4A high school football championship: Su'a Filo made plays on both sides of ball

Timpview's Xavier Su'a Filo is the ultimate ringer.

Having played zero defense this year until last week's semifinal victory over Mountain Crest, Su'a Filo was an absolute beast in Friday's 4A championship game against Cottonwood.

In addition to dominating offensively at his left tackle position as usual, Su'a Filo was in on the majority of Friday's defensive plays as well and was virtually unblockable.

"He's a freaking motor. He's just a stud, he made the plays. He's one of the big reasons we made all those stops," Timpview safety Craig Bills said.

Su'a Filo finished with five tackles, two of which were for losses, in addition to a blocked punt. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound lineman usually isn't even on the field during punts but his coach had a hunch.

"I just saw the gap and rushed it and jumped as high as I could," Su'a Filo said.

His blocked punt was a huge momentum swing for Timpview. With his team trailing 28-21, the block set Timpview's offense up in great field position at Cottonwood's 17-yard line and three plays later Casey Rumsey tied the game at 28-28.

Cottonwood's offense never recovered after the block, of which Su'a Filo deserves a ton of credit.

Some wondered how Timpview's defense would handle the absence of star defensive end Bronson Kaufusi, who tore ligaments in his knee last week, but Su'a Filo made sure the void was a non-issue.

"He is the only guy that went both ways today. He made that blocked punt, he made some crucial plays on (Isi) Sofele. He just kept the pressure on," Timpview coach Louis Wong said. "We're just lucky to have him." One of Su'a Filo's biggest plays came on Cottonwood's second-to-last offensive play of the game. With under three minutes remaining and the Colts' facing third and three, they handed the ball off to Sofele hoping he could pick up the first down. He never even had a chance. Su'a Filo came off his block and hit Sofele behind the line of scrimmage for the one-yard loss.

Cottonwood's next play ended in an incompletion securing Timpview's fourth state title in the past five years.

"In the beginning he was over penetrating, and I just said 'you just stand people up and then make some plays," Wong said.

Even when he wasn't making plays he was drawing double and triple teams freeing up his teammates to make plays.

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E-mail: jedward@desnews.com