High school football: Lehi beats Timpview in 3OT for 5A title
Lehi ’s Jace John (7) hoists up the team’s trophy after beating Timpview in overtime by a score of 29-23 in the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
The final football game of the 2022 season just didn’t want to end, but when it did, it was the perfect finish.
Senior quarterback Jackson Brousseau finished his high school career with a walk-off touchdown pass for the win to senior receiver Kolton Tanner, and the Lehi Pioneers completed an undefeated 14-0 season and secured the 5A state championship in a win against Timpview, 29-23, after a jaw-dropping triple-overtime period.
Brousseau got hit as he threw the final pass and was on the ground when he heard the massive Lehi crowd erupt.
“It was just a great route,” Brousseau said. “I got hit after I threw, so I didn’t see him when he got the ball, but all I can say is he ran a great route. Hats off to him.”
The Pioneers successfully defended their 2021 state title and brought home the fifth championship inn school history. It’s the third title in five seasons for the team.
Lehi’s football team runs into the stands after beating Timpview in the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Lehi’s Kolton Tanner catches a pass and scores in overtime against Timpview in the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Lehi’s Kolton Tanner catches a pass and scores in overtime against Timpview in the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Lehi’s Kolton Tanner catches a pass and scores in overtime against Timpview in the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Lehi’s Jace John (7) hoists up the team’s trophy after beating Timpview in overtime by a score of 29-23 in the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
The game had everything: three interceptions, four fumbles, five ties or lead changes, two 100-yard rushers, 29 third downs with 14 conversions, and over 850 yards of total offense. Ultimately, Lehi pulled it out nearly an hour after the fourth quarter ended with yet another clutch play, one of many during the season, as Brousseau connected with the exact same receiver, Tanner, that scored to seal the win for the Pioneers over the Thunderbirds in Week 9 of the regular season.
“It took tenacity,” Lehi coach Ed Larson said. “They stuck with it. They just kept making plays on both sides of the ball. It was just fabulous … For us to do this, it was just unbelievable.”
Lehi was on the ropes multiple times in the late stages of the game. Timpview had possession of the ball in a tie game with 2:31 left in the fourth, then later on, Brousseau had a fourth-down pass batted down in the second overtime, giving Timpview a “win with any score” scenario. Every time, Lehi somehow had an answer.
“I had about three concession speeches between the fourth quarter and the overtime period,” Larson said. “The kids just kept coming back. It was just awesome.”
Uncharacteristic of the undefeated seasons fans typically see around instate football teams, Lehi’s title win was the fourth time this season that the Pioneers pulled out a win against a team that had a lead against them in either the fourth quarter or in an overtime.
“There’s a maturity factor to it,” Larson said. “It’s just fantastic what they’ve done. They just never quit. One of the things we preach is we never look at the scoreboard. If they play every down hard, we’re in great shape.”
Brousseau and Timpview freshman quarterback Helaman Casuga put on a show from beginning to end. Brousseau completed 29 of 40 passes for 293 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Casuga went 31 for 52 for 310 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
To call the first half chaotic might be an understatement. Both teams scored on their first offensive possession, yet both teams missed the extra point to keep a 6-6 tie. The mirroring continued as both Casuga and Brousseau followed up those drives with interceptions in the endzone.
Timpview took the next drive from its own 22 and drove all the way down inside the Lehi red zone but turned it over on downs. A few plays later, Lehi coughed up a fumble to give the Thunderbirds the ball back. Finally, on the very next play, senior running back Micah Beckstead broke away for a big run only to fumble the ball right back to Lehi.
Lehi took possession and executed a 10-play, 73-yard drive for a touchdown in the final 30 seconds of the half, finding senior Carson Gonzalez in the left flat completely uncovered for a 17-yard touchdown catch and run, giving Lehi a 13-6 to take into halftime.
Lehi extended the lead to 16-6 in the second half with a short field goal from Nate Shepherd. Timpview answered back on the next drive with another field goal from Jacob Larsen.
Early in the fourth quarter, Timpview emphatically evened the score by going for it on fourth and 4. Casuga found Jared Esplin in the back corner of the end zone, and Esplin leapt for the catch and came down inbounds with one foot for the score.
Defenses clamped up late in the game, and overtime began with Timpview getting the ball. After some good throws to get down to the 1-yard line, Beckstead punched in his second touchdown to give the Thunderbirds their first lead of the game since their opening drive.
Lehi answered right back with a fairly similar drive led by Brousseau’s arm down to the 2-yard line, then Brousseau faked a handoff and dove into the end zone himself to tie the game.
Lehi had its offense back on the field to start the second overtime, but a string of incompletions left Lehi fruitless and vulnerable as Timpview took over on offense.
Timpview’s offensive line struggled mightily with penalties throughout the game, collecting the vast majority of what 16 penalties on the Thunderbirds. A snap infraction put them behind the sticks along with a subsequent holding penalty, and the drive went nowhere.
Timpview’s offense had the next shot in the third overtime, and Casuga took a shot, but senior Nathan Anderegg nabbed a timely interception to put Lehi in position to win with any score.
And on the first Lehi play of the third overtime, Brousseau let fly to Tanner, and it was over.
“It’s an achievement that’s really rare, and now that we’ve gone through it, I know why it’s rare,” Larson said of being back-to-back champs. “The pressure of being No. 1 all year and having to deal with it week in and week out. You never talk about it, but you feel it.”
Lehi became the 119th team in state history to finish a season completely undefeated. It’s the first time Lehi has done so. It was the second time ever that a state championship has gone to three overtimes.