PROVO — Whether it was due to prime returning talent harnessed effectively by coaches or simply a lot of pent-up emotion released, it all came together for Lone Peak in a 24-0 win over Timpview on Friday.
According to Lone Peak defensive standout John Henry Daley, it was the latter reason playing the main catalyst.
“I think everyone was just hungry, you know, with this whole COVID stuff,” Daley said. “We were’t practicing as much and we’re excited to go out and hit somebody. I think that’s what happened tonight.”
A lot of that hitting was dealt out by Daley himself in leading a truly dominant defensive performance on the road versus a Timpview team loaded with prime talent.
Sacks, batted-down passes, quarterback hurries and forced turnovers — the Knight defense did it all from start to finish, leaving Lone Peak coach Bart Brockbank all smiles after the game.
“I just think the defense overall looked really good,” Brockbank said.
Of all the standout defensive performances, Brockbank was pleased most with how his defense performed when dealt tough situations.
Early in the game, Timpview was able to set up shop deep in Lone Peak’s territory by virtue of a blocked punt. But from there some forced miscues and a sack from Daley on a fourth-down conversion attempt ultimately snuffed out the scoring opportunity.
“Until they get into the end zone, you don’t hang your head,” Brockbank said regarding the mentality he works to impart on his defense. “And then they did that.”
Perhaps the biggest stop came late in the third quarter, when a Timpview interception by Logan Fano off a pass deflected by Elijah Allen put Lone Peak back against the wall, leading 17-0 at that juncture. But from there the defense worked to push Timpview back steadily until forcing yet another failed fourth-down conversion attempt.
The final missed fourth-down conversion attempt by Timpview was yet again snuffed out by Daley by virtue of a sack in what proved a showcase performance for the younger brother of BYU signee Michael Daley.
“His motor is just always running,” Brockbank said of John Henry Daley. “That Daley family, for whatever reason, has a motor that never stops. The difference between him and Michael is that (John Henry’s) mouth never stops, either, where as Michael is really quiet. ... His upside is enormous, in my opinion.”
Lone Peak struggled putting long drives together on offense but was aided considerably by the defense putting it in good spots, which it capitalized on effectively. Leading the charge offensively was running back Siale Tahi, who scored three touchdowns on the night running out of a type of wildcat formation.
Tahi’s first touchdown came last in the first half off a 1-yard plunge into the end zone before matching it with another 1-yard run for a score in the third quarter. He then topped off his night scoring from 3 yards out to put the Knights up 24-0 in the fourth.
“It’s big for us,” Brockbank said of the straight-forward smash-mouth type football his offense is able to present with Tahi.
A big key throughout the game was Lone Peak’s ability to lock down and limit the production of Timpview’s top players — most notably running back Targhee Lambson, tight end Carsen Ryan and receiver Raider Damuni.
“They were a focus for us,” Brockbank said. “We felt like if we limited those guys that we could stop their offense, along with making them have long drives.”
Of course the biggest aspect of the game was simply the opportunity to play, given all the uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic — a fact that wasn’t lost on Daley.
“You hear about all the football being canceled in other states, and it’s just a blessing to come out here and play with my brothers,” he said. “We’ve been waiting our whole lives to play as seniors, so it’s just a great opportunity.”