Team-wise, this is the best team I've ever been around. This has been a team effort like no other, and I'm really pleased with that. – South Summit coach Jerry Parker
KAMAS — The power shift in 2A football continues to tilt north.
Top-ranked South Summit continued its dominant season Friday night, overwhelming No. 3 Beaver on its way to an impressive 37-6 victory.
Both teams were undefeated heading into the game, and the blowout is a clear indicator that this year’s 2A state title runs through Kamas.
“Team-wise, this is the best team I’ve ever been around. This has been a team effort like no other, and I’m really pleased with that,” said South Summit coach Jerry Parker.
Colby Averett was strong throughout the game for the Wildcats as he racked up 101 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 397 yards and eight touchdowns on the season.
“He’s dynamite. He’s our go-to guy. We have pretty good backs, and Colby really gets it done,” said Parker.
It was South Summit’s defense that set the tone early, as Jordan McNair intercepted a pass on the third play of the game — his fourth pick of the season. The Wildcats capitalized quickly on the short field as quarterback Ty Jones scored on a 1-yard keeper for the 6-0 lead.
Carson Freestone upped the advantage to 14-0 with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter, weaving his way through Beaver’s defense on a 7-yard TD run.
Another Beaver turnover late in the opening quarter set South Summit up with good field position again, and Averett capped a nine-play drive with a 13-yard touchdown run.
The soft-spoken Averett said the quick start was exactly how South Summit wanted to come out. “It was just a total team effort,” said Averett.
As bleak as things looked for Beaver down 21-0 a little more than 15 minutes into the game, the Beavers didn’t panic and cut the deficit to 21-6 as Kasen Hutchings connected with Michael Roberts on a 57-yard TD pass up the right sideline with 8:06 remaining in the half.
Parker said that one play rattled his team, with the offense stalling on its last two drives of the half.
“I really liked how we started. We did a really good job on both sides of the ball getting after it,” said Parker. “But then we let one bad play where they scored get to us and a couple referee calls kind of took it out of sync.”
The Wildcats quickly rediscovered their edge in the third quarter, though.
They took the opening kickoff 65 yards on 10 plays, with Averett capping the drive on a 2-yard TD run with 8:13 left. In the fourth quarter, South Summit tacked on a safety and another Averett touchdown in a victory that sends a clear message to the rest of 2A.