High school football: Braden Boucha leads Bountiful to thrilling victory over Syracuse

Braden Boucha had the game of his life Friday night, and it couldn’t have come at a better time as Bountiful got sweet revenge against Syracuse in a 36-33 road victory in what was arguably the game of the year so far in Utah high school football.

With his Redhawks down 33-28 midway through the fourth quarter, Boucha — who finished the game with three touchdowns — delivered again as he intercepted a tipped pass and ran it back for the game-winning touchdown.

“Mason (Tidwell) delivered a big hit and I was fortunate to be right there to intercept it,” said Boucha. “He made a terrific play and I couldn’t have done it without him.”

Boucha finished the night with an offensive, defensive and special teams touchdown in the down-to-the-wire game that had six lead changes.

“This game was awesome,” he said. “It was one of the best games that I’ve played in. Everyone was making plays.”

“Braden is an incredible person and athlete,” added Bountiful head coach Jason Freckleton. “He’s worked so hard to get where he is and it’s so fun to see him do all of that. He’s such a playmaker and is always making big plays and tonight was just a glimpse of it.”

Syracuse started off with a quick 3-0 lead and made it double digits when Jack Benoit caught a pass from quarterback Ledger Wight and then evaded three tacklers to score a touchdown to give the Titans a 27-14 lead with just one second left before halftime.

But that was still too much time as Boucha took the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for the score to cut the deficit to 27-21.

“Syracuse got us on a great play call and we were all demoralized,” said Freckleton. “Then before he runs out on the field, Braden tells me he’s going to return the kickoff for a score – and he did just that.

“When you have a kid that has that much belief and confidence, it doesn’t surprise me with all the big plays that he makes.”

But just when Bountiful had the momentum coming out after halftime, the Redhawks quickly got down by double digits again as the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter turned into an interception when Syracuse safety Kaleb Hall stepped in front of the pass and intercepted it and returned it to the 2-yard line.

The Titans scored two plays later as Parker Moffat caught a 10-yard touchdown to put Syracuse up 33-21.

But Boucha and Bountiful weren’t to be counted out.

On the next offensive series, the Redhawks used their passing game to march down the field in just a couple plays led by Max Feller, who out jumped two defenders to make a leaping catch for a 35-yard touchdown.

Then after the pick-6 from Boucha, Bountiful converted the two-point conversion by Viliami Vunipola to take back the lead at 36-33.

“Syracuse has a terrific team and we knew it was going to be a battle,” said Freckleton. “I’m so proud of our guys. We got down, but they didn’t give up.

“They kept fighting and trusting in each other and made the plays that needed to be made.”

Bountiful quarterback Huddy Malmrose finished the night with three touchdowns to help the Redhawks improve to 2-1 on the season. Next up for Bountiful is a trip over the mountains to take on Morgan.

Wright also threw three touchdowns on the night for Syracuse, as he found Bo Metcalfe, Benoit and Moffat in the back of the end zone.

With the loss, the Titans now fall to 1-2 on the season and will look to regroup against Idaho’s Rigby High after falling 42-38 to it last season.