The Orem Tigers will square off against the West Panthers at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a nine-game winning streak alive.
Orem is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They breezed past Woods Cross to the tune of 35-7. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by 28 points or more this season.
Kaue Akana
| 11/07/25 vs Woods Cross | 134 |
| 10/15/25 @ Maple Mountain | 14 |
| 10/09/25 vs Payson | 10 |
| 10/03/25 @ Pleasant Grove | 80 |
| 09/26/25 vs Timpview | 68 |
| + 7 more games |
Kaue Akana had a dynamite game, picking up 134 receiving yards and one TD. That's the most receiving yards he has posted since back in October of 2024.
Orem was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 201 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 153 rushing yards in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, West faced Bountiful in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Panthers walked away with a 14-3 victory over the Redhawks.
West's win came from a few key players Orem will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kamden Lopati, who rushed for 89 yards, and also threw for 70 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 50 yards. Another player making a difference was Louie Hamilton, who rushed for 188 yards.
West didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Elijah Lutui, Justice Reed, Manu Tua'One, and Darious Watson picked up one apiece. Another thorn in Bountiful's side was Aisa Lopati, who picked up two sacks and made ten total tackles (6.0 for loss).
Orem's win bumped their record up to 10-2. As for West, their victory bumped their record up to 11-1.
Thursday's contest might be decided on the ground. Orem has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 168.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like West struggles in that department as they've been averaging 279.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Orem was able to grind out a solid win over West when the teams last played back in November of 2024, winning 35-27. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
