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Timpview High School kicker Luke Thornock sends Thunderbirds to title game

Prep Athlete Spotlight: The sophomore made a game-winning field goal to lift the Thunderbirds to the 5A championship game.

(Alex Vejar | The Salt Lake Tribune) Timpview High School sophomore kicker Luke Thornock talks to reporters after his game-winning field goal Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023 at Rice-Eccles Stadium that advanced the Thunderbirds to the 5A state championship game.

  | Nov. 9, 2023, 10:23 p.m.

Luke Thornock

School: Timpview High School

Grade: Sophomore

Sport and position: Football, kicker

Thornock had missed an extra point and field goal in the the first three quarters of a 5A semifinal game against against Olympus on Thursday at Rice-Eccles Stadium. It wouldn’t have mattered if the Thunderbirds had held on to their 12-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

But the Titans came back and took a one-point lead late in the fourth, setting up a moment of redemption for Thornock.

“I was really upset about those two missed kicks,” Thornock said.

But third time’s the charm, as they say. Thornock made a 24-yard field goal as time expired to lift Timpview to a 22-20 win over Olympus, advancing the Thunderbirds to the 5A championship game next Saturday.

Timpview coach Donny Atuaia said this season is Thornock’s first playing football.

While Thornock said he got encouraging words from “everybody” as he prepared to kick the clutch field goal, it seems that everybody didn’t include Atuaia. The coach said the team’s hero didn’t need a pep talk for his big moment.

“I didn’t talk to him at all,” Atuaia said. “He does his own thing and we just put him out there. I’m not going to add on anything to the kid. He came through for us.”