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Cedar City • If ever there was an explanation for why the American version of football isn't called "the beautiful game," there it was Saturday afternoon at Southern Utah University.
San Juan and South Summit combined for seven turnovers, and South Summit set a record for most fumbles in a championship game with nine, five of which San Juan recovered. Three turnovers led to San Juan touchdowns and the Broncos won 19-6, beating South Summit for the fourth time in two years and in back-to-back 2A championships.
"It's the best feeling when that ball comes out and we're on defense," said linebacker Taj Eldridge.
That means the Broncos were feeling great long before the final buzzer sounded and the team dumped the water cooler on coach Monty Lee.
The game gave San Juan its sixth state championship and 20th straight win while capping off a 12-0 season.
Playing without star linebacker Stetler Shumway, who left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury, the Broncos dominated throughout. The Wildcats didn't score until late in the fourth quarter, and threatened only two previous times, both ending with red zone fumbles.
In all, the Wildcats fumbled the ball away five times and quarterback Parker Anderson also threw an interception to Eldridge.
The turnovers may have decided the game, but they made San Juan's victory no less sweet. Lee celebrated with his team, still soaking wet.
"If I had icicles hanging from my nostrils, my eyelids and my ears, it wouldn't make one bit of difference," he said. "My heart is still warm."
After a scoreless first quarter, San Juan quarterback Cameron Shumway threw touchdown passes of 37 and 25 yards to Barkley Christensen. In the fourth quarter, on the possession before South Summit's too-late touchdown, Shumway punctuated his performance with a 39-yard score.
For as ugly as the game was, there was a beauty to the scene afterward.
Stetler Shumway sprinted the best he could, an ice pack around his leg, to celebrate with his teammates. Lee wrapped himself in a Bronco-blue blanket to avoid hypothermia. Players held up their index fingers, signifying No. 1, even though they were celebrating No. 2.
boram@sltrib.comTwitter: @oramb —
San Juan repeats as 2A champs
R Of the seven turnovers, only one is committed by San Juan: a first-quarter fumble by Cameron Shumway.
• San Juan's Stetler Shumway enters the game with 106 tackles and makes two more Saturday before he is injured.
• South Summit running back Levi Thompson rushes for 123 yards.