Defense Leads Granger Lancers Into Second Round Of Playoffs

Oct 25, 2024, 8:41 PM

Box Elder High School before week 1 of the 2024 UHSAA football playoffs between Box Elder and Granger. (Brian Preece)

(Brian Preece)

Digital Sports Producer

BRIGHAM CITY, Utah – Turnovers ruled the day as the Granger Lancers overcame an early deficit to beat the Box Elder Bees 26-23—the Lancers advance to face the Roy Royals on Friday, November 1.

The No. 16 Box Elder Bees opened the 2025 UHSAA football playoffs against the No. 17 Granger Lancers in the Game Night Live Game of the Week.

HUGE response from Granger to drop the lead to 9 👀#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @utahcommunitycu Mountain Land Truck Outfitters pic.twitter.com/NondeKHjiO

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 26, 2024

First Quarter

After taking the opening kickoff, a disastrous sequence put Granger in a hole on the first snap of the night. The Bees’ defense swallowed up the QB, forcing a Carter Buchanan interception that was returned for a touchdown. Box Elder added a two-point conversion to grab an 8-0 lead in the first minute.

Matters didn’t get much better for the Lancers after a fumble on their next play from scrimmage handed the football back to Box Elder. Buchanon’s second TD came when the big back rumbled 56 yards for six. A two-point conversion gave the Bees a 16-0 lead with 5:53 left in the opening quarter.

Box Elder doubles its lead! 🔥#GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @utahcommunitycu Mountain Land Truck Outfitters pic.twitter.com/Q7fXTrnqKy

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 26, 2024

The Lancers offense finally got going on their third possession. A deep pass to Brighton Webb cut the lead to 16-7.

Second Quarter

Granger marched down the field to open the second period. Maka Sonasi powered through the defense for a seven-yard rushing score. The extra point made it 16-14 Box Elder with 10:50 left in the half.

Just like that, the Lancers close it to two before the half! 😤 #GameNightLive #KSLGameNight @KSLSportsRewind @utahcommunitycu Mountain Land Truck Outfitters pic.twitter.com/SCtQAdEQDm

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 26, 2024

The teams traded possessions for the rest of the half, with neither squad gaining an advantage.

Third Quarter

The Bees and Lancers continued battling to a stalemate for much of the third quarter until Granger broke through late. Following a Box Elder INT, a bad snap caused a Bees fumble. The Lancers picked up the loose football and returned it for a TD with 2:06 left in the period. Granger led 20-16 after a failed two-point conversion.

Fourth Quarter

Consecutive Box Elder turnovers kept the Bee’s defense on the field as the unit began to tire. Granger took advantage of an exhausted defense with a long completion to get in the red zone. Sunia Fifita gave his team a 26-16 lead with a six-yard scoring run.

Box Elder kept hope alive when Logan Cefalo returned the kickoff deep into Granger territory. The Bees methodically marched into the red zone before Parker Buchanon found the end zone for the first points since the opening minutes. The extra point cut the deficit to 26-23.

A holding penalty erased an 80-yard touchdown run from Fifita on the next play from scrimmage.

Granger had a chance to run the clock inside a minute, but a fumble gave Box Elder the ball at midfield with 2:29 left.

With all the momentum, the Bees lost more than 20 yards when a poor snap skipped past the QB. On fourth and manageable, an incompletion gave the football back to Granger.