Game Night Live, Week 2: Skyridge defense up to task, rallies by Orem

LEHI — Orem was giving Skyridge everything it could handle on defense, and then some through a lengthy lightning delay Saturday night in Week 2 of the Utah high school football season.

Led by four-star Oklahoma commit Krew Jones, the Tigers hounded the Falcons for five tackles for loss, two interceptions, and Kaio Akana’s 30-yard pick-six that had Orem just one quarter away from a 2-0 start.

But Skyridge had other ideas.

Jagger Fountaine threw two touchdown passes, and Beckham Bennett rumbled in for the game-winner from four yards out to help the Falcons rally for a 21-14 win over Orem.

One week after giving up 648 yards of total offense in a 41-26 loss to Mountain Ridge, the Falcons (1-1) did a little digging and a lot of defending to pick up their first win of the season.

“I’d put our defense up with any defense in the state,” Skyridge coach Justin Hemm said after the game, which included a lengthy weather delay immediately after halftime due to scattered storms that echoed across Utah Valley. “I don’t think the second half last week was any indicator of who they are or what they are, and I think they did a great job all day today. They kept us in the ball game, and did a great job of letting our offense kind of figure things out.”

Fountaine found Steeler Wesley, the 6-foot-5 junior tight end with offers from Arkansas, BYU, Baylor and Cal, among others, with a 6-yard strike as Skyridge struck first.

Orem responded with back-to-back scores, including a 27-yard TD toss from Tanner Lewis to Po Faumui with 2:12 left in the second quarter as both teams played to a 7-7 stalemate by a rain-soaked halftime.

.@skyridgefb takes the early lead when QB Jagger Fountaine finds a wide-open Steeler Wesley in the back of the end zone for 6️⃣.

The extra point gives Skyridge a 7-0 lead over @OremTigerFball.

🤝: @utahcommunitycu | Trucordia#GameNightLive #GNLonKSL pic.twitter.com/utw7vfk52J

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 23, 2026

Akana gave the Tigers (1-1) a 14-7 lead after three quarters when he hauled in an interception and rumbled 30 yards into the end zone with 1:41 left in the third quarter.

But that was the last lead Orem would take — thanks in large part to a Skyridge defense that kept the game in check.

“Our defense played amazing. I can’t give them enough props,” Bennett said. “I can’t think those boys enough for giving our offense a chance.

“I think that the long halftime gave us a good opportunity to calm ourselves and focus in more,” he added. “We were a little riled up, but once we played calm and cool, I think we balled out.”

Fountaine rallied the Falcons late, opening the fourth quarter with a 42-yard TD strike to Omarian Sanders to tie the game at 14-all with 9:17 remaining. After another defensive stop, Fountaine pitched a deep ball down the far sideline inside the five to set up the go-ahead touchdown with about 4 minutes remaining.

All Bennett had to do was hold on to the ball, and follow his offensive line led by senior Andy Anderson and junior Daynian Afalava into the end zone for the go-ahead score.

“I love those boys so much,” Bennett said of the hogs up front. “I’ve got to go buy them some food, maybe get them a steak and go somewhere to celebrate with them.”

Skyridge hosts Hun (New Jersey) next Saturday at 11 a.m. MT in a day-long tripleheader at West High School headllined by Orem and California’s Mater Dei at 7 p.m. MT.

.@OremTigerFball WR Po Faumui gets a step down the sideline and finds the end zone on a perfect pass from senior QB Tanner Lewis

Orem and @skyridgefb are deadlocked 7-7 after one quarter of play.

🤝: @utahcommunitycu | Trucordia #GameNightLive #GNLonKSL pic.twitter.com/vhvNjop3tY

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 23, 2026