September 23, 2025

End of the road: Timpview football can’t make plays down the stretch, loses to Roy in 5A semifinals | News, Sports, Jobs

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Timpview senior Zed Anahu-Ambrosio (7) tries to catch a pass during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview players react after losing the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview players try to block a field goal during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview junior Jaron Pula catches a pass during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview freshman Dennis Tua’one makes a catch during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview senior Soakai Aston throws a pass during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview junior Aisa Galea’i reacts after losing the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Aisa Galea’i carries the ball during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview defenders make a tackle during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview senior Soakai Aston runs the ball up the field during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview senior Soakai Aston runs the ball up the field during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Aisa Galea’i (left) congratulates junior Jaron Pula after he scored a touchdown during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Jaron Pula carries the ball up the field during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview senior Soakai Aston throws a pass during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Aisa Galea’i runs the ball up the field during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview Dennis Tua’one (12) tries to catch a pass during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Aisa Galea’i runs the ball up the field during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Kennan Pula carries the ball during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview senior Soakai Aston carries the ball during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Hunter Hopoate carries the ball during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Jaron Pula (5) tries to make a catch during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview senior Zed Anahu-Ambrosio carries the ball during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview junior Jaron Pula runs the ball up the field during the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian Wolfer, Special to the Herald

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Timpview players take the field before the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Timpview head coach Donny Atuaia talks to his team after the 5A semifinal against Roy at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald


When things got tough for the Timpview offense this season, the Thunderbirds often just threw the ball up and let their elite group of receivers go get it.

With senior Zed Anahu-Ambrosio, juniors Aisa Galea’i, Kennan Pula, Jaron Pula and Braxton Wilkerson, as well as freshman Dennis Tua’one making up one of the most talented groups in the state, it’s not surprising that was Timpview’s approach.

But when the game was on the line in Friday’s 5A semifinals at Rice-Eccles Stadium against top-seeded Roy, the Thunderbird down-field passing couldn’t quite get the job done.

Instead it was the Royals that got a 57-yard touchdown pass to late in the fourth quarter to take the lead, then secured the 29-19 win over No. 4-seed Timpview with a clutch 53-yard field goal in the final minute.

“They deserve their ranking,” Thunderbird head coach Donny Atuaia said. “They came out with a great game plan. They’ve got some studs on their squad. All the best to them next week. Our boys battled. It was a great, great game.”

Thanks to a 6-yard run by Galea’i late in the third quarter, Timpview led 19-16 heading into the final 12 minutes of action.

But Roy came back on its next drive and tied things up on a jaw-dropping 58-yard field goal by senior kicker Colby Frokjer. That tied for the 11th longest field goal in Utah history and was the longest in the state semifinals.

The Thunderbird offense took the field, determined to get the lead back. It got to the Royal 38-yard line but faced a fourth-and-10.

Timpview senior quarterback Soakai Aston dropped back and looked to his right, lofting a deep pass down the sideline. Jaron Pula did everything he could to get his feet down and haul in the catch inside the 15-yard line, but the ball got away and the Royals got the turnover on downs they needed.

Three plays later, on a third-and-5, Roy senior quarterback Dru Gardner spotted junior wide receiver Isaiah Morris streaking down the sideline and hit him in stride for the big TD.

Timpview still had almost four minutes to answer and started its next drive with a quick 10-yard gain.

But an incomplete pass and a snap that got away again put the Thunderbirds in a fourth-and-10 position.

Aston again went deep, trying to get the ball to Anuhu-Ambrosio, but it came up short and the Timpview senior couldn’t get back to it.

Roy got just enough yards to send Frokjer back on the field for a 53-yard attempt with 35 seconds left in the game. Timpview sent everyone in an attempt to block the kick but the Royal senior got it up and through the uprights to seal the win.

“Our studs showed up and their studs showed up,” Atuaia said. “It just didn’t go our way today.”

The T’Birds ended up outgaining Roy by 59 total yards (388-329), mostly because of the effective Timpview passing attack (267 yards). But the Royal ground game gained 194 yards and allowed Roy to have a nine-minute edge in time of possession.

While the season didn’t end the way the Thunderbirds wanted and their quest to repeat as 5A champs came up short, Atuaia said he was proud of what his team accomplished.

“The hardest thing about coaching is making sure that these guys can play together,” Atuaia said. “I think they did. They did a pretty decent job up to this point, and I am grateful for that. It’s a great community and I love being at Timpview.”

He lauded the efforts of the seniors, who have enjoyed a lot of successes during their time as T’Birds.

“This is a special group,” Atuaia said. “My son is a senior, so I grew up coaching these boys from when they were young. It’s been great to see these guys and the leadership especially. I’m just glad to be with them and see the grow with them.”

Now it will be on the underclassmen to take over as the standard-bearers for a Timpview football program that always has big expectations.

“It’s about the culture of this team,” Atuaia said. “There always has to be a mindset of what did we learn from the year prior and from the seniors this year. I think it’s a great building block and a foundation for these young men.”

Roy moves on to face Bountiful in 5A state championship, which will take place at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Nov. 21 at 11 a.m.

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