead.
Timpview quarterback Carson Rasmussen took his turn to lead the offense down the field before Aisa Galea'l capped off the drive with a 3-yards rushing touchdown to give the Thunderbirds the lead.
Lone Peak got tricky on their next drive in what appeared to be a field goal attempt. But instead of the kick, Carr was flipped the ball and he sprinted for a 35-yard touchdown to give the Knights a 10-7 lead.
"That play was worked up over the weekend based on some stuff we saw, and we practiced it all week and we got the look we needed," Lone Peak head coach Bart Brockbank said.
The two teams entered the break tied after Timpview knocked through a field goal with 46 seconds left in the half.
Both teams traded scores to open up the second half — a 2-yard rushing touchdown out of the Wildcat by Isaac Staley by Lone Peak, and another touchdown run by Galea'l — before the Knights took control.
Niumeitolu found Jasean Mayberry on an open seam and delivered a bullet for a 45-yard touchdown. Mayberry then silenced the crowd as he earned his second interception of the game and returned it all the way back to the 5-yard line, setting up Lone Peak for glory.
With 11 minutes left in the game, Sean Tahi scored from 2 yards out to give Lone Peak a 31-17 lead, putting the Thunderbirds on red alert.
Timpview eventually cut into the lead when Rasmussen hooked up with Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio with just over three minutes left in the game to make it a 7-point game and hope still alive for a comeback.
The Thunderbirds then forced a three-and-out series and had just over a minute to tie it up. But in the end, Lone Peak remained firm to hold on for the win and to defeat the reigning 5A champions.
"Our defense is so resilient," Brockbank said. "We were a little undersized up front today, but I felt like they played really well."
Lone Peak now turns its sights to Corner Canyon, who is coming off a win against No. 3 IMG Academy.
