Sugar-Salem keeps its modest win streak alive by ending Star Valley’s streak at 34 straight wins

SUGAR CITY – Sometimes you have to cross state lines to find the best rivalries.

Sugar-Salem and Star Valley, Wyoming, have scheduled home and away games for nearly a decade and the competition is always fierce.

Friday night was no different as the Diggers prevailed 27-14.

Sugar-Salem senior Latrell Markle returned the opening kick 90 yards for a touchdown. The Diggers then added another touchdown on their first possession when quarterback Frank Fillmore ran for a four-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

While the homecoming crowd was enjoying the action and early lead, the game was far from over.

And that’s the reason the two teams make the trip to play each other every season, Sugar-Salem coach Tyler Richins said.

“It’s been a great game for us,” Richins said. “They’re a good, clean, well-coached team that plays physical. It’s a good middle-of-the season test for us … win or lose, we know we’re playing a state championship caliber team.”

Speaking of championships …

Star Valley is a four-time defending 3A state champion, while Sugar-Salem has won six state titles in the past eight years.

Did we mention streaking?

Sugar-Salem’s victory snapped a 34-game win streak by the Braves.

Two years ago it was Star Valley ending Sugar-Salem’s 25-game winning streak.

“We look forward to Star Valley every year,” Frank Fillmore said. “They’re the best team in Wyoming and we look forward to it.”

Even with the early lead in Friday’s game, Fillmore noted the Braves rallied to win last season when the Diggers had the early lead.

That was nearly the case Friday as Star Valley put together a drive late in the first quarter and capped it with a touchdown to start the second.

That snapped the Diggers’ shutout streak at two games, but the defense responded as Kai Benfield picked off a pass and the offense capitalized with a run-driven 20-yard drive, capped by another rushing TD by Fillmore.

The Braves scored late in the third quarter to pull within 21-14, but would only get one possession in the fourth. That ended with a fumble in the red zone that was recovered by the Diggers.

There was still 5:32 left in the game, but Sugar-Salem was able to run down the clock with its ground game and some strategically called timeouts.

The final play was a fourth-and-1 with five seconds left from the 21-yard line. Instead of trying to scramble and run out the clock, Fillmore charged through the middle of the line and ran for another touchdown as time expired.

That set off a Sugar-Salem celebration as the Diggers not only ended Star Valley’s win streak, but ran their current win streak to three straight after a season-opening loss to Homedale.

“It’s still weighing on us,” Richins said of the loss. “Starting our season out with an opponent like (defending state champion) Homedale definitely exposed some of our weaknesses … I’m super proud of these boys taking that loss and turning it into a lesson. We’ve been able to play good football these last three weeks.”

Sugar-Salem (3-1) will host Kimberly next week.