The Kanab Cowboys won the 1A state football championship on Friday afternoon, defeating the Beaver Beavers 24-13 at Southern Utah University in Cedar City.
After Kanab scored its first touchdown on a 4-yard run by Degan Swapp with 1:31 left in the first quarter, the Cowboys recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff.
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Kanab ended up capitalizing with a 27-yard field goal by kicker Ray Capson early in the second quarter, giving the Cowboys a 10-0 lead.
The Beavers got on the scoreboard with a 7-yard TD run by Davis Carter with just under four minutes left in the second period. Then, with about one minute to go before halftime, the Beavers fumbled the ball away at midfield, after which the Cowboys were again able to capitalize.
With just nine seconds left in the second quarter, quarterback Brogun Virotsko found receiver Kyle Brown in the end zone for a TD, giving Kanab a 17-7 halftime lead.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Beavers caught a break early in the fourth when they blocked a punt and recovered the ball at Kanab’s own 22-yard line.
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Beaver’s next few plays were all short rushes by quarterback Davin Orton, who finally broke through for a 1-yard score to make it 17-13 with just over nine minutes left (the point-after attempt attempt was no good).
Despite having their lead cut to just four points, the Cowboys responded with a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive, culminating with a 1-yard TD run by Hayden Gubler with just over two minutes left in the game.
Although Beaver managed to make one last drive deep into Cowboy territory, Kanab intercepted the ball in the end zone to clinch the 24-13 victory.
After the game as the players and fans celebrated on the field, Kanab head coach JR Quarnberg gave credit to the Beavers, who entered the 1A playoffs as the No. 2 seed.
Kanab celebrates after winning the 1A football state championship on Friday, November 14, 2025, at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. | Jeff Richards
Kanab and Beaver play during the 1A football state championship game on Friday, November 14, 2025, at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. Kanab won, 24-13. | Jeff Richards
Kanab players and coaches pose with the state championship trophy after beating Beaver on Friday, November 14, 2025, at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. | Jeff Richards
“They’re such a tough team to beat,” Quarnberg said. “I don’t know if anyone knows that like we do. It’s been a battle, but we were able to get it done twice this year. That’s what our program has been working for.”
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Quarnberg said he and his players anticipated a hard-fought game against Beaver.
“We said that all week preparing that we had to throw punches and we were gonna get punched, and when we get punched, we’re punching back.
“We were able to do that in this one again, and it made all the difference.”
It marks the 10th football state championship for Kanab and the school’s first since 2007. The Cowboys finished the season with an overall record of 11-1, while Beaver ended up 10-3.
“I’m so happy for these kids,” Quarnberg added. “We were able to answer when we had to answer.”
