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With a 9-2 record and only one loss in the stout Region 6, Bountiful couldn't have fathomed its season would end with an exit in the first round of the 4A playoffs at the hands of a rival. After a 14-7 loss to Bonneville in overtime last week, the Braves still can't believe it.
"It's a tough deal for the kids, we had a great season and we fully expected to move on, but it just didn't happen. We just didn't get her done there at the end," said Bountiful coach Larry Wall. "We were 9-2, most programs would die for that. And that's something we've come to expect here and we expect the same next year."
Turnovers plagued the Braves in the closing moments of the game, with three turnovers in the fourth quarter and overtime. With Bonneville only amassing a half dozen first downs and a pitiable 142 yards of total offense, it took a botched punt from Bountiful to open the door. Bonneville was trailing 7-0 when the Braves turned the ball over at their own 22-yard line.
After Bonneville's Manaia Filiaga connected with Sage Stireman on fourth-and-9 for a 21-yard touchdown pass, Bountiful was reeling with the score 7-7. The Braves continued to falter as a fumble in field-goal range in the dwindling moments of regulation cost them a chance to win game outright.
Then Filiaga found Stireman again to start off overtime with an 11-yard score, and in their last possession, an interception by Laker Devin Mickles in the end zone ended the Braves' season.
Davis
There are really no surprises in the Davis game plan so far this season. Hand the ball off to Tanner Hinds. Watch his back as he runs into the end zone. Repeat.
So there's no surprise that nothing changed for Davis in their first-round matchup, as a healthy dose of Hinds helped the Darts blow past West 28-7.
Hinds ran for 187 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns. On the year, he has racked up 1,523 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground as the Darts' primary threat on offense.
Even though he shows no sign of stopping, Davis still heeds the concern of a defense keeping Hinds out of the end zone. Viewmont was able to in the Darts' only region loss of the season, and quarterback Gavin Fowler is ready to pick up the slack through the air.
"I think our team is very capable to be able to move the ball through the air," Fowler said. "Tanner carries a tremendous load on his back for our team and he's a huge asset to our offense. We have an excellent offensive line that can give me time to throw and excellent receivers that can make plays."
Syracuse
Going into halftime in Syracuse's 31-7 first-round win against Skyline, the Titans had a pit in their stomach as they hustled into the locker room.
Trailing 7-3 and showing the same offensive struggles that paralyzed them in a 7-3 loss to Layton a week earlier, Syracuse needed some kind of spark.
Five turnovers later, things got turned around pretty quickly for the Titans.
Cole Conner picked off a Skyline and recovered a fumble in the second half, Mitch Tulane had two interceptions, and Alex Swanson added a pick in the fourth quarter to lead the Titans back.
