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SALT LAKE CITY — Bountiful junior Siaki Fekitoa ran for 255 yards and four touchdowns in a back-and-forth 5A state title game to bring home the first championship in his lifetime for the Redhawks.
Bountiful went back-to-back in 2002 and 2003, and could be headed for another repeat after finishing as runners-up last year and Fekitoa returning for another year in 2025.
Fekitoa got the game's first score with 3:59 remaining in the first quarter, and then fell into the end zone for the game-winner with 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter for a 42-35 win over Roy.
There were nine touchdowns that came in between his two scores, including two more from Fekitoa in the second half.
Roy led 21-14 at halftime and seemed to recapture momentum after a scoreless third quarter with a kickoff return touchdown by Ryker Cordero to tie the game at 28-28 with 11:47 remaining in the game.
🚨SPORTS CENTER TOP 10 ALERT🚨
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) November 21, 2024
Ryker Cordero catches an onside kick (?) from Bountiful in PERFECT position and stride to return the kickoff for a touchdown and equalize for Roy at 28-28 to start the fourth quarter of the 5A final pic.twitter.com/SGfTnBcUOZ
The Royals scored their final touchdown on a QB keeper by Dru Gardner with 4:37 left in the fourth quarter, and Sekitoa and the Redhawks ran down almost the rest of the clock on the final touchdown drive to force a failed Hail Mary attempt from the Royals in the last seconds.
Gardner finished the game with 210 passing yards and one passing touchdown to go with his rushing score. Logan Cella led the Roy run game with two touchdowns on 153 yards.
Bountiful senior quarterback Emerson Geilman took a back seat to Fekitoa and finished with just 115 passing yards on 20 attempts in the final.
"That kid is special, and he's fun," head coach Jason Freckleton said of Fekiota. "He's so fun, and he loves the game. He loves his teammates, he's a great teammate and he's got a very bright future. And you know, we rode him today."
Four touchdowns on 255 rushing yards for Bountiful junior Siaki Fekitoa. Not bad. pic.twitter.com/t5FpRVduRz
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) November 21, 2024
Fekitoa had the third-most carries in a Utah championship game with 35, and his four touchdowns are the second-most ever and most since 2016.
"It feels amazing," Fekitoa said. "But, you know, I couldn't do anything without my team."
When asked if the Redhawks would be back at Rice-Eccles Stadium next year for a repeat, Fekitoa said, "You already know."
