How did Lone Peak’s defense pull off a last-second stop in their 31-24 win over Timpview on Friday?

Knights coach Bart Brockbank wasn’t quite sure how to answer the question.

He just knew he liked it.

“Our defense is so resilient,” Brockbank said. “The only way I can explain it is because they have leadership. They put their guys in the right place and know the plays.”

Trailing by seven points late in the game, Timpview forced a punt. With 1:35 left and no timeouts remaining, they took control near the halfway line. Quarterback Carson Rasmussen carefully worked his way along the sidelines to get his team into the red zone, eventually reaching the Lone Peak 2-yard line with 34 seconds left. Jayden Mayberry deflected a pass on third down, and on fourth down, Jr. Tahi and Kalvin Liavaa got into the backfield, forcing Rasmussen to throw the ball out of the back of the end zone.

“We knew they were trying to go deep the whole time, so we tried to stay on top of them,” said senior safety Jayden Mayberry, who had two interceptions. “If we could do that, we knew our D-line would get to the quarterback. We just know our defense is really good.”

The score was tied 10-10 at halftime, which included a fake field goal touchdown run by Lone Peak kicker Breckin Carr. Brockbank credited assistant coaches Ryan Denney and Matthew Grimmer for the decision. Holder Anthon Grimmer took the snap and threw the ball to Carr, who left the surprised Timpview defense behind with a 38-yard touchdown run.

“We worked it out over the weekend based on some things we saw and practiced all week,” Brockbank said. “We got exactly the look we wanted and that never happens. Sometimes you practice all week for something like that and it never happens.”

The teams traded points early in the second half, but Timpview led 17-16 after Lone Peak botched an extra point. The Knights retook the lead late in the third quarter by converting a fourth down attempt when quarterback Kepa Niumeitolu found Jasean Mayberry unmarked on a 32-yard touchdown play. Isaac Staley and Jasean Mayberry also combined for the two-point conversion, giving the Knights a 24-17 lead.

Mayberry, who led the state with 12 interceptions last season, intercepted Rasmussen early in the fourth quarter and ran 67 yards to the Timpview 5-yard line. From there, Sean Tahi rushed over and the visitors took a 31-17 lead with 11:11 to play.

“Jayden just knows how to read the quarterback and where to be,” Brockbank said. “He just ends up in the right spot and you’re like, ‘How did that even happen?’ We just stopped yelling at him because he’s so good at it.”

Rasmussen led the T-Birds back by throwing to his favorite target, Jaren Pula, who caught 12 passes for 165 yards. Pula made a spectacular one-handed catch for a 10-yard gain up the middle to set up first and goal. On a short pass, Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosia was knocked backwards by a Lone Peak defender but stayed on his feet and fought his way through three tacklers into the end zone, helping to cut the Knights’ lead to 31-24 with 3:25 left.

Lone Peak got a first down on its next possession, but Timpview eventually forced a punt, allowing the final drive.

“Our defense probably made 20 offside calls,” Brockbank said. “That’s why I lost my vote. But Mayberry and Wesley Valgardson and all those guys just made plays all night. We asked a lot of them. Landan (Goff, who had 15 tackles) was on an island all night (against Timpview’s receivers) and so was Valgardson. Jayden, he reads the defense and puts everyone in the right spot. We got beat deep a couple times, but that happens against athletes like them. We just wanted to put pressure on Rasmussen. We wanted him to make great throws. And tonight we got a win on the last play.”

Lone Peak (2-0), which eliminated Bingham last week, faces another big challenge with first-place Corner Canyon, which beat the nation’s third-ranked team, IMG Academy of Florida, on Thursday.

“We want to play the best teams in the preseason because that’s what we’re going to see in the postseason,” Brockbank said. “So that’s how we planned it.”

Timpview (1:1) faces city rival Provo next week.

Lonely Peak 3 7 14 7 — 31

Timpview 0 10 7 7 — 24

LP-Carr 35 FG

TV-Galea’i 4-run (Thornock kick)

LP-Carr 38 Run (Carr-Kick)

TV Thornock 33 FG

LP-Staley 2 runs (kick failed)

TV-Galea’i 2 run (Thornock kick)

LP-Jasean Mayberry 32 pass from Niumeitolu (Staley pass to Jasean Mayberry)

LP-Tahi 2 Run (Carr Kick)

TV-Anahu-Ambrosia 2 passes from Rasmussen (Thornock kick)

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