Game Details - Football

Bountiful begins its quest for a second straight 5A state championship when it hosts Clearfield in Friday's first-round playoff matchup. The ninth-seeded Redhawks (5-5, 3-2 Region 6) welcome the 24th-seeded Falcons (3-7, 1-5 Region 5) in a rematch of last year's region contest that saw Bountiful dominate in a 41-0 victory. These teams are now in different regions, with the Redhawks moving to Region 6 for the 2025 season. Bountiful enters the postseason having won three of its last four games, including a 42-14 victory over Viewmont, a 42-31 triumph over Alta, and a 13-3 win against Brighton before falling 35-28 to Olympus in the regular-season finale. The defending state champions weathered a challenging schedule that included losses to 6A powers Herriman and Syracuse in the early going. Clearfield limps into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak, including a narrow 24-20 defeat to Northridge in its regular-season finale. The Falcons' lone region win came against Bonneville (35-19) on Oct. 4, and they've surrendered at least 24 points in each of their seven losses. Bountiful's offense centers around dynamic running back Siaki Fekitoa, who has rushed for 1,250 yards and 13 touchdowns on 180 carries. Quarterback Hudson Malmrose has thrown for 1,418 yards and seven touchdowns, spreading the ball to multiple receivers. Max Feller (25 catches, 253 yards), Fekitoa (25 receptions, 232 yards) and Lakepa Satuala (20 catches, 316 yards) give the Redhawks a diverse passing attack. Defensively, Bountiful is led by Dawson Allsop (88 tackles), Carter Brooks (74 tackles, eight sacks) and Connor Mertz (71 tackles). Mason Tidwell has added 65 tackles and two interceptions, while Zeke Murdock has contributed 62 tackles. The Falcons counter with a balanced attack on both sides of the ball. They've shown flashes of potential with early-season wins against Cyprus, Kearns and Jordan, but have struggled against the upper echelon of teams in Region 5. Bountiful enters the postseason looking to recapture the magic of last year's championship run, which culminated in a state title. Despite a .500 record, the Redhawks have played a significantly tougher schedule than Clearfield, including four games against teams that earned first-round byes in this year's playoffs (Woods Cross, Brighton, Olympus and Morgan). The winner advances to face eighth-seeded West Jordan in the second round on Oct. 31.