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SALT LAKE CITY — Alta was able to hold Bountiful scoreless for 23 minutes in the second half of Thursday's 5A semifinal, but wasn't able to finish the job. Alta allowed the Redhawks to go 93 yards on their final drive to take a 20-19 lead with 1:02 left in the game.
Bountiful quarterback Emerson Geilman found Faletau Satuala for his second passing touchdown of the night, and the Redhawks defense stifled any hope of a last-minute Hawks game-winning drive with a pair of pass breakups, including one from two-way player Jacob Brooks, who also got a sack. Britton Tidwell sealed the win with a final pass breakup
"You don't get many opportunities in a football game," Brooks said. "So when you do get the opportunity, you really got to capitalize on it and make the most — get your name on the map (and) do what's best for the team."
Britton Tidwell seals it for Bountiful with a pass breakup on 4th down for Alta. They'll advance to the final against Timpview. pic.twitter.com/O7C2sFOVYt
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) November 10, 2023
Alta was a steady presence for most of the game, scoring first on a Matt McKea touchdown run and then again on a Bryant Weber touchdown catch in the second quarter, as well as two field goals in the third quarter.
Both offenses stalled in the fourth quarter, but Bountiful got some help from a roughing the passer penalty on its final drive to get out of its own half of the field. Star running back Siaki Fekitoa — who scored the first touchdown for Bountiful — shouldered some big gains on the ground to get into the red zone.
Satuala did the rest on his game-winning catch to send the Redhawks to next week's final against Timpview.
The 5A championship will be Friday, Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. MST at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
