The West Panthers will face off against the Orem Tigers at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. West will be looking to extend their current nine-game winning streak.
West is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They walked away with a 14-3 win over Bountiful.
Louie Hamilton
| 08/15/25 vs Timpview | 328 |
| 10/10/25 @ Granger | 230 |
| 11/07/25 vs Bountiful | 188 |
| 10/16/25 @ Cyprus | 186 |
| 09/12/25 vs Kearns | 185 |
West's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kamden Lopati, who rushed for 89 yards, and also threw for 70 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Lopati got the majority of those rushing yards when he took off on a run that went for an incredible 50 yards. West also got a significant boost from Louie Hamilton, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 188 yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: West was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 277 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 157 rushing yards in eight consecutive matchups.
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. Aisa Lopati was another major factor on D, picking up two sacks and making ten total tackles (6.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Orem faced off against Woods Cross on Friday. The Tigers simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Wildcats 35-7. With the Tigers ahead 21-0 at the half, the game was all but over already.
West better keep an eye on Kaue Akana. He was instrumental in Orem's win, picking up 134 receiving yards and one TD. That's the most receiving yards Akana has posted since back in October of 2024.
West's record now sits at 11-1. As for Orem, their record is now 10-2.
Thursday's contest might be decided on the ground. West has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 279.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Orem struggles in that department as they've been averaging 168.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
West came up short against Orem in their previous meeting back in November of 2024, falling 35-27. Thankfully for the Panthers, Feleti Iongi (who picked up 184 receiving yards and one score, and also rushed for 39 yards) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
