We wanted to schedule a really good team toward the end of the season to find out where we're at and Lone Peak is a great team. – Britain Covey, Timpview quarterback
PROVO — Timpview took a break from romping through Region 8 to gauge its progress against 5A powerhouse Lone Peak Wednesday night.
As the 29-6 final score indicated, the Thunderbirds are in good shape entering the stretch run of the regular season.
Quarterback Britain Covey and a stellar defense led the charge for the Thunderbirds in a completely dominating performance.
“We wanted to schedule a really good team toward the end of the season to find out where we’re at and Lone Peak is a great team,” Covey said. “This kind of gave us a feel of where we’re at. We got to grow some still, but it was nice to get a (win.)”
Covey tossed two touchdown passes and ran for two more in what has become a common performance since he became the T-Birds' starter in the third game of the season.
“Since we first put him in against Alta that’s what he’s done,” Timpview coach Cary Whittingham said of Covey's performance. “From snap one that’s what we’ve been getting from him, so there’s no surprise there.”
The game was a defensive struggle until Covey found receiver Mitchell Stephenson in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter. An ensuing two-point conversion gave the Thunderbirds an 8-0 lead at the half.
The second half was all Timpview.
Covey added scoring runs of 8 and 10 yards and hit Kendall Tu'ua for a 5-yard touchdown pass. The diminutive signal-caller ran all over the place in the fashion of Lone Peak quarterback Baron Gajkowski.
As for the Lone Peak star quarterback, Gajkowski didn't play as coaches chose to rest him for two critical region matchups to qualify for the 5A playoffs.
“That’s their coach’s decision to look out for his team,” Whittingham said. “They’re working toward Westlake and Lehi and the playoffs. Getting to the playoffs is obviously their priority. I thought Lone Peak played hard, but they did some things to look out for things they have coming down the road."
Timpview's defense completely overwhelmed the Lone Peak attack in Gajkowski's absence. After forcing a fumble on its own 1-yard line on the game's first drive, the Thunderbird defense didn't allow the Knights to cross midfield.
“My defense is amazing and all the credit goes to them,” Covey said. “We get put in great spots because of them and they didn’t give up any points tonight. I love them because they work so hard. They’re tough to go against in practice, but in a game you love them.”
Lone Peak's score came by way of a Cole Johnson 98-yard kickoff return, which is obviously something the Thunderbirds will have to guard against moving forward.
“There’s times when we looked really good and times when we weren’t on the same page,” Whittingham said. “There’s a lot we need to clean up in special teams, offense and on defense.”
With the win Timpview improves to 7-1 on the year and will next travel to take on region foe Wasatch. Lone Peak drops to 4-4 on the year and will next take on Westlake on the road.
Email: bgurney@desnews.com
Twitter: @BrandonCGurney