RICHFIELD—After a shocking result on a rival field, the Hawks were left looking for answers last week.
The North Sanpete football team lost their third-straight game last Friday night; this one in a shocking upset to Richfield, 15-14, to start Region 14 play with a loss and move to 2-4 on the season. After RPI rankings were released earlier this week, Richfield entered the matchup as the lowest-ranked team in 3A. North Sanpete was No. 5. It was the second straight game the Hawks played without several starters for various reasons.
“We just have to stay positive,” Coach Rhett Bird said. “When we get all our kids back, we’ll be a better team. We just have to keep our mindset in the right direction.”
Richfield led for the entire first half as North Sanpete’s offense couldn’t execute on anything they did, owing to a number of big plays at key moments by a BYU-bound defensive lineman on the Wildcat side. The Hawks went into halftime down 12-0, their second time this season being shut out in the first half.
Senior quarterback Landon Bowles threw for 179 yards on 20 of 34 attempts with a touchdown. He also ran for another score. The Hawks totaled 75 yards rushing on 20 carries.
The Hawks came out in the second half looking like a different team, forcing Richfield’s offense to a standstill for the entire third quarter. Late in the third, the offense finally came alive, driving downfield and finishing with a 25-yard touchdown connection from Bowles to junior Ty Allan.
On North Sanpete’s next drive, Bowles took to his feet on several plays and took the lead on a keeper, running it in on the left side from 4 yards out to take the 14-12 lead.
Late in the fourth, with the Hawks still leading, Richfield forced a punt and then shockingly blocked the punt to set up their offense inside the 30-yard line. After getting down inside the 15, the Hawks forced a fourth down. Richfield nailed the 30-yard field goal to take the lead.
With less than a minute remaining, North Sanpete got possession back, but the Hawks couldn’t move the ball anywhere, sealing their fate and their fourth loss.
North Sanpete will continue region play on the road this week against Juab on Friday.