Once again, the Bountiful Redhawks are playing for high school football’s top prize. 

Bountiful will take on Roy this Thursday at 11 a.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah for the right to claim the Class 5A state championship. Head coach Jason Freckleton and his squad are no strangers to big games. The Redhawks competed for the 5A title a year ago, falling to Timpview 23-15. 

Last season’s title-game appearance was somewhat of a surprise. The Redhawks entered the contest for four losses and were seeded 10th. This season, however, Bountiful enters the game with a 12-1 record and the No. 2 seed. 

The Redhawks will face a familiar foe. 

The championship game features a showdown of the two top seeds in 5A. Roy, the No. 1 seed, stands between the Redhawks and their first football state championship since 2003 when they won the 4A crown. 

The two Region 5 rivals have already met once this season. On Oct. 10, Bountiful prevailed in a high-scoring affair, winning 42-35 on Roy’s home field. In that game, Bountiful trailed 35-28 after three quarters but scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. It was the only defeat Roy has suffered this season. In the regular-season matchup, Bountiful’s Siaki Fekitoa amassed 180 yards on the ground, while quarterback Emerson Geilman had a big day. He threw for 197 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 75 yards and two more. 

To reach the state title game, Bountiful had to get by Region 6 opponent Brighton on Nov. 15. The Redhawks had one of their best defensive performances of the season, holding Brighton off the board until there was 2:09 left in the contest. Bountiful prevailed 24-8, limiting the Bengals to fewer than 300 total yards. The Redhawks scored one touchdown in each of the first three quarters and added a fourth-quarter field goal, a 32-yarder from Landon Zayas with 5:57 to play. Fekitoa got things started with a 12-yard TD run in the first quarter. Geilman scooted into the end zone from 22 yards out 1:22 left before halftime. Then, late in the third quarter, Brock McSwain dashed 62 yards for a score. 

Geilman did most of his damage on the ground in the semifinals. The senior rushed for 144 yards and a score on 16 carries. Fekitoa added 50 yards rushing and 19 yards receiving. Dawson Allsop had 10 tackles, while Britton Tidwell picked off a Brighton pass. 

Earning a second win over Roy won’t be easy. 

The Royals have reeled off four wins in a row since losing to Bountiful. They average 39 points a game and give up just under 22 an outing. Roy’s defense should provide a big challenge for Bountiful’s prolific attack. Fekitoa enters the game with 1,666 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. Geilman has added 752 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground along with 2,350 passing yards with 21 TDs. Geilman has thrown just three interceptions all year. Six Redhawks have at least 13 catches this season, with Britton Tidwell leading the way with 36 catches for 581 yards and seven scores. 

A championship victory would ensure that Bountiful ends the year with just a single loss, something the team hasn’t done since 2002 when it went 12-1 and won the 4A championship. λ