Head coach: Brian Wall (3rd season, 8-15 overall record)

2024 Record: 1-9 overall, 0-6 in Region 8

Players to Watch: Sr. WR/S David Fullmer, Sr. QB Trevyn Wall, Jr. OL/DL Malakai Filimoeatu, Jr. OL/DL Cade Muir, Sr. WR Bryson Gull, Jr. LB/RB Adrian Enriquez, Jr. LB/RB Ryker Carson

Outlook: Payson took it on the chin last season, but hopes to rebound with what Coach Brian Wall feels is a team full of high character players with some good leadership. It’s a young team, Wall admits, but a team that he feels good about as he prepares them as best as possible for 5A classification play.

“We have some good experience returning,” Wall said. “We’re still young, and we’ll have to depend on some younger guys, but I like what I’m seeing as far as leadership and we have some good experience at some key spots.”

Wall’s son, Trevyn Wall, perhaps brings the teams best experience, having started for two and a half seasons. Quarterback is the position where experience matters a lot, but returning Trevyn for another season could pay off big as the Lions prepare to take on elevated play in Region 7 of the 5A classification.

“It’s not going to be easy and we know that,” Coach Wall said. “The region we’re now in has some of the top teams in the state, so we’re going to have to battle to get through it, for sure. We’re going to have some lumps, but we feel good where we’re at right now.”

The goal is to keep improving and get back to the winning ways Coach Wall’s team showed during his first season coaching at Payson during the 2023 season.

“We’ll need to grow a bit over the next few weeks, but I feel like we’ll be in a better spot than we were last year,” Coach Wall concluded.

What’s the best way to motivate today’s high school athlete? “The biggest thing is that we need to establish trust from our players,” Coach Wall said. “They have to understand that we’re in it with them and that we absolutely want the best for them. It’s all about trust and buying into the program, and giving the players a sense of community. I feel like we have a great staff that has been able to bring about all that effectively.”

-Brandon Gurney