The Hive Sports

by James Tate

The Redhawks (12-1) used a dominating performance in all phases of the game to defeat the Brighton Bengals (11-2) and earn back-to-back trips into the state championship game. Redhawks senior dual-threat quarterback Emerson Geilman had an outstanding game with 144 rushing yards, a touchdown, and 110 passing yards. With the win, Geilman has led the Redhawks to a 22-6 record and back-to-back state final appearances as the team’s starting quarterback and is one of the state’s top signal callers.

Senior Brock McSwain would be the do-it-all player for the Redhawks, with his punt return for a touchdown, lockdown coverage at cornerback, and overall play at wide receiver.

The key to the game would be the Redhawks’ offense scoring points and sustaining drives against the Bengals’ defense, which came into the game allowing only 9 points per game. Linebacker Beau Lafleur, the Region 6 Most Valuable Player, defensive lineman Kaleb Miller, Tyree Pearson, and defensive back Gus Blake led the Bengals’ defense this season, which allowed only 46 points in six region games.

The Bengals turned to talented sophomore quarterback Preston Ferran to start after collarbone injuries to Ryce Palepoi and Alex Degroot. Senior running back Mason Haertel entered the game as the Bengals leading rusher with over 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Redhawks Junior Tippy (l) Bengals Ryan Williamsen (r)

First half

The Redhawks took the opening kickoff and marched down the field to score the first touchdown with a 12-yard touchdown run by junior running back Siaki Fekitoa. The drive saw Geilman find three different receivers, avoid a sack en route to a perfectly executed drive, and give the Redhawks a 7-0 lead. McSwain, Britton Tidwell, and Junior Tippy received Geilman’s passes on the drive, which took 3:11 and nine plays.

On the Bengal’s first offensive possession, two runs for short yards and a pass incompletion forced a punt. The Redhawks’ defense saw Hoko Tua’koi and Dawson Allsop make tackles, and McSwain had a third-down pass breakup.

The Bengals’ defense settled down on the Redhawks’ second offensive drive and forced a punt. Geilman’s speed and his ability to beat defenses with his arm would challenge the Bengals throughout the game. The first quarter ended with Fekitoa’s touchdown, the only score in the game, and the Redhawks ahead 7-0.

Both defenses dominated the second quarter until Geilman found the end zone on a 22-yard touchdown run. Geilman’s touchdown came on the ninth play of a 97-yard scoring drive that took 3:44. Geilman ran through the Bengals defense and completed passes to receivers Connor Clark and Tippy to keep the defense off balance before his touchdown run.

Zeke Murdock replaced Fekitoa early in the drive and kept the running game moving with positive yards to help the Redhawks close the half with points. The Redhawks held a 14-0 lead with 1:22 after the Geilman touchdown run.

The Bengals were on the short end of three potential game-changing plays in the first half:

• A possible fumble recovery.
• A third-down pass that receiver Sam Storrs looked to make an incredible one-handed catch near the sidelines but was ruled incomplete.
• A missed 35-yard field goal before halftime.

The score stood at 14-0 in favor of the Redhawks at the half.

Siaki Fekitoa

Second half

The play of the game would come at the 1:12 mark of the third quarter on McSwain’s 61-yard punt return for a touchdown down the right sidelines. Before McSwain’s touchdown, the Bengals gained momentum in the third quarter with a fumble recovery and two fourth-down conversions before turning the ball over on downs. After the touchdown, the Redhawks held a commanding 21-0 lead.

The Redhawk’s defensive front of Caleb Norris, Ethan Higginson, Justice Taufa, Max Manning, and Joshua Liljenquist continued to shut down the Bengal’s running game through the third quarter.

Redhawks kicker Landon Zayas would extend the lead to 24-0 on a 32-yard field goal with 5:57 left in the game. Geilman’s two first-down runs on the drive were the key plays that took time off the clock and allowed Zayas to add points for the Redhawks.

The Bengals would get on the scoreboard on a 4-yard touchdown run by Haertel. A successful two-point conversion would make the final score 24-8, a Redhawks victory.

Redhawks’ offensive line

Outstanding performances

The Redhawks’ offensive line of Brian Bushman, Bryan Socci, Will Nixon, Isaiah Amisone, Paxton Gibson, and Higginson led the way with 319 total yards on offense. Defensively, Allsop led the Redhawks with ten tackles, and Tidwell had the game’s only interception.

In addition to Tidwell and McSwain, the Redhawks secondary and linebackers of Winston Robinson, Rex Walker, Parker Moore, Sake Willis, Allsop, Connor Mertz, and Colton Krogue forced 29 Bengal pass incompletions.

Haertel led the Bengals offense in rushing with 54 yards and a touchdown, while Ferran accounted for 213 passing yards. Defensively, Ryan Williamsen led the Bengals with ten tackles, followed by Lafleur, Miller, and Mitchell Romney with eight.

The Redhawks shared the Region 1 title with the Roy Royals and will have the chance to capture the state championship against the Royals on November 21, 2024, at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Owen Tabaracci runs the ball for Brighton

photos courtesy James Tate