By DEAN JACKSON
WZBD.com
BUTLER – There’s a difference between getting tested at a new position and fighting for survival. South Adams junior quarterback Zaden Baumer got both in a 45–27 loss at Eastside in Friday’s season opener.
In just his second varsity start, Baumer was dropped straight into Eastside’s relentless pressure. The Blazers (1–0) lived in the backfield, sacking him six times and forcing him into a net rushing total of –43 yards. Every dropback felt like an ordeal, but he kept getting up.
Rather than folding under the hits, Baumer leaned into a gunslinger mentality. When the pocket broke, he spun, dodged, and bought whatever time he could. He finished 26-of-42 for 316 yards and three touchdowns, repeatedly standing in to give South Adams (0–1) a chance.
South Adams coach Grant Moser said Baumer’s toughness stood out.
“He’s getting hit. He’s coming back. He wasn’t afraid to wing it. He was a gunslinger. I mean, he was just a play or two away from busting it open.”
Baumer had two major outlets when things got tight.
Wes Summersett put on a clinic with 10 catches for 171 yards and all three of Baumer’s touchdown passes. Jax Wanner kept the chains moving with 12 receptions for 137 yards.
While the passing game carried the offense, the run game never found traction. Braxtyn Hough provided a brief spark with 11 yards on two carries, but the team finished with –31 rushing yards.
Even with the imbalance, South Adams nearly stole momentum. Behind Baumer’s composure, the Starfires cut the deficit to three in the fourth quarter.
“It’d be easy to roll over, but our kids kept tight, and we have good grades with seniors,” Moser said. “Came back and got within a touchdown going into halftime, and then again in the fourth quarter we’re down three. We come back at down three with the ball in our hands, about five minutes left, and that’s everything you can ask for.”
Defensively, South Adams carried a heavy load trying to slow Eastside’s punishing ground game, which piled up 314 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Summersett delivered an ironman performance, adding 15 solo tackles on defense. Gabe Steiner recorded eight solo stops. Easton O’Dell added six.
South Adams kept it close deep into the second half, but late mistakes and Eastside’s run game eventually broke it open.
Moser said the loss still carries value.
“Anytime you lose, you’re down. You want to win so bad. But it’s a good game for us moving forward, and no repercussions as far as confidence or our postseason goals. Losses hurt, but they have to be meaningful losses. You don’t turn the page. You go back, analyze, and look for growth.”
South Adams finished with 285 total yards on 62 plays — 316 passing, negative rushing. Eastside totaled 368 yards on 59 plays, led by Job Richman’s 152 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries and Noah Dove’s 97 yards and three scores.
The game swung early. Eastside built a 14–0 first-quarter lead with a 1-yard touchdown run by Dove at 5:13 and a 42-yard run by Gage Fogle at 3:27.
South Adams tied it 14–14 in the second quarter when Baumer hit Summersett for a 30-yard score at 11:27. Eastside answered with Dove’s 14-yard touchdown run at 6:24 and a 23-yard Tate Kitchen field goal as time expired for a 24–14 halftime lead.
Baumer found Summersett again for a 14-yard touchdown at 9:14 in the third to cut it to 24–21. Summersett added a 9-yard touchdown run at 5:31 in the fourth to make it 31–27, but the two-point try failed.
Dove broke loose for a 38-yard touchdown with just over two minutes left to push the lead to 38–27. A sack and fumble on the next South Adams possession set up Devin Czaja’s 29-yard return for the final 45–27 margin.
South Adams returns to action Friday at Bellmont (0–1).
SCORING SUMMARY
Quarter One
5:13 – E – Noah Dove 1-yd run, Kitchen PAT good, 7-0
3:27 – E – Gage Fogle 42-yd run, Kitchen PAT Good, 14-0
Quarter Two
11:27 – SA – Wes Summersett 31-yd reception from Zaden Baumer, Rigby PAT good, 14-7
8:03 – SA – Wes Summersett 30-yd reception from Zaden Baumer, Rigby PAT good, 14-14
6:24 – E – Noah Dove 14-yd run, Kitchen PAT good, 21-14
0:00 – E – Tate Kitchen 23-yd field goal, 24-14
Quarter Three
9:14 – SA – Wes Summersett 14-yd reception from Zaden Baumer, Rigby PAT good, 24-21
2:31 – E – Job Richman 1-yd run, Kitchen PAT good, 31-21
Quarter Four
5:31 – SA – Wes Summersett 9-yd run, 2-PT try failed, 31-27
2:06 – E – Noah Dove 38-yd run, Kitchen PAT good, 38-27
1:06 – E – Devin Czaja 29-yd fumble return, Kitchen PAT good, 45-27
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