High school football: Timpview rallies past Skyridge in thrilling season opener

Box score

After trailing for the entirety of the game, Timpview got its first lead of the game with nine seconds left Thursday night when Carson Rasmussen was able to connect with standout wide receiver Jaron Pula on a short 1-yard touchdown reception in the dying moments of the game to complete the comeback over Skyridge, 33-29.

“Carson has had some very good games against Skyridge in the past. For him to be our quarterback tonight was very comforting to us as coaches. He responded, he did his thing and everyone else was playing into him. We saw it in the scrimmages and practices that we had, but for him to have it in this setting was nice for everyone to just buy into what he can do,” said Timpview head coach Donny Atuaia.

It was anything but easy and pretty for Timpview in the 2024 Utah high school football season opener.

Skyridge was all over Timpview in the first half. The Falcons not only were able to control the possession and limit the amount of damage that Timpview was able to do, but they were also very successful on offense and were able to put up 29 points in the half.

Skyridge was the first to get points on the board, scoring late in the first quarter when quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne ran the ball in from 10 yards out.

For the better part of the first half, Timpview traded blows with Skyridge and exchanged scores.

After Timpview scored on a 40-yard touchdown reception by Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio from Rasmussen, Skyridge kick returner Tavian Edwards returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to the end zone to immediately give his team the lead back at 22-14.

Skyridge would continue to carry that momentum with them the rest of the half and into the halftime break, with Sweetwyne finding Junior Coughlin from 2 yards out to push the lead out to 29-14 at halftime.

The story in the second half was the defense of the mighty and dominant Timpview. Timpview did not allow Skyridge to score at any point in the second half, thus allowing leaders Rasmussen and the Pula twins to work their magic offensively.

“Our defense was huge in the second half. Adjustments were made and honestly I just think the boys were listening a little bit more. I had a coach come and tell me that these kids will be fine. For a lot of them it was their first time playing a game. Coming from last year, the expectation was so high. I thought in the first half we were trying to get there but we were having a hard time. I think at halftime the kids just really had an adjustment of the heart and mind in a way,” said Atuaia.

The comeback really got started with a minute left in the third quarter. With Skyridge backed up on its own side of the field and looking to punt the ball away, a bad snap saw the ball roll into the end zone with Kennan Pula getting his first touchdown of the game and pouncing on the loose ball, making it a one-score game.

The home side crept even closer on a short 1-yard run by Aisa Galea’I with 6:22 left in the game. A failed 2-point conversion kept Skyridge ahead for the time being, but it felt like Timpview had all of the momentum on its side.

The connection of Jaron Pula and Rasmussen was on full display in the final minute of the game, with Pula getting open in the corner of the end zone in the dying seconds and bringing in the pass from Rasmussen, giving his team their first lead of the game and ultimately the win in their season opener.