WOODS CROSS — Rivalry night between Woods Cross and Bountiful lived up to the hype, with momentum swings, big plays, and a staggering number of penalties before the Wildcats pulled away for a 28-14 Region 6 victory Friday night.
The two teams combined for 38 penalties and 351 yards, equaling a UHSAA record. Despite the flags, Woods Cross (4-2) found a way to respond when it mattered most.
Bountiful (2-4) struck first on a short touchdown run by Siaki Fekitoa, but the Wildcats answered with a four-play, 84-yard drive capped by Shaydon Gerratt's 21-yard score. A pair of field goals pushed Woods Cross ahead 13-7 at halftime.
The Redhawks regained momentum in the fourth quarter when Fekitoa broke free for an 84-yard touchdown run to give Bountiful a 14-13 lead. But the Wildcats immediately answered with a 60-yard strike from quarterback Jesse Simmons to Eli Bodell.
Wood Cross then sealed the game on Marcus Stepan's 26-yard pick-six score.
Wildcats head coach Brody Benson praised his team for staying resilient in a rivalry setting full of adversity.
"We continue to fight, we had to battle a lot of adversity tonight," Benson said. "I think that we broke a record as far as penalties thrown, which is frustrating in a game like that. I like that our guys just kept fighting."
Benson added that the win showed his players' trust and toughness.
"The ability to put your head down and still go to work … a lot of teams, it would be deflating, especially in a rivalry game," he said. "But instead, we just went back to work. I am so very proud of them, proud of our coaching staff. I thought we did a great job preparing and a great job making adjustments."
With the win, Woods Cross opens Region 6 play at 1-0 and snaps Bountiful's recent hold on the rivalry.
