High school football: Pleasant Grove puts an end to Timpview's 36-game streak

PROVO — Timpview's state-record 36-game winning streak is over.

Highly touted Pleasant Grove prevailed 16-10 over the T-Birds in a game that was exceptionally intense for a season-opener, but slightly sloppy.

"It's going to take a minute to sink in," said Pleasant Grove coach Dale Sampson. "Obviously, first-game jitters by our coaches and players. We could have executed a little bit better on offense. I think Dallas Lloyd was key, but overall I think defense won it for us."

You could hardly blame the players for being jittery with such a playoff-type environment so early in the season. Both the home stands and the visitors' stands were packed with a number of fans even down around the field.

The final quarter had more than its share of excitement beginning with Russell Doria's 30-yard field goal with 10:41 remaining in the game to pull the T-Birds within a touchdown at 16-10. The score came at the end of an 80-yard drive that began with Timpview's Kapena Clark making a clutch interception of a Lloyd pass in the end zone.

On the T-Birds' next possession, Jeremiah Burr connected with Jacob Hatch on a 40-yard pass play that led to a fourth-and-two at the Vikings' seven-yard line. After scrambling for his life, Burr was able to get a pass off that was dropped at the 1-yard line.

The Vikings took over on downs and looked like they were going to be forced to punt when Lloyd connected with Sefa Tanoai after his own scramble for a 54-yard reception that completely changed the field position in the Vikings' favor. Pleasant Grove didn't score on the drive, but was able to run the clock down to under three minutes.

"I've been playing with Dallas since like first grade," said Tanoai. "We have chemistry, I guess. He doesn't even have to look at me. He just throws it up and I go get it.""

Timpview had several more chances after that, but couldn't put together a scoring drive.

In the first half, Pleasant Grove scored first when Lloyd connected on a 20-yard pass to Jason Fanaika at the 2:51 mark in the opening quarter.

After forcing the T-Birds to punt, the Vikings scored again midway through the second quarter when Winston Sorhaitz made good on a 23-yard field goal that pushed the lead to 9-0.

On Timpview's next play from scrimmage, Trevor Brown, who quarterbacked for the T-Birds in the first half, scrambled and found Zack Van Leeuwen open for an 88-yard touchdown reception, which pulled the T-Birds within two at 9-7.

The deciding score came with 1:48 remaining in the first half. Jason West caught another Lloyd pass that resulted in a 46-yard touchdown play.

"It feels good," said Lloyd. "We worked hard and we were expecting to come out here and put it to them and get a win. I give props to them. They did a great job.""

Not only did the win end the T-Birds' winning streak, but it also ended a Timpview string of 10 straight wins over the Vikings.