Five consecutive winning seasons. Five consecutive first-round state tournament exits. Three consecutive second-place region finishes.

The Riverton football team is anything but inconsistent.

"It's something that comes up all the time," coach Mike Miller said. "But I think we've evolved to a point where we can get beyond that now."

A 3-0 start that includes blowout wins over Class 3A powerhouse Park City and Idaho standout Highland indicates as much.

Riverton has never been known for its size. At first glance, the Silverwolves more closely resemble a track team than a hard-hitting football squad. And true to form, Riverton has done most of its damage on the run. The trio of Austin Wilke, Tua Laei and Joey Jenson has gobbled up a combined 401 yards of turf for six touchdowns.

"People might question what we can do because of our size," Miller said. "We're not the biggest team on the block, but we're good at what we do."

But according to Miller, the Silverwolves' greatest strength has nothing to do with what happens on the field.

"From our best player to our team manager, we're just unified," Miller said.

Jordan football

For three weeks, Jordan has run roughshod over its opponents, upping its margin of victory by close to three touchdowns in each game. A 63-point offensive blowout against Sky View was the latest distinction to the Beetdiggers' 2010 offensive resume.

But the easy road ends here.

On Friday, the Beetdiggers will face a "wounded animal" in Region 3 rival Alta, which has uncharacteristically lost its first three games.

"That makes them pretty dangerous," said Jordan coach Eric Kjar, who emitted a sigh before adding, "dangerous in a big way."

As such, Kjar and company are working to mitigate some of the inevitable anticipation that comes with the yearly contest.

"We don't want to get too 'up' for it, although I know that's easier said than done," Kjar said. "We don't want them thinking more about the opponent than the game itself."

After all, careful attention and execution have led the Beetdiggers to some of the most lopsided wins in the state. In moments, new quarterback McCoy Hill has channeled the greatness of former shot-caller Alex Hart.

The Beetdiggers also boast a double-threat in Taylor Loomis, who has connected with Hill for more than 400 receiving yards and six touchdowns in three games. Against Layton, Loomis posted a monster 18 tackles.

"We've got a lot of good things happening and we keep progressing," Kjar said. "I know it's a bit cliché to say, but our focus now is to just keep improving. If we execute, the points will happen." —

Big Number

47 • The Brighton football team surrendered only 47 yards of total offense and five first downs in its 7-3 victory over Hunter.

Player to Watch

Taylor Loomis, Jordan • Loomis has emerged as the Beetdiggers' most efficient receiver, averaging 30 yards per reception. Against Layton, the sophomore free safety notched 18 tackles.

Game of the Week

Alta at Jordan football, Friday, 7 p.m. • Jordan (3-0) carries all the momentum heading into its Region 3 opener against Alta. But following three weeks of burnishing, Alta (0-3) will be ready to shine. The Hawks have not lost a region opener since 2001.