4A high school football semifinals: Timpview gets a scare from Mountain Crest

A humbling moment at Timpview High is different from what most football programs experience.

Some of the Thunderbirds walked away from their 4A semifinal game against Mountain Crest at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday hanging their heads, had looks on their faces that screamed disappointment, and hardly anyone cracked a smile.

You wouldn't have guessed that Timpview had just defeated the Mustangs 37-35 in a classic final four game and had advanced to its third straight state championship contest. It was also the T-Birds' state-record 35th consecutive victory, and they will play Region 6 champion Cottonwood in a much-anticipated 4A final next Friday.

Timpview probably just didn't know how to react after barely turning back a scrappy Mountain Crest team and a coming-of-age performance from Mustangs quarterback Alex Kuresa. For just the second time this season, the T-Birds trailed an opponent, and their defense had to make a late stand to preserve the victory.

"We were fortunate to get through it," said Timpview offensive lineman Xavier Su'a-Filo. "At the beginning of the year we were humbled (in a narrow victory over Pleasant Grove) and we were also humbled today."

The game had the makings of another comfortable Timpview win as late as midway through the third quarter. The T-Birds forced a three-and-out on Mountain Crest's opening possession of the second half, then took a 31-13 lead when quarterback Casey Rumsey scored on a 12-yard run to cap an eight-play, 85-yard scoring drive.

That's when things got interesting. Kuresa directed scoring drives on Mountain Crest's next three possessions while making decisions, completing throws and displaying footwork that seemed far beyond a player in his sophomore year in school. He scored on a 17-yard run, then completed an 80-yard touchdown pass to Mitch Jessop to get the Mustangs close at 31-28.

Following a Timpview score, Kuresa delivered a 28-yard touchdown strike to Matt Stewart to get Mountain Crest within 37-35 with 6:04 left in the game. At that point, the Mustangs had seized all the game's momentum, and it looked like Timpview's state-record winning streak was in jeopardy.

Timpview coach Louis Wong said he wasn't nervous. He was smiling and laughing with offensive coordinator Chad Van Orden because they were happy to be involved in a competitive game for the first time since Week 1. But he sensed trouble with his players because there was no energy on his sideline.