High school football: Bountiful loses turnover battle, beats Viewmont anyway in big Region 6 clash

It’s hard to win football games when you lose the turnover battle by four and commit half a dozen costly offensive holding penalties, but Bountiful’s resilience — and some good fortune on a first-half Hail Mary — allowed it to overcome those shortcomings Friday night against Viewmont.

With rivalry bragging rights on the line, the Redhawks closed the game with 14 unanswered points behind great execution on both sides of the ball to rally for the 28-19 Homecoming win.

“Our guys hung in there, battled, rallied around each other. Really proud of the way they supported each other tonight. If someone made a mistake, the other guy was there to pick him up and support him and tell him they believe in him,” said Bountiful coach Jason Freckleton, who also tipped his cap to Viewmont for making things difficult on his team forcing all those turnovers.

Bountiful has won seven of the past eight games against Viewmont and leads the all-time series 38-24.

At times with its huge size advantage in the trenches, it seemed inevitable Bountiful would run all over Viewmont. Turnovers, however, are the great equalizer, and they kept the Vikings in the game despite being double-up in total offense — 469 yards to 229.

One of those turnovers led directly to a touchdown on a pick six by Viewmont linebacker Owen Seeley that gave his team a 13-7 lead in the second quarter.

Viewmont was one play away from taking that lead into the halftime, but Bountiful scored on a Hail Mary to end the half as Will Smoot caught a 40-yard TD from Hudson Malmrose that was tipped by a Viewmont player at the goal line up and over everyone else into Smoot’s waiting arms.

Viewmont overcame two offensive holding penalties on the two-minute drive to even put itself in a position to have a crack at the end zone.

“A lot of belief in each other, doing their jobs and giving us an opportunity. We did give ourselves a chance by going down the field a little bit so we could throw it in the end zone. Super proud of the way they executed to finish a two-minute drive at the end of the half,” said Freckleton.

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Bountiful’s defense got a stop defensively to open the second half, and its offense immediately went to work despite being pinned at the 1 yard line on a great Viewmont punt.

The Redhawks drove the ball past midfield and into Viewmont territory but coughed it up for their third turnover of the game.

Three plays later Brett Tovey connected with Colt Hawkins on a 44-yard TD pass to put Viewmont back in front 19-14.

While the Vikings were certainly unlucky on the Hail Mary tip to end the first half, they benefitted from back-to-back fortunate bounces on the short scoring drive.

On the play before the touchdown, Viewmont receiver Cole Brooks fumbled the ball down field after a nine-yard reception, but offensive lineman Brandon Swain managed to recover the ball despite three Bountiful defenders fighting for it as well.

On the next play, Hawkins initially had the long pass play bounce off his shoulder pad, but it bounced straight up and forward allowing him to maintain his stride and catch it while still running toward the goal line for the TD.

With his team suddenly trailing again, Bountiful’s Max Feller delivered arguably the game’s biggest play.

He returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards down to Viewmont’s 20 yard line. Four plays later he hauled in a fourth down, 14-yard TD reception from Malmrose to put his team back in front 21-19 with 4:01 remaining in the third quarter.

“Max Feller and the (kickoff return) team, credit to the coaches, again, special teams coach (Casey) Parks creating an opportunity and then seizing that opportunity, and that’s what I love about this team,” said Freckleton.

“There’s a lot of grittiness. They respond well. The bounce back maybe is my favorite word. They got bounce back in them. A big play happens, ‘OK, let’s get the next one.’”

Malmrose feared his season was done in Week 4 after suffering a collarbone injury in the first quarter in a loss to Morgan. It ended up being a deep bruise instead of a fracture, and the senior QB has worked hard to get back to be in a position to help his team win games late like he did on Friday.

He threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns during the Homecoming win, and Freckleton said his QB is about 90-95% back to full strength.

“It went from a long-term injury to a short-term. He battled through. He’s playing gutsy,” said Freckleton. “He’s been taking care of his body. He’s been locked in on the game plan, and he’s hungry.

“He wants it, you know, a returning starter. He took some hits tonight and got up every time.”

Viewmont’s offense had three more offensive possessions after falling behind 21-19, but Bountiful’s defense completely shut things down the rest of the game, only allowed two Viking first downs and fewer than 40 yards offense.

It included a possession in which Viewmont benefitted from great field position after Bountiful’s fourth turnover of the game, but the Vikings only went backward with a penalty and were forced to quickly punt.

Bountiful eventually iced the win on a 7-yard TD run by Ami Vunipola with 3:31 remaining for the 28-19 lead.

“Defense was big. We we want to be a second half team, and our defense is tough and well-coached, and I was really proud of the defense tonight and those guys for everything they did,” said Freckleton, whose team improved to 4-2 on the season with the win.