The Hive Sports

by James Tate

The Bountiful Redhawks have been remarkable. They went from summer practices at Oak Hills Elementary School to playing in the 5A state championship game at Rice Eccles Stadium. The Redhawks defeated the Alta Hawks 20-19 on a dramatic 93-yard game-winning drive. A solid defensive performance from the Redhawks limited the Hawks to two second-half field goals. The offense came through when needed with a remarkable drive that saw the Redhawks overcome penalties and a tough Alta defense.

Junior quarterback Emerson Geilman led the dramatic drive for the Redhawks. The drive ended with Geilman finding senior Faletau Satuala on a 5-yard fade route in the end zone. The Redhawks’ semi-final win matches them against the number one seed, Timpview Thunderbirds, on Friday, November 17, 2023.

Alta strikes first in the opening quarter

Hawks junior quarterback Matt Mckea scored the game’s first points on a 1-yard touchdown run. A pass interference call on the drive against the Redhawks was vital in the opening score for the Hawks. The score stood at 7-0 with 3:33 on the clock in the first quarter in favor of the Hawks.

The Redhawks started their next possession on their 28-yard line after a 22-yard kick-off return by Brock McSwain. Finding success with sophomore running back Siaki Fekitoa carrying the ball, the Redhawks would move into Hawks territory before the end of the first quarter.

Redhawks respond in the second quarter

Fekitoa would first score the for the Redhawks on a 1-yard touchdown run at 9:14. The critical play on the scoring drive for the Redhawks was a fourth down and one conversion on the Hawks 26-yard line. Fekitoa then made a 15-yard run and took the ball to the Hawks 11-yard line. The score now stood tied at seven after the Fekitoa touchdown.

photo of Redhawk’s running back Siaki Fekitoa

The number 11 seed Hawks would return on their next possession and drive deep into Redhawks territory. The Hawks drive would end with McKea finding senior receiver Bryant Weber on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The key play on the score was a long pass completion from McKea to junior receiver Abe Jager to the Redhawks’ 18-yard line. The score now stood in the Hawks’ favor at 13-7 as Redhawks junior Justice Taufa blocked the extra point. The blocked extra point would be a significant point that decided the game’s outcome.

The Redhawks next drive would find them inside the Hawks 10-yard line but would end on an interception by sophomore cornerback Jaxon Toala. The Hawks would not be able to take advantage of the turnover and would punt the ball back to the Redhawks. With 2:02 left before halftime, the Redhawks took possession on offense at their 46-yard line.

Redhawks’ junior receiver Britton Tidwell would take a short pass from Geilman and sprint into the end zone from 45 yards out for a touchdown. The extra point was missed, but a personal foul penalty against the Hawks gave the Redhawks another attempt. Junior kicker Landon Zayas would convert on the retry extra point and give the Redhawks a 14-13 lead with 1:15 left before halftime. The 14-13 score would stand at halftime.

Defenses stand strong in the third quarter

The Hawks would take the opening kick-off of the second half and move to the Redhawks’ 18-yard line. A 35-yard field goal by sophomore Jack McAllister would give the Hawks the lead 16-14 with 6:58 on the clock. A 15-yard personal foul penalty against the Redhawks and a pass completion from McKea to senior tight end Wyatt Johnson was vital in the Hawks scoring on their drive.

A tough Hawks’ defensive stand forced the Redhawks to punt on their next possession, which went off the side of the foot of the punter. The short punt had the Hawks offense starting on the Redhawks 26-yard line. The Hawks’ offense could put the game heavily in their favor, but they could not move the ball into the end zone and settled for another McAllister field goal. This field goal was good from 28 yards, giving the Hawks a 19-14 lead with 1:12 on the clock in the third quarter. An offensive pass interference penalty against the Hawks negated a pass completion that would have put the ball on the Redhawks 1-yard line.

The final drive for the Redhawks

The game-winning fourth-quarter drive would start at Bountiful’s own 7-yard line with 3:23 on the clock. Geilman and the Redhawks offense needed a touchdown to advance to the championship game. The drive started with a 9-yard pass from Geilman to senior receiver Brandon Wilkinson.

A pass completion to senior Jacob Brooks and Geilman running through the Hawks defense and a face mask penalty were key plays that set up the Redhawks at the Hawks’ 10-yard line.

The drive ended with Geilman finding Satuala in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown. Satuala had one-on-one coverage and outjumped the Hawks’ defender for the ball and the score. The Redhawks’ defense held up, and Tidwell knocked away a fourth-down pass to end the game. With a 20-19 score, the Redhawks won.

Redhawks’ Satuala celebrates win

Outstanding performers

Jager played a great game at receiver with six receptions for 104 yards. Hawks sophomore quarterback Nepa Niumeitolu passed for 195 yards on 19 completions in the game.

Senior linebacker Tony Vainuku and junior linebacker Kalvin Livaa led the Alta Hawks on defense.

The Redhawks saw Fekitoa rush for a game-high 82 yards and a touchdown. Geilman passed for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Geilman’s stellar performance all season has been critical in the success of the Redhawks playoff victories as the number 10 seed.

“We’ve been working so hard all summer and have been through a lot this season, both the highs and the lows,” Geilman said. “We’ve had to go on the road these playoffs and have found ourselves in some tough spots, but everybody kept fighting and we’re one game away from our goal. The team just keeps coming together more and more each week and we really are playing for each other.”

The offensive line juniors Brian Bushman, Paxton Gibson, Bryan Socci, Will Nixon, and Ethan Higginson was critical on the final drive and throughout the game in protecting Geilman and giving Fekitoa running lanes.

“We really believed in ourselves and understood what we needed to do to win the game,” Bushman said. “We had a couple nice plays that boosted our confidence and when we got down to the goal line, we knew we were going to put the ball in the end zone to give us the lead.”

Defensively, seniors Brigham Morrison, Jacob Brooks, Evan Dehart, Satuala, and juniors Caleb Norris, McSwain and Semisi Felila held down the Hawks offense without a touchdown in the second half.

For a full photo gallery of this game, visit The Hive Sports on Patreon.

Photos throughout courtesy photographer Joe Oliver; feature photo courtesy James Tate