Prep football: Fiefia interceptions force Fremont to split Region 1 with Farmington
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- Fremont senior Zach Masters (6) resists the ground during a game at Farmington Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Farmington.
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- Farmington senior Joshua Webb (7) throws the ball during a game vs. Fremont Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Farmington.
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- Fremont junior Manase Tuatagaloa (5) lines up with the offense during a game at Farmington Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Farmington.
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- Fremont junior Manase Tuatagaloa (5) looks toward the sideline during a game at Farmington Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Farmington.
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- Fremont junior Slade Parker (2) runs the ball during a game at Farmington Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Farmington.
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- Fremont junior Salesi Moa (8) walks off the field during a game at Farmington Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Farmington.
FARMINGTON — Fremont High football faced five third downs of 10-plus yards in the first half at Farmington on Wednesday.
The Silverwolves had costly penalties and several dropped passes, couldn’t keep Farmington defenders out of the backfield and threw three interceptions.
Fremont head coach Nate Tuatagaloa lamented the miscues and more after the Silverwolves’ 21-14 loss against the Phoenix on Wednesday night.
But he put a positive twist on the result, which also broke Fremont’s (7-3, 4-1) seven-game win streak.
“(Farmington) did a good job. I’m glad this happened before playoffs, that way we can refocus because I think we started getting to a point where we thought we were going to win every game,” he said.
Fremont and Farmington won splits of the Region 1 title; Fremont last won the region in 2016, while Farmington won Region 1 for the first time (it won 5A Region 5 in 2019).
The contrasting celebrations after the game wouldn’t have indicated such.
“No, it doesn’t (feel like we won the title), but I’m glad we did. These boys deserve it, such a great season and everything,” Tuatagaloa said.
Fremont still completed a remarkable turnaround under the first-year head coach, going from 2-9 last year to 7-3 and a shared region title.
Farmington (5-5, 4-1) also completed a turnaround, starting the season 0-4, losing its first region game in overtime, then winning four straight to end the regular season.
The Phoenix defense excelled, stopping the run and pressuring Fremont quarterback Manase Tuatagaloa — eventually intercepting him three times.
Senior Afu Fiefia had two picks, including one returned for a touchdown in the second half that gave Farmington a 21-7 lead.
There couldn’t have been a better sequence of events for Fiefia to experience, given everything he’s gone through the last four years.
When he was 14 years old, Fiefia was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare cancer, in his left leg. He went through two rounds of chemotherapy and radiation to treat the cancer after initially being given a 15% chance to live beyond five years of his diagnosis.
His latest scan in September was clear; he’s almost two years in remission.
“It’s a blessing. I just thank my lord and savior, Jesus Christ, just all the people that have supported me throughout my whole high school journey — my teammates, my family and other friends,” Fiefia said.
Farmington’s Travis Hoopes ran for a touchdown in the first quarter, then Fremont’s Salesi Moa made a ridiculous one-handed TD catch in the second. The teams went to halftime tied 7-7.
Farmington went 80 yards down the field to start the second half, capped by a Josh Webb touchdown pass. Fiefia picked off two overthrown balls over the middle, taking the second one to the house for a 21-7 lead.
The astral signs also indicated early that the Silverwolves were in for trouble. The almost-full moon was just that: almost full, and also obscured by clouds most of the night.
One of the few times the moon lit up the sky, Fremont fired off a five-play, 80-yard, 66-second touchdown drive to get within 21-14. Tuatagaloa found Moa on a shallow crossing route and Moa ran 31 yards for the score.
Farmington missed a field goal to give Fremont the ball back at the 20-yard line with 2:11 left. This time, Kava Fiefia, whose older brother is Afu, picked off Tuatagaloa to effectively end the game.
Both teams now await state playoff brackets, which will be released Saturday morning.
