Highland players celebrate a fumble recovery during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
By Melissa Yack

Highland’s football team entered its battle with Viewmont Friday night focused on putting together a solid, full game, something it hadn’t been able to do in its previous two outings this season.

The Rams hadn’t played bad football, but their coaches wanted them to match the level of intensity and success in the second half that they had come out with at kickoff.

Friday’s effort earned the Rams (2-1) a 45-30 win over the Vikings (2-1), who beat them handedly a season ago, 48-7.

“We needed to put four quarters together, and the boys met that challenge,” said Highland coach Kautai Olevao. “I’m really proud of them. Good win for our program going into region.”

Added Olevao: “Viewmont is a tough team, well-coached and they beat us up pretty good last year, and the boys remembered that. It was also our first home game of the season, and I thought we did a great job after we got some jitters out.”

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Viewmont’s Austin Cannon (2) ends up on the back of a Highland defender during a high school football game against Highland at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland cheerleaders smile during the playing of the national anthem during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Will Bauman (16) hands the ball off to his teammate Jacob Woodman (14) during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Austin Cannon (2) is lifted into the air after scoring a touchdown during a high school football game against Highland at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Adriean King Boyd (8) catches the ball during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Austin Cannon (2) meets his teammate Draylon Jensen (5) in the air to celebrate his touchdown during a high school football game against Highland at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Reggie Jeppesen (33) runs with the ball as he is wrapped up by Highland’s James Yeates (24) during a high school football game at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Reggie Jeppesen (33) runs with the ball as he is wrapped up by Highland’s James Yeates (24) during a high school football game at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland players celebrate a fumble recovery during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Adriean King Boyd (8) catches the ball during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Austin Cannon (2) barely misses an overthrown ball as Highland’s Andrew Cracroft (10) pushes him from behind during a high school football game at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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A referee tosses the coin during a high school football game between Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Adriean King Boyd (8) runs with the ball during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Austin Cannon (2) catches the ball during a high school football game against Highland at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland players run out of the tunnel during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Will Bauman (16) runs in for a touchdown during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Will Bauman (16) passes the ball during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Will Bauman (16) passes the ball behind the back of Viewmont’s Rayden David (6) during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Vili Ripley (5) runs with the ball during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Cash Hawkins (1) runs with the ball during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland head coach Kautai Olevao watches his team play during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont head coach Andru Jones, right, speaks with his players during a high school football game against Highland at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Vili Ripley (5) is dragged down during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Evan Kearl (11) celebrates breaking up a pass against Viewmont’s Ethan Pitt (18) during a high school football game at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont head coach Andru Jones holds up three fingers after his team forced a safety during a high school football game against Highland at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, August 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland players celebrate a sack during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, August 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Children play on the Highland logo during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, August 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont head coach Andru Jones watches his team play during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, August 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland’s Jacob Woodman (14) runs with the ball during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, August 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Brady Clegg (11) is taken down by Highland’s Aidan Demarco (3) during a high school football game at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, August 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Viewmont’s Cash Hawkins (1) runs down the sideline during a high school football game against Highland at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, August 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Highland head coach Kautai Olevao watches his team play during a high school football game against Viewmont at Highland High School in Salt Lake City on Friday, August 28, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News

Through the first quarter, both teams seemed evenly matched, and it showed on the scoreboard at 7-7. Viewmont scored on its opening drive, marching down the field behind its run game before Brett Tovey tossed a nice 16-yard touchdown to Austin Cannon and then Logan Campbell added the PAT.

For Highland, scoring on its opening drive wasn’t as smooth and required a gutsy fourth down call. Facing fourth and three near midfield, but on its own side, quarterback Will Bauman kept the ball and pounded his way to a first down.

Two plays later, Bauman launched a 48-yard pass to Adriean King Boyd, with Willem Miles adding the extra point to knot things up.

“We just know our boys,” said Olevao. “Our offensive line was confident, and they wanted the responsibility to be on their backs, so why not? That’s our strength this year so we love it.”

Bauman and King Boyd were work horses the entire game, as both finished with three touchdowns apiece. Bauman made the passes while King Boyd’s speed created the separation, and both also scored on the ground.

“I saw a different version of Will tonight and I loved it,” said King Boyd. “He was signaling, telling me what to do, and he was putting the ball in the spot. I just want to give a shoutout to my QB.”

Bauman rushed for Highland’s next score from five yards out before Tovey and Cannon connected again for Viewmont to tie things up at 14-14 with 2:25 left in the first half.

But Highland wasn’t finished and used a hurry-up offense to move the chains quickly and run double-digit plays before Vili Ripley rushed in for a touchdown from five yards out with eight seconds left before halftime.

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That meant the Rams went into the locker room with a 21-14 lead, and they came out in the third quarter and had their best effort of the game.

They outscored the Vikings 10-2 in the third to go up 31-16, which dug a hole the Vikings couldn’t dig out of.

“It was a good game overall,” said Rams linebacker James Yeates, who had a key tackle for a loss and combined sack. “We were able to outpace them offensively with quick plays and our defense adjusted to stop the runs up the middle and used some blitzes.”

Up next, Highland begins region play against Cottonwood, while Viewmont faces Weber. 

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