Timpview's 'brotherhood' seeks 4th-straight 4A football title

(Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)


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PROVO — There were a few things that Timpview's win over Highland in the Class 4A state semifinals meant to the Thunderbirds' football team last week.

It meant a chance at a fourth-straight state title.

It meant another run for a title for Timpview quarterback Kahi Neves, and one more game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in high school for the Utah commit.

But perhaps it meant the most to wide receiver Samson Nacua.

"It means the world to me," Nacua said. "I'm ready to lay down my life for these guys, and I know every single one of them will do the same for me. We're ready to go out and play their hardest."

The three-time defending 4A state champion Timpview (11-1) will look to defend its title from upstart challenger East (10-2) at 6:30 p.m. Friday in a battle that pits two of the most athletic quarterbacks in 4A against each other in Neves and East's Johnnie Lang.

The last time the Thunderbirds did not make the state final, they lost to East in the semifinals in 2011.

"We know that emotions are going to be high," Neves said. "There are a lot of expectations for us. But our team is pretty confident, and we work hard. We're going to be ready for the game."

For Timpview defensive back Will Watanabe, it also means a shot at greatness. The senior has played in the state final since his freshman year, when the Thunderbirds captured the championship with Watanabe one of a handful of freshmen on the team.

Timpview High School plays Bountiful High School in the State 4A football quarterfinals, Nov. 6, 2015, in Provo. (Photo: Tom Smart, Deseret News)
Timpview High School plays Bountiful High School in the State 4A football quarterfinals, Nov. 6, 2015, in Provo. (Photo: Tom Smart, Deseret News)

"I'm super excited," said Watanabe, who has 70 tackles and a team-high five interceptions. "I had the opportunity to be on the varsity team for all four years, so this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I'm just really excited to play."

This season has been different for the 5-foot-11, 185-pound defender. While standouts like Neves, Nacua and leading rusher Saia Folaumahina have paced the offense, Watanabe led a young defense through a few rough patches at the beginning of the season, including a rare home loss to Lone Peak in the second week of the season.

But it made them stronger, he said, and helped them grow closer as a team.

"We all bonded really well, and we're best friends," Watanabe said. "We've worked together really well.

"We have a lot of young guys, so it was a little rough early. But we just try to do our assignment, and that's what we need to do against East: just be super assignment sound."

The close relationships also helped Nacua through tough times off the field. The flashy receiver who has 1,223 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on the year was sporting rainbow-dyed locks at the Thunderbirds' practice Wednesday afternoon, but he nearly quit football a year ago after the sudden death of his father, Lionel.

It was his teammates — his brothers, he calls them — who brought back the younger brother of BYU safety Kai Nacua and former BYU defensive lineman Isaiah Nacua.

"There's a bunch of love for this team," Samson Nacua said. "We've worked so hard all season, and we've all built a brotherhood here. It's sad to see it about to end, but there's been so much blood, sweat and tears put into this. We're ready to go."

The offense hit another gear in the Thunderbirds' win over Highland last week, and much of that credit goes to the offensive line, according to Folaumahina, who has 580 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 5.92 yards per carry. Utah-bound Neves gets a lot of credit for the offense, as he should with 2,285 yards and 18 touchdowns through the air along with 525 yards and six TDs on the ground. But Folaumahina deferred to his offensive line for the sudden surge in offense.

"Last week was our most balanced week, I think. It's all in our offensive line," Folaumahina said. "The past two weeks we've clicked as an offense, and it's always some sort of clicking during the season that our offense just plays on top. Last week we hit it."

For Neves, the offensive showing a week ago was just a manifestation of what he's known the Timpview offense could do all season.

What a time for the Thunderbirds to be peaking, then.

"I think all year we've had it in us, and we've shown it in every game," Neves said. "But right now, we want state, and that's what is in our minds. For us to come out and click like that, it was a pretty cool feeling."

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