High school football: Farmington’s stingy defense leads it to win over Bountiful

Box score

Farmington Phoenix coach Daniel Coats thinks his team has a chance to go far into the 6A playoffs this year.

The Phoenix took another step forward Friday night. Surprisingly, they did it by preventing Davis County rival Bountiful from going anywhere.

Easton Wight threw two touchdown passes, but Farmington’s defense held Bountiful to just 153 yards en route to a commanding 24-3 nonregion win.

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“We have a chance to be a special team,” Coats said. “I know it, and I think the players know it. We come onto the field with a ton of confidence. If we play like we should, we could go far.”

Farmington was really never threatened, but didn’t pull away until the third quarter, when Jackson Eastman returned a backward pass (fumble) 38 yards for a score, and Wight connected with Adam Stucki on a 20-yard pass.

In between, Bountiful grew more frustrated as its offensive line was pushed backward on nearly every play.

“We knew this would be a test, and playing a team like Farmington tells you what you need to work on,” said Bountiful coach Jason Freckleton, whose squad beat Highland 28-3 last week but only netted two offensive touchdowns in the victory.

“They physically dominated us on both sides of the ball.”

On Bountiful’s 40 offensive plays, only two netted more than 10 yards. The Redhawks are still adjusting to the loss of running back/safety Corbin Cottle, who recently suffered a broken collarbone and could be out most of the season.

Bountiful’s only score came with 7:45 left, when it took advantage of a series of Farmington personal foul penalties and kicker Ben Smith boomed a 43-yard field goal that cleared the uprights with room to spare.

Redhawks senior quarterback Owen Geilman was constantly pressured. He was sacked five time and only once found an open receiver downfield.

Later, Freckleton inserted talented athlete Faleatau Satuala at quarterback to try to create big plays, but Farmington’s defense was playing ultra confident and, with the exception of the penalties, didn’t let Bountiful believe it had a chance.

“That’s the way I want them to play,” said Coats, “but we have to know our limits and avoid penalties that might cost us when we get to playing in bigger games.”

Wight, meanwhile, played with composure and completed 11 of 19 passes for 177 yards. Boston Reinhold kept Bountiful’s defense honest with 44 yards on 13 carries.

“I’ve had Wight (on the field) since he was a freshman,” Coats said. “He came in and had to go up against Lone Peak and Corner Canyon, so I know he can handle whatever is thrown at him.”

Eastman had Farmington’s most memorable defensive play. He watched Geilman’s pass slip through a running back’s hands and didn’t wait for the referees call to make his move.

He gathered the ball in full stride and raced virtually alone into the end zone, not knowing if he had scored for sure until an official asked him to give up the ball.