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SALT LAKE CITY — The stands at West High were electric on Friday night as their beloved Panthers claimed its first victory of the season in a dramatic 40-38 win over Olympus in a game that kept fans on their feet until the final seconds.
Coming off a tough loss to Bountiful the previous week, Olympus entered the game determined to rebound, while West sought their first victory. From the opening kickoff, both teams came ready to fight, setting the stage for an intense back-and-forth battle between high-powered offenses.
With 8:57 left in the first quarter, West's quarterback Kamden Lopati handed the ball off to Louie Hamilton, who powered into the end zone for the game's first touchdown.
Not even a minute later, Olympus quarterback Max Rice responded with a 35-yard pass to Tommy Nelson, who tied the game at 7-7. This early back-and-forth exchange set the tone for what became an offensive showdown.
Lopati connected with Chachi Pan on a 50-yard pass for a touchdown that put West back in the lead in the second quarter. Pan's contributions were critical throughout the game and absorbed heavy hits to keep coming back for more.
"We prepare every day for this," Pan said. "We are ruthless. It sucks going 0-3, but hey, we locked in and got our dub."
Hamilton proved to be an unstoppable force on offense, as well, recording three touchdowns on the night, including a game-winning catch in the final moments.
"I feel so good," Hamilton said. "There was great energy and great fans, and that's what's getting us better."
Olympus didn't back down, though. Nelson continued to shine with two touchdowns of his own, while Jack Evans bulldozed his way into the end zone twice, keeping the Titans in contention. By halftime, the score was tied 21-21, and both teams knew they were in for a battle.
"We went into the locker room ready for the second half," Hamilton said. "Chachi got us those first points in the half, keeping us ready to go in the game."
With 9:42 left in the third quarter, Izaiah Holley ran into the end zone after a handoff from Lopati, giving West the lead again.
Olympus responded with a field goal, and then surged ahead in the fourth quarter when Evans punched in a touchdown, putting the Titans up for the first time 31-28. With the game hanging in the balance, West wasn't ready to back down. Lopati fired a deep pass to Vailahi in the back of the end zone, reclaiming the lead for the Panthers.
The game reached its peak intensity as Olympus struck again with Luke Campbell finding the end zone, putting the Titans ahead by 4 points.
With time winding down, West faced a vital fourth down, but a costly roughing-the-punter penalty on Olympus gave the Panthers new hope. With just seconds left on the clock, Lopati lofted a perfect pass over the shoulder to Hamilton, who made the catch of the night, securing the win for West.
"We locked in and got our dub," Pan said. "My coaches got us ready for this moment — they get us stronger every day."
