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BOUNTIFUL — The two sides showed up ready to fight for their chance at a title run.
On one side you had Maple Mountain, who got there by narrowly beating Northridge last week in the dying minutes with a comeback touchdown to win 24-21.
On the other side were the hosts, the Bountiful Redhawks, who soundly defeated Alta last week by a score of 42-14.
The quarterfinal matchup wouldn't be easy for either side to earn a semifinal bid to Rice-Eccles Stadium. The team that came out on top would have to hold strong and show why they have a chance next week.
That team ended up being Bountiful in a close battle, winning 42-35 in comeback fashion after trailing for most of the night.
After controlling a 21-14 lead at halftime, Maple Mountain came out of the break with a quick 65-yard touchdown run by Eli Mauga to take a two-score lead. But that's when Bountiful started to take over.
On the next RedHawks drive, Siaki Fekitoa caught his third touchdown of the game, immediately cutting into the Golden Eagles' lead.
Maple Mountain Quarterback Mason Jensen was then picked off by Sake Willis, and then Bountiful's Brock McSwain caught a 29-yard touchdown strike to even up the score minutes into the third quarter.
Fekitoa scored his fourth touchdown of the night minutes later to give Bountiful the go-ahead score on a 26-yard catch before Jensen connected with Sawyer Leifson for a touchdown with five minutes left in the game.
But Fekitoa proved to be the difference, again, with a game-winning 30-yard touchdown — the fifth of the night — score three minutes later to give Bountiful the one-score lead.
Maple Mountain had two minutes to even up the score (or win), but the Redhawks defense proved to be too much and forced the Golden Eagles into a turnover on downs to seal the game.
Bountiful now advances to the semifinal round of the state playoffs, where the Redhawks will return to Rice-Eccles Stadium in hopes of coming out on top as 5A champions a year after a runner-up finish.
