OREM, Utah – Orem opens their season with a 22-21 win over East High School in our Game Night Live Game of the Week on sports.ksl.com. Mac Hixson ran for two touchdowns in the victory and quarterback Lance Reynolds throws for one touchdown in the win.

The Tigers hold off the Leopards to pick up a win to open the 2022 season.@OldEastHighFB 21@OremTigerFball 22#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight pic.twitter.com/GYLbR05WSJ

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 13, 2022

First Quarter

East and Orem remained scoreless going into the second quarter. Both defenses got several stops in the first quarter.

The first quarter ends with an Orem drive to the one-yard line.

Second Quarter

On the first play of the second quarter running back Mac Hixson ran a yard into the end zone to make the game six to nothing as Orem missed the extra point.

Tucker McCormick threw a deep strike, and his first varsity touchdown, down the middle of the field to wideout Spencer Black. A 62-yard strike that put East up seven to six in the second quarter.

Mac Hixson found the end zone again on a five-yard toss play to the left. Orem then converts a two-point conversion to take the lead 14-7.

To end the half Tim To’a stepped in front of a McCormick pass and picked off the first year varsity passer, giving Orem the ball at the 45-yard line with 30 seconds remaining.

Nothing comes of the turnover and Orem headed into the half with a 14-7 lead over the East Leopards.

Third Quarter

East dominates time of possession in the third as Amini Amone averages five yards per rush on the drive.

Fourth Quarter

A drive that began mid-way through the third ends at the beginning of the fourth as Sione Vailahi scored on a short run for a touchdown. That score tied the game at 14-14.

With just four minutes remaining in the game, once again Vailahi took the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. Another dominating and physical drive for the Leopards as they drove in for a touchdown to take a 21-14 lead, while taking nearly six minutes of the clock for Orem.

Eniasi Matina broke off big 30 yard run and put Orem in the red zone.  Reynolds then threw a pass to Cole Johnson as he went flipping into the end zone for a TD.  Orem then made the decision to go for two and Asher Young’s 2-point conversion catch gave Orem a 22-21 lead.

After a disastrous two-minute drive East commits an illegal shift penalty while McCormik threw an incompletion, Orem declined the penalty and win the game 22-21 to open there season.

Orem moves to 1-0, while East falls to 0-1.  Orem will play Desert Pines, Nevada in week two. East will take on Skyridge in week two.

The Game Night Live Game of the Week next week will feature Farmington hosting Bountiful on Friday, August 19 at 7 p.m. MT. The game can be seen on sports.ksl.com, the KSL TV app, and the KSL Sports app.