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Saratoga Springs • Timpview is still the king of 4A, at least for those who subscribe to the theory that Westlake is next in the order of succession.
The Thunderbirds entered Friday's game at Westlake as the four-time defending state champions, undefeated and, frankly, untested in their first six games. Westlake, a second-year school, was expected to present Timpview with its first test and, what the heck, maybe even a loss. Just to make the story that much better.
But the test, whatever there was of one, was passed with ease after Timpview exploded for 20 unanswered points in the second half and won on the road 43-20.
"We knew this was for sure one of our toughest games of the regular season," Timpview quarterback Christian Covey said.
With Timpanogos, Lehi and Provo — all schools that have struggled in Region 7 — left on its schedule, Timpview appears a lock to win a region championship. Westlake still has to play Timpanogos and Lehi but is favored to get into the playoffs with just the one loss.
In those games, the Thunder, and highly touted junior quarterback John Ursua, will need to find more rhythm than they did Friday.
Their three touchdown plays all came on long runs: two, of 75 and 57 yards, by Nick Waitkevich and one, of 37 yards, by Ursua.
"They hurt us running the ball on three plays," Timpview coach Louis Wong said.
The Thunderbirds improved to an untarnished 6-0, while Westlake is now 6-1 and looking to rediscover its swagger, not to mention its quarterback's sparkle.
Ursua entered the game with 17 touchdown passes, second most in 4A, but finished a disheartening 5-of-16 for 74 yards and no touchdowns.
His counterpart, Covey, played with poise and command that Ursua either lost Friday or has yet to discover. Covey rushed 16 times for 145 yards and threw for 246 more and accounted for five touchdowns.
Waitkevich was the lone bright spot for Westlake. He rushed just 10 times for 176 yards.
Timpview looked like it knew what it was doing. After all, it's been here before while all this — big-time games with region championship implications — is all new to Westlake.
"We know midseason we should start to get in a little more rhythm," Covey said.
Maybe the midway point is when magic happens for Timpview. It was in the final minute of the first half that Timpview capitalized on poor clock management by Westlake to go up 23-13.
The Thunder defense had just forced a punt against the Thunderbirds' electric offense with about a minute left in the half. Logic said Ursua would try to score, but also run enough time off the clock that Timpview either wouldn't get the ball back or, if it did, wouldn't have enough time to execute a scoring drive.
Worst-case scenario?
Try a three and out, a punt back to Timpview just 30 seconds after it had given it up, and then a four-play series capped by a 32-yard touchdown pass.
After halftime passed, it was all Timpview.
For Westlake, the game left the realm of a feasible comeback to a missed chance in its biggest game with six seconds left in the third quarter. Kicker Stephen Lifferth pulled a 37-yard field goal to the left.
On Timpview's next play, Covey connected with receiver Zach Van Leeuwen for an 80-yard touchdown that turned a 10-point margin, which could have been seven, into a 17-point spread.
"Their hopes just went down," said running back Josey Trammell, who rushed for 71 yards. "And we kept scoring."
boram@sltrib.com Twitter: @oramb, @tribpreps Realignment plan gets a closer look
Prep blog • Lots of aspects to the UHSAA's realignment plan that we didn't have room for in the paper are online. The association is moving forward with a 24-24-28-20-36 structure (the number of schools in 5A through 1A in descending order).
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Online • sltrib.com/blogs/preps