Lehi Sports
Pioneers rebound with big win over Thunder
The Lehi High School football team prevailed 31-6 in a turnover-laden contest at Westlake on Friday (Sept. 29) to bounce back from a couple of tough losses and register the program’s first victory in Region 3.
The Pioneers received the ball first, but the initial drive ended in a punt downed at the Thunder 6-yard line. Westlake hadn’t moved very far when senior defensive back Boston Fabriziointercepted a pass and ran it back for the first score of the evening.
Junior kicker Gavin Fenn split the uprights for a successful PAT to give Lehi what turned out to be all the lead that would be needed at 7-0 with 4:20 left in the first quarter.
The Thunder didn’t get anywhere on their next possession and punted away but soon got the ball back when they recovered a fumble on the Pioneer 43-yard line. That mistake led to the home team’s only touchdown of the night, but the PAT was missed so Westlake still trailed 6-7 at the 1:29 mark.
Lehi answered that score by marching down the field and crossing the line again as sophomore running back Devaughn Eka ran it in from 10 yards out for the score to make it 14-6 with 9:21 left in the half.
The Thunder were once again stymied in their efforts to move the ball, and after the punt, Lehi took over at the Westlake 46-yard line.
It didn’t take long to widen the advantage as junior quarterback Jett Niu tossed a 34-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Mays Madsen to up the margin to 21-6 with 4:31 left to play in the half.
A crazy sequence concluded the second period. First senior defensive back Max Ray picked off a pass, but The Thunder returned the favor in short order by making an interception themselves.
They had been able to make some progress moving the ball until junior safety Ezaiah Mama ended the effort with another pick deep in Lehi’s end with under a minute remaining. The score stood to the break.
Westlake didn’t get far with their first possession of the third quarter, and the Pioneers got the ball at their own 27-yard lineafter a punt.
They chewed up some clock with the subsequent drive that ended with Madsen’s second TD catch of the night, this one for nine yards from sophomore quarterback Kannon Whiteley to push the gap to 28-6 with 5:51 left in the period.
Ray registered his second pick of the game to end the next Thunder drive. This time Lehi wasn’t able to capitalize, and Westlake got the ball back. The Thunder got far enough to attempt a field goal this time but they missed it and the Pioneers took over at their own 20.
Another long clock-winding drive ensued and ended with a Fenn 23-yard field goal to complete the tally for the evening with 4:33 left to the final whistle.
The Pioneers (6-2, 1-2) will host Lone Peak (3-5, 1-2) for Senior Night on Friday (Oct. 6) at 7 p.m.
