Roy Royals Take Advantage Of Turnovers, Beat Bountiful Redhawks

Oct 6, 2023, 9:47 PM

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Roy vs. Bountiful football on October 6, 2023 (Photo by Michelle Bodkin, KSLSports.com)

(Photo by Michelle Bodkin, KSLSports.com)

SALT LAKE CITY – The Roy Royals picked up their seventh victory of the season with a win on the road over the Bountiful Redhawks.

Roy takes down Bountiful on Game Night Live

The Redhawks hosted the Royals at Bountiful High School on Friday, October 6. It was the first time that Bountiful and Roy have played since 2018.

Roy beat Bountiful, 26-14.

.@RoyHighFootball fights off the @RedhawksBhs comeback to win, 26-14. 🏈 #GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @BodkinKSLsports @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/dRJMEzNIbV

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

1:51 into the contest, the Redhawks fumbled a snap and the Royals recovered the loose ball near midfield to end Bountiful’s first possession.

With 7:13 remaining in the quarter, Daeqwan Snider worked his way into the end zone for the game’s first points. Snider’s burst helped Roy take a 7-0 lead.

Roy strikes first 💥@daeqwansnider scrambles for the first touchdown of the night.#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @mariluzcook @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/TOYnIEVPZ2

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

Less than a minute later, the Redhawks were pressured in the backfield and Bountiful’s Emerson Geilman threw an interception into the hands of the Royals’ Cole West at the Roy 40-yard line.

With 5:27 to go in the quarter, Roy’s Dru Gardener broke free down the near sideline for a 54-yard touchdown. The score pushed Roy’s advantage to 14-0.

.@RoyHighFootball pulling away early 👀@Dru_Gardner4 takes it 54 yards to give the Royals a 14-0 lead.#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @mariluzcook @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/oVRq3wCFNB

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

Despite a pair of first quarter turnovers, the Redhawks limited the Royals to a 14-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Dominant first quarter for the road team. 💪@RoyHighFootball leads @RedhawksBhs 14-0 at the end of the first.#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @BodkinKSLsports @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/PixLF5ks40

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

In the opening minutes of the second quarter, the Royals made a field goal to extend their lead to 17-0 at the 9:16 mark.

A few minutes later, the Redhawks finally found paydirt to end Roy’s 17-point run. Bountiful’s Siaki Fekitoa weaved his way out of the backfield before finding open grass. Fekitoa worked his way across the goal line to help the Redhawks trim Roy’s lead to 17-7.

Bountiful gets on the board 🔥@siakifekitoa and the @RedhawksBhs march down the field for the TD.#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @BodkinKSLsports @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/Cuic8U6Kiu

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

Roy’s next drive ended quickly after Bountiful picked off a pass deep in Royal territory.

Just like the Royals did in the first half, the Redhawks turned the turnover into points. With 4:28 to play before halftime, Fekitoa powered his way into the end zone for his second score of the game. The run cut Roy’s lead to 17-14.

Interception leads to a rushing touchdown for @RedhawksBhs ‼@siakifekitoa finds the end zone again to make it 14 unanswered for Bountiful. Roy leads 17-14.#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @BodkinKSLsports @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/cqliszn90F

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

At the end of the first half, the Redhawks missed a potential game-tying field goal and the Royals took a three-point lead into the locker room at the break.

.@RoyHighFootball leads @RedhawksBhs 17-14 going into halftime.

Second half up next 👉#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @BodkinKSLsports @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/huCifgy1BF

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

On their first drive of the second half, the Royals connected on a field goal to stretch their lead to 20-14 at the 8:25 mark of the third quarter.

The Redhawks were shut out in the quarter and it remained a six-point contest heading into the final 12 minutes of game time.

One field goal in the third gives @RoyHighFootball a 20-14 lead over @RedhawksBhs 🏈

12 minutes left!#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @BodkinKSLsports @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/QDpp09VUB8

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

A minute into the fourth quarter, the Royals intercepted Geilman and returned the ball to midfield.

With 8:58 left to play, the Royals punched the ball across the goal line on a run by Robert Young. The score gave Roy a 26-14 advantage. The Royals went for two after the touchdown but failed to convert.

Roy makes it a two-possession lead👀

Robert Young follows his blockers into the end zone for a 26-14 lead.#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @JeremiahJensen @BodkinKSLsports @SSylvester55 pic.twitter.com/pCC4DkZUs2

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2023

The Redhawks slowly marched down the field and into the red zone. However, Bountiful turned the ball over on downs after failing to score on a pass into the end zone with 2:49 to go.

Roy took over deep in its own territory. The Royals ran out the clock down to a minute left before punting the ball to the Redhawks. Roy picked off a Bountiful pass with 16 seconds left. It was the fourth interception thrown by Bountiful and the Redhawks’ fifth total turnover. Roy closed the game in victory formation.

With the win, the Royals improved their record to 7-2 this season. The Redhawks fell to 5-4.

Roy’s next game is at home against the Northridge Knights on October 12 at 7 p.m. (MDT). Bountiful’s final regular season game is on the road against the Woods Cross Wildcats on October 12 at 7 p.m.

With a win over the Knights, the Royals would be crowned as outright Region 5 champions.