UHSAA football playoffs: Friday’s 4A/5A semifinals roundup
Nov 13, 2026, 9:05 PM
Recapping Day 2 of the 2026 UHSAA semifinals at Rice-Eccles Stadium. (Erin Hooley, Deseret News)
(Erin Hooley, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – It was a playoff Friday loaded with semifinal action at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
West’s defense overwhelmed Bountiful to open the day’s tripleheader, and Orem followed with an offensive explosion that set up a heavyweight 5A championship matchup between the top-seeded Panthers and second-seeded Tigers next Friday.
Skyline closed the night with the biggest surprise, knocking off No. 2 Hurricane to earn a shot at unbeaten Ridgeline in the 4A title game.
UHSAA football playoffs: Thursday’s 4A/6A semifinals roundup
Beckham Curtis with his second touchdown of the day as Orem’s offense turns explosive against a helpless Woods Cross defense.
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The results brought the UHSAA football playoffs one step closer to championship weekend. West will play for its first state title since the early 1990s, Orem brings one of the state’s most explosive offenses into the 5A final, and Skyline will try to finish its underdog run against a Ridgeline team that has yet to lose.
The 4A, 5A, and 6A championship games will be played at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday, November 20.
Class 5A — Semifinals
No. 1 West Panthers 29, No. 4 Bountiful Redhawks 12
West quarterback Kamden Lopati was forced to the sideline with a hand injury on the game’s first possession, sending the Panthers to freshman Sam Arona at quarterback.
Arona did not flinch.
The freshman calmly led a game-opening touchdown drive that ended with Naeata Hamilton powering across the goal line for a short rushing score.
Lopati returned on Bountiful’s next punt with his left hand wrapped in tape and quickly led a scoring drive of his own. Two plays after Sione Havili punished Redhawks defenders on his way to converting a fourth-and-20 deep in Bountiful territory, Lopati powered into the end zone to extend the lead.
West’s defense created problems on the other side, ending Bountiful’s next drive with a safety to give the Panthers a 15-0 lead.
The Panthers added another Lopati rushing touchdown on the ensuing possession, though a second missed extra point kept the score at 21-0.
West finished the first half with more first downs than Bountiful had plays. The Panthers had 18 first downs before the break, while the Redhawks ran just 13 plays and went into halftime down three touchdowns.
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Defense took over in the third quarter, and neither team found much offensive rhythm until Bountiful broke through late. Quarterback Huddy Malmrose dropped back and found Max Feller streaking down the sideline for a touchdown.
The Redhawks trailed 21-6 after the extra-point attempt was blocked.
West answered immediately. Lopati hit Monson Vaenuku for a 49-yard touchdown strike, and the Panthers stretched the lead to 29-6 with 11:43 remaining.
Bountiful kept battling, putting together another long drive that drained the clock and ended in the end zone. Malmrose capped the possession with a dive toward the pylon, cutting the deficit to 29-12 with 4:19 left.
The Redhawks could get no closer, and West closed out a 29-12 win to reach the program’s first state championship game since 1992.
No. 2 Orem Tigers 56, No. 13 Woods Cross Wildcats 10
Second-seeded Orem wasted no time getting its offense in a groove.
The Tigers used a pair of explosive plays to score on their opening drive, with quarterback Tanner Lewis finding Po Faumui in the end zone for six points.
After its defense forced a turnover on downs near midfield, Orem needed only one play to find the end zone again. This time, Lewis hit Kaio Akana across the middle, and the junior pass catcher ran through defenders on his way to the goal line for a 14-0 Tigers lead.
Woods Cross responded with its first scoring drive, splitting the uprights with a field goal to make it 14-3.
The Wildcats caught a break on Orem’s next drive when the Tigers put the ball on the turf and Woods Cross recovered deep in Orem territory. Tage Ita appeared headed for a touchdown, but the ball was punched loose as he attempted to cross the goal line. Woods Cross running back Teiyon Halbesch picked up the loose ball and scampered into the end zone to keep the Wildcats in the game.
Orem answered with more big plays and two quick touchdowns.
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Brooks Ross started the surge when he took a handoff and found space down the sideline for a long touchdown. After getting the ball back, Beckham Curtis powered through the Wildcats’ defense for his first rushing score of the day.
Later in the half, Orem kept rolling with its backup running back. Hayden Jarvis took a handoff, leveled a defender, and found the end zone for his first touchdown of the afternoon.
Minutes later, Curtis caught his second touchdown pass of the season as Orem’s lead ballooned to 42-10 at halftime.
The Tigers’ momentum did not fade during the break.
After forcing a Woods Cross punt, Faumui caught a 36-yard pass to set up first-and-goal. Two plays later, Lewis found Faumui again to put the Tigers up 49-10.
Orem running back Benji Engemann added a late third-quarter touchdown to cap the Tigers’ 56-10 win.
The game ended after three quarters because of the recently instituted 44-point mercy rule.
Class 4A — Semifinals
No. 6 Skyline Eagles 24, No. 2 Hurricane Red Devils 21
The underdog Skyline Eagles came out of the gate looking to use their size to slow down Hurricane’s fast offense.
Hurricane scored first, taking a 7-0 lead when Titan Borchardt caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kannon Cowan.
Skyline answered with back-to-back touchdowns to take the lead. Jonah Mailei found the end zone from 7 yards out to tie the game late in the first quarter.
The Eagles added a defensive touchdown when Heamasi Nau recovered a fumble and returned it for six points, giving Skyline a 14-7 lead.
Trailing by a touchdown, Hurricane used a fake punt to gain a first down and grab back some momentum. Drake Gines finished the drive with a short rushing touchdown to tie the game 14-14 with 7:46 left in the half.
Hurricane kept the pressure on when its defense forced a strip-sack and recovered the ball deep in Eagles territory. But the Red Devils couldn’t cash in, and the game went to halftime tied 14-14.
Mailei got loose again in the second half, gashing Hurricane for a 39-yard pickup that moved the Eagles into the red zone. The drive ended with a field goal to put Skyline up 17-14, a lead the Eagles carried into the fourth quarter.
Three minutes into the fourth, Borchardt broke two tackles before breaking free for a massive 73-yard touchdown to put Hurricane back in front, 21-17.
Skyline used its next possession to march down the field with ease as David Campbell took over. The senior wide receiver caught three passes on the drive, including the go-ahead touchdown that gave the Eagles a 24-21 lead with 5:13 left.
The Eagles’ defense held up against one final Hurricane push, getting the ball back on downs before kneeling out the clock.
Sixth-seeded Skyline advanced to face undefeated No. 1 Ridgeline in the 4A championship game Friday, Nov. 20, at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Championship Friday
By the end of Friday’s semifinal slate, the championship picture at Rice-Eccles Stadium is clear.
West and Orem turned the 5A bracket into a No. 1 vs. No. 2 title clash, while Skyline kept its postseason run alive with a late stand against Hurricane.
Next Friday, the Panthers, Tigers, Eagles, and Riverhawks return to the same stage with state championships on the line.
The quartet joins the 6A Skyridge Falcons and Corner Canyon Chargers for a star-studded tripleheader.
