The Wildcats are surging at a good time. 

The Woods Cross football team entered its final game at home against Bountiful this Thursday with a 6-3 record and 4-2 in region play. Woods Cross is tied with Bountiful, Box Elder and Bonneville in second place, one game behind Roy. Woods Cross has won two in a row and four of its last five contests. 

The Wildcats picked up a key win at home over Box Elder last Friday, winning in a low-scoring affair, 17-12. All 17 of the Wildcats’ points came after halftime, with 10 of those coming in the final eight minutes of the game. 

Ben Smith-Mecham scored on a 39-yard touchdown run with 1:40 left in the third quarter. He then kicked the extra point to put his team ahead 7-6. Lock Smoot electrified the crowd with a long 73-yard TD run with 8:11 to play. Smith-Mecham’s kick made it 14-6. Smith-Mecham then drilled a 26-yard field goal, advancing the lead to 17-6 with 5:11 left in the game. 

Smith-Mecham had five carries for 55 yards and a touchdown to go with his two extra points and one field goal. Smoot had 12 carries for 87 yards and a TD, while Charlie Coats and Cash Henderson had 52 and 50 yards rushing, respectively. Woods Cross rushed for 285 yards. 

Bountiful

The Redhawks prepared for its matchup with Woods Cross with a tough home loss to Roy last Friday, 26-14. The defeat dropped Bountiful to 4-2 in Region 5 play and 5-4 overall. 

The way things started, it looked as though Roy would run away with the win. The Royals were ahead 14-0 halfway through the first quarter, scoring early touchdowns two minutes apart. A second-quarter field-goal from Roy made it 17-0. But Bountiful countered in the second quarter behind the play of Siaki Fekitoa, who had two touchdowns in a 1 ½-minute span. First, he had a 20-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter. With 4:28 left until halftime, he crossed the goal line from 3 yards out, narrowing the gap to 17-14. 

But the second half belonged to Roy’s defense. 

The Royals shut out the Redhawks, and Roy scored nine more points to take the win. Fekitoa had 93 yards and two touchdowns rushing on 13 carries. Emmerson Geilman had 140 yards passing but threw four interceptions. Brigham Morrison had 11 tackles, a sack and an interception for Bountiful’s defense. Jacob Brooks led the team with 12 tackles. 

Bountiful still has a chance to tie for the region title if it can beat Woods Cross and if Roy loses its final game. 

Viewmont

Viewmont has had some struggles this season, but the Vikings earned a big victory last Thursday, beating Bonneville 28-21. The win improved Viewmont to 3-6 overall. It was the Vikings’ first league win of the season. 

Viewmont scored 14 points in the second quarter and 14 in the fourth. Daren Tovey was 17 of 23 for 196 yards and three touchdowns. He threw two touchdowns to Kingston Mickens, who caught five balls for 79 yards. Drez Jensen had three catches for 66 yards, including a 21-yard TD reception in the second quarter. Tovey also had a rushing touchdown – a 12-yarder with 1:29 left in the game that served as the clincher. He had 53 yards on the ground. 

Kellen Wood led the defense with 15 tackles, while Brock Thrall and Landon Sharp each had 11. Thrall had a sack, and Sharp had an interception as well. Three other Vikings recorded sacks on the day. 

Viewmont finishes the regular season on Friday at home over Clearfield against the winless Falcons.