We’ve made some personnel changes that have worked out well. Covey is a huge catalyst for that. We’ve also got the kids to buy in to the need to play within the system. – Cary Whittingham, Timpview coach
PROVO — Sky View had the misfortune of playing Timpview twice this year — the first time to begin the season, losing 34-28, and the second to end the season.
Friday evening’s game was likely the most disappointing as the Thunderbirds sent Sky View home for the season with a 49-17 drubbing in the quarterfinals of the 4A state tournament, thanks largely to the arm and legs of Britain Covey.
Covey ran for close to 142 yards, including three touchdowns, and threw for another touchdown against only one interception. He was the difference-maker in the game.
“I would hate to have to play against him,” said Timpview coach Cary Whittingham. “Covey is hard to corral.”
From the season opener to this final home game for the T-Birds, they improved steadily and were far more dominant against the Bobcats than in the opener.
“As far as what we want to do offensively, we’re a little more dialed in,” Whittingham said of his team’s progress over the course of the season. “We’ve got it figured out. We’ve made some personnel changes that have worked out well. Covey is a huge catalyst for that. We’ve also got the kids to buy in to the need to play within the system.”
That system helped the T-Birds jump out in front of the Bobcats 14-0 after their first two possessions. To open the game, Timpview mixed up the running and passing to drive 67 yards for the game’s first touchdown, which Covey ran in from the two.
Timpview’s next possession resulted in an 80-yard drive over eight plays with Covey finding the end zone again, this time from 34 yards out.
Sky View responded midway through the second quarter with a drive that resulted in a 2-yard touchdown run by Dane Anderson to pull the Bobcats within a touchdown. The ensuing kickoff was fumbled and recovered by Sky View’s Justin Evans. That turnover resulted in a 36-yard field goal by Zayden Clark to put the score at 14-10.
Timpview finished out the half by taking advantage of a fumbled snap on a Sky View punt attempt. Timpview recovered on the Sky View 16. Porter Case found the end zone from one yard out a few plays later to give the T-Birds a 21-10 halftime lead.
Timpview took control of the game on its first possession in the second half when Covey scrambled 73 yards to the Sky View 5. The resulting touchdown came from Kendall Tu’ua, who ran it in from the one to put Timpview in front 28-10.
Sky View answered on its next possession when Braxton Godderidge connected with Bryce Mortenson on a 10-yard touchdown pass that narrowed the lead to 28-17, but the Bobcats could get no closer.
The T-Birds finished the game scoring 21 unanswered points with much credit going to the Timpview defense. Offensively, Covey hit Rhett VanLeuwen in the end zone from 31 yards out, followed by six- and 10-yard touchdown runs from Covey and Case, all while the defense held the Bobcats out of the end zone.
“The defense has grown a lot since the early part of the season,” said Whittingham. “At times when things didn’t go our way, it started getting hectic and you could see that in their eyes. They just kept working, settled in and got it done right.”
The win improves the T-Birds' season record to 11-1 while Sky View finished its season at 9-3. Timpview will face Wood Cross, which handed Salem Hills a 21-7 loss, in the state semifinals.
Drew Daniels is a Utah County native who has covered local sporting events for several news organizations, including the Deseret News since 1988.