Summit High School’s varsity football team defeated the Mountain View Cougars in a 21–14 win on Friday, Sept. 19. To many players and fans, this triumph felt monumental: Prior to the game, Summit had not beat the repeat Intermountain Conference champions since 2022.

For head football coach Corben Hyatt, one of the most rewarding aspects of the game was the impressive attendance and student engagement. With an atypically strong turnout and performances from Summit’s cheerleaders, dance team, choir and band, the game was a school-wide affair.

Hyatt also delighted in the opportunity to see his team’s effort in practice pay off.

“We’ve put in a lot of hard work this off-season,” he explained.

Following the Mountain View victory and a pre-season win against 5A football titan Wilsonville, the team was blanketed by an air of confidence. However, Hyatt cautioned against arrogance. After all, the season has just begun, and the road to the 5A State Championships will be long and arduous. However, Hyatt has no doubt that his team is capable of great things.

“They work hard, they’re humble, they’re energetic, they root for each other,” he said. And in a sport like football, where collaboration and team spirit are essential, Hyatt says this will make all the difference in the world.