Prep football: In game of long drives, Roy rallies past Northridge to clinch Region 5 share
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- Roy running back Logan Cella (0) follows the block of Kasch Casero (55) in a game against Northridge on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge running back Andrew Ortiz (6) tries to run past Roy’s Logan Cella (0) on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy’s Logan Cella, left, runs the football as Northridge’s Quinn Bideaux (35) pursues on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge receiver Makai So’o hauls in a pass against Roy on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy’s Robert Young runs the football against Northridge on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge quarterback Tre Nye throws a pass against Roy on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy lineman Alfie Hurtado (50) celebrates with teammate Robert Young after a touchdown against Northridge on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge running back Andrew Ortiz (6) celebrates with the ball and teammate Jace Hansen (66) on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy defenders Mone Keiaho (26) and Rhett Slater (11) celebrate an interception against Northridge on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge’s Andrew Ortiz (6) tries to run out of a tackle by Roy’s Ryan Foss on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge running back Andrew Ortiz, center, finishes a run against Roy on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge’s Tre Nye (3) leads his team onto the field before a game against Roy on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Layton.
LAYTON — Through five games this high school football season, Roy and Northridge were both undefeated and Wednesday’s matchup was circled on the calendar as must-see football.
But the Knights went 1-3 since their hot start and the Royals lost their first game of the year last week against Bountiful.
Still, Roy had a chance to at least tie for the Region 5 championship with a win, and Northridge looked to improve its RPI resume heading into the 5A state playoffs.
Roy trailed by two touchdowns in the first half, rallied for 21 straight points, then held off a couple of Northridge forays late to escape with a harrowing 21-14 victory as league play concluded.
Known for its big-play capabilities, all three Roy touchdown drives Wednesday were epic-like, tallying on 15 plays, 14 plays and 12. Time of possession was more than five minutes on each score.
“We knew we could run the ball. We fought with what we could do. We have a lot of playmakers and we ran the clock,” Roy senior running back Logan Cella said. “They were stuffing the inside and we felt we could get the edge and pound it.”
Cella had a pair of 2-yard touchdown runs in the second half, one each at the opening of the third and fourth quarters.
“We knew we could get in from the 2-yard line if we just punch it in. My O-line gave me some holes,” Cella said.
Junior running back Andrew Ortiz scored two rushing touchdowns for Northridge, one in each quarter of the first half, but the Knights couldn’t break through in the second half.
Roy trailed 14-7 at the half but came out in the third quarter with a 15-play drive, covering 94 yards and chewing up 8 minutes and 2 seconds on the clock before Cella’s run knotted the score.
“The message in the locker room was ‘that first half is not us.’ We needed to be better,” Cella said. “Our head coach’s speech at halftime boosted us to get this win.”
Northridge’s offense then coughed up the ball twice on turnovers, but the Knights’ defense kept things from getting out of hand.
“We play championship defense. We have to capitalize more on offense for sure,” Northridge coach Andrew Fresques said. “Our defense will claw, scratch and fight. They make them earn it. They don’t give up big plays.”
Taking the ball over with 36 seconds left in the third quarter, Roy ran 12 plays over 5 minutes and 41 seconds that culminated in Cella’s second 2-yard touchdown run and what proved to be the winning margin.
Northridge did make it interesting, though, getting into the Roy side of the 50 on its next two possessions, before coming up empty on fourth-down pass incompletions.
Jaxton Scoffield had several pass breakups for the Royals on Northridge’s last two desperation efforts.
Northridge (6-4, 3-4 Region 5) had the 14-7 halftime lead after both teams cashed in on long scoring drives.
The Knights took the opening kick and kept possession for 6 minutes and 14 seconds. Ortiz scored from 1 yard out on the 15th play of the drive and the Knights led 7-0 at the 5:46 mark.
Six plays into the second quarter, and eight snaps overall, Northridge went up 14-0 when Ortiz scooted right, turned upfield and reappeared from the Roy secondary in the end zone 18 yards later with 9:02 left in the half.
“We were blowing coverage a lot and were kind of flat; maybe not ready to go,” Cella said. “Then we locked in and stopped them. We needed to be better.”
Roy finally got on the board with 32 seconds remaining, starting from its own 1 and marching 99 yards on a 14-play journey that took 5:17 off the clock.
Robert Young caught a short pass from Dru Gardner and weaved through the Northridge defense for a 32-yard touchdown as the Royals cut the deficit to seven points at the break.
“We knew we needed that drive because we’re down 14-0. Luckily, we converted on a fourth-and-20. We dug deep and got what we needed,” Cella said.
Roy (9-1, 6-1) has at least a share of the Region 5 title, depending on the results of Bountiful’s game with Woods Cross on Thursday. But the Royals want more.
“Our end goal is state. That’s what we want,” Cella said.
Fresques had high praise for his team and offered encouragement after the narrow loss.
“It was a great start. (Roy) is a No. 1-ranked team over there. We have a lot of great stuff too,” Fresques said. “All season long we’ve done things to ourselves. Control what we can control. Worry about us, not who’s across the field. Play at a high level.”
