Westlake coach Louis Wong does a great job with his players. They battled us hard all night. We still have some questions to work out, but our defense came out in the second half and got us back into the game. – Mark Wootton
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The final tick of the clock gave Pleasant Grove the 34-21 road Friday night at Westlake.
The Vikings wanted the win to continue in a winning direction after earning their first win of the season over Hillcrest last week.
This was an even game through the first three quarters and the Thunder and the Vikings ended the third quarter tied at 21-21.
The Vikings started to enforce their will on the Thunder in the fourth quarter with a rushing touchdown..
For the Vikings' fifth touchdown – with 1:20 left in the game – junior linebacker Maika Tauteoli stripped the ball from Westlake junior QB Jacob Halliburton at the Thunder 30-yard line and ran it the other way, crossing the goal line and putting the Vikings up and locking the Thunder down at 34-21.
"Westlake coach Louis Wong does a great job with his players. They battled us hard all night," Pleasant Grove head football coach Mark Wootton said. "We still have some questions to work out, but our defense came out in the second half and got us back into the game."
Pleasant Grove junior QB Jake Jensen connected on 15 of 26 passing attempts for 251 yards with two interceptions. His favorite target was senior WR Tai Kauwe, who hauled in 17 receptions for 133 yards. The Vikings also carried the ball for 31 times for 166 yards in totaling 417 yards total offense.
Westlake had 43 carries for 150 rushing yards. Halliburton completed 11 of 18 passes for 139 yards. His best pass went to senior WR Brandon Diaz for a great 52-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
The Thunder totaled 289 yards total offense with 11 first downs. The Thunder missed two field goals and an extra point, but Halliburton did complete a pass for a two-point conversion on the last rushing touchdown — Jonathon Pullan's second touchdown of the game — in the third quarter.
After Friday's games, Bingham remains on top Region 4 with a 3-0 record. Lone Peak, American Fork and Pleasant Grove are tied for second at 1-1 with Westlake trailing at 0-3.
The Vikings' next game will be at home against long-standing rival American Fork. The game will be Friday, Oct. 6, beginning at 7 p.m.
Kent Allen lives in Pleasant Grove and reports on Pleasant Grove High School varsity sports for Deseret Connect.