Sugar-Salem takes down Teton 63-27 to win back-to-back 3A state championships

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - The Sugar-Salem Diggers capped off a perfect season with a 63-27 victory over Teton to win the 3A state championship on Saturday at Holt Arena.

The Timberwolves took a 6-0 on their opening drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Jack Nelson.

The Diggers responded with 22 unanswered points with touchdowns by Cach Harris, Dawson McInelly and Tate Cutler.

The two teams would then trade scores with a long touchdown run from Teton's Jack Joyce followed by another touchdown catch by Cutler.

Thomas Heuseveldt would bring the Timberwolves within eight with an electric kickoff return for a touchdown to make it 28-20 at halftime.

The Diggers then opened up the floodgates with 35 points in the second half, with Cutler and Carson Harris scoring all five touchdowns.

The 63 points scored by the Diggers broke the 3A state championship record, which was set by Snake River in 1996.

"To finish off this game for these seniors and to be able to end their season with an exclamation mark in their careers as Sugar-Salem football players is really, really special," said Sugar-Salem Head Coach Tyler Richins. "Ultimately, that's what we want here is for them to have that payoff of doing what we ask them to do. We've told them from day one, if they'll buy into what we do, they'll have opportunity to compete for state championships and to see that happen for them and for their dreams come true, that's really special for us."

It's back-to-back state titles for the Diggers, who have also won five out of the last six state championships in 3A.