UHSAA Football Playoff Semifinals Recap: Day One At Rice-Eccles
Nov 13, 2025, 9:23 PM | Updated: Nov 14, 2025, 11:20 am
Orem plays West in a 5A semifinal football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
(Photo courtesy of Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The semifinals of the 2025 Utah high school football playoffs have arrived, bringing the state’s top teams under the lights at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Thursday’s action featured both 5A semifinal matchups, followed by Provo and Ridgeline kicking off the 4A slate in game three of the day.
From intense battles to highlight-reel plays, the semifinals delivered a full day of competition and local standouts rising to the moment on the biggest stage of the season.
5A Semifinals
No. 4 Orem Tigers 34 vs. No. 1 West Panthers 7
After the first half, no one would have guessed that the East Panthers were the No. 1 team in the classification and favored over the Orem Tigers.
Orem could do no wrong in the first quarter. The run game was working, the pass game was working, and botched snaps were turned into touchdowns. The second quarter was a 0-0 scratch. But Orem still led 20-0 going into the break.
West finally got on the board in the third quarter, but even that small win was short-lived as it was preceded and followed by more Tigers TDs.
Quarterback Tayden Ka’awa completed 9 of his 18 pass attempts for 132 yards and two touchdowns. The vast majority of those passes went to Kaue Akana, who finished with five catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Running back Aisa Galea’i also had himself a game, taking five rushes for 77 yards and a score on the ground.
No. 4 Orem will face No. 3 Springville in the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Thursday, November 20.
No. 3 Springville Red Devils 30 vs. No. 7 Brighton Bengals 24
After a lopsided affair to start the day, Springville and Brighton served as quite the opposite.
The Red Devils struck first on a short run in the red zone from Lisiate Valeti. The second quarter saw three alternating touchdowns. Will Little scored twice for Brighton, and Max Harris punched in Springville’s second. With a late field goal, the Red Devils led 17-14 at the break.
The run game was the gift that kept on giving for Springville. All four of their scores came on the ground. Valeti and Tua Naufahu found the end zone in the second half.
The Bengals made it interesting with 10 points in the fourth quarter, but Springville was able to hold onto its lead to advance to the championship game.
Two Red Devils players eclipsed 100 yards for the game. Receiver Zachary Henderson had four catches for 109 yards. Running back Tua Naufahu took 14 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown.
No. 3 Springville will face No. 4 Orem in the 5A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Thursday, November 20.
4A Semifinals
No. 1 Ridgeline Riverhawks 48 vs. No. 5 Provo Bulldogs 22
The Ridgeline Riverhawks dominated almost from start to finish in a blowout win over the Provo Bulldogs in the 4A semifinals on Thursday.
The first quarter ended in a respectable 7-7 tie. But then, the Ridgeline offense woke up, dropping 28 unanswered points in the second quarter to break the game open in the first half. Three of the four second-quarter scores came off the arm of quarterback Nate Dahle. The fourth was a pick-six from Hunter Knighton.
The second half was mostly uneventful compared to the first. Each side tacked on two more scores, but the Riverhawks’ double-digit advantage built in the first half stood strong.
Dahle finished with four passing TDs, Crosby West scored Ridgeline’s only touchdown on the ground, and both Knighton and Hunter Sholly had pick-sixes.
With the win, the Riverhawks remained perfect on the season, and more importantly, ended the program’s multi-year championship game drought.
No. 1 Ridgeline will face either No. 2 Crimson Cliffs or No. 14 Green Canyon in the 4A state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Thursday, November 20.
