High school football: 5A semifinal playoff previews
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5A semifinals
Timpview vs. Olympus
The last time Timpview won a football state championship was back in 2014, when Britain Covey was quarterbacking the team to a perfect 14-0 record. The program is 0-4 in state championship games since, but it’s one win away from getting another chance at halting that drought.
The top-seed T-Birds host No. 5 seed Olympus in the 5A semifinals at the University of Utah on Thursday at 9 a.m. Timpview (9-2) is one of the top offensive teams in 5A, averaging 34.8 ppg while allowing 22.2 ppg. Olympus (8-3), meanwhile, leans heavily on its defense as it has allowed just 13.7 ppg this year while averaging 28.9 offensively.
The Titans are led by a trio of top performers including senior quarterback Chase Moseley who has completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,893 yards and 30 TDs, along with senior receiver Luke Bryant, who has snagged 49 receptions for 553 yards and nine touchdowns. Defensively, Nate Sheets played a key role this season, leading the team with 133 tackles.
Timpview quarterback Helaman Casuga has been outstanding this year, completing 64.9% of his passes for a total of 3,117 yards and 29 touchdowns this season. Six different receivers have caught multiple TDs from Casuga, led by Tei Nacua with 46 catches for 697 yards and eight touchdowns. Quezon Villa has also hauled in 697 receiving yards with two TDs.
The teams last met in the 2020 5A second round, wherein Timpview emerged victorious with a score of 35-13 after scoring 28 points in the fourth quarter. The T-Birds are back in the semifinals for a second straight year, while Olympus is in the semifinals for the first time since 2018.
The winner advances to next week’s 5A state championship to take on the winner of the Alta-Bountiful semifinal.
Related
Bountiful vs. Alta
In an unlikely 5A semifinal matchup, the No. 11 Alta Hawks will take on the No. 10 Bountiful Redhawks at the University of Utah on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. This matchup marks the first time these two teams have met in nearly four decades, adding an element of historical significance to the contest. Both teams paved their way to the semifinals with two straight road playoff wins to set up the clash of double-digit seeds.
Alta pulled off a surprising victory over No. 3 seed Roy in the quarterfinals last week, 13-9, while Bountiful beat No. 2 seed Springville 36-35 with a successful two-point conversion attempt in overtime.
Alta has averaged 31.5 points per game throughout the season, with a scoring average of 34.8 points in the playoffs. Anthony Cottis has led the team in rushing this year with 154 carries for 1,098 yards and seven TDs.
Matt McKea and Kepa Niumeti have combined to pass for 2,921 yards and 21 TDs, and in last week’s win against Roy it was McKea behind center as he threw for two TDs in the win. Leading receiver Bryant Weber has caught 43 passes for 563 yards and four touchdowns.
Bountiful has averaged 32.7 ppg during the season, with a scoring average of 28 points in the playoffs. Its key offensive players include Siaki Fekitoa, who has rushed for 856 yards and 13 touchdowns, and Emerson Geilman, who has passed for 2,654 yards and 20 touchdowns. Faletau Satuala has been a reliable target for Geilman, with 45 receptions for 696 yards and 10 TDs.
This will be the first meeting between Alta and Bountiful since their 1985 4A quarterfinal game, which Alta won 5-0. Currently, Alta holds a record of 10-3, while Bountiful stands at 9-4.
The last state championship for Alta was in 2008, while Bountiful’s last championship was in 2003.
