SPANISH FORK — Timpview spent three quarters building what it thought was an unassailable 30-point lead against Spanish Fork on Friday night. The Thunderbirds then watched the lead evaporate before their eyes in the space of about six minutes, before hanging on to win 30-28.
Spanish Fork's attempt at a miraculous comeback ended when Timpview stuffed a two-point conversion, then pounded the last five-plus minutes of time off the clock.
The tying conversion attempt was a gimmick play. Spanish Fork lined up seven players to the far left side of the field, and put receiver Dallin Naulu alone with two other receivers and a center on the right side. Naulu took the direct snap and looked to pass before putting his helmet down and charging to the goal line. By the time he decided to run, however, Timpview's defense had already reacted and he was swarmed over well short of the end zone.
That ended a frenetic run that saw Spanish Fork rattle off four straight touchdowns in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter — a quarter it had started with a 30-0 deficit.
"Anytime you come into a
game and think you've got them, you're wrong," said Timpview coach Louis Wong. "We made too many mistakes, and when we made mistakes, they capitalized."
After Craig Bills returned an interception 30 yards to make the score 30-0, Spanish Fork got on the board on a one-yard sneak by Breck Lewis. Timpview then fumbled the kickoff away and Jordunn Mattinson caught a two-yard TD pass to make the score 30-14.
Four plays later, Timpview fumbled the ball away again. This time Breck found Richard Wilson for a 20-yard TD pass, Mattinson then caught a pass from Clay Kerecman on a fake PAT.
After the T-Birds punted, Spanish Fork drove 74 yards in six plays, with Mattinson catching a 38-yard TD pass with 5:42 left. That led to the failed conversion attempt.
The most shocking part of the comeback was the way the Dons shredded Timpview's daunting defense during those four drives. Every time they needed a big play, Wilson or Mattinson would be found streaking down the field for a big catch.
Timpview finally got its grip back on the game and muscled the ball down the field, running the clock out in 11 plays. Spanish Fork had already used two time-outs and couldn't get a stop to the ball back.
"It's a good thing sometimes," said Wong. "We showed some character. We didn't give up. We stayed in the battle and we came out on top."