Big payday: Payson football scores 35 points in the first quarter in rout of Timpanogos
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- Payson players celebrate with junior defensive back Dylan Wall (left) after he returned an interception for a touchdown during the Region 7 game against Timpanogos in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- Payson junior wide receiver Cooper Swasey makes a catch during the Region 7 game against Timpanogos in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- Payson defenders make a tackle during the Region 7 game against Timpanogos in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- Payson senior running back Jaxon Bulkley battles for extra yards during the Region 7 game against Timpanogos in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- Timpanogos junior athlete Luke Livingston throws a pass during the Region 7 game against Payson in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- The Payson defense gets a sack during the Region 7 game against Timpanogos in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- Timpanogos junior athlete Luke Livingston catches a pass during the Region 7 game against Timpanogos in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- Payson and Timpanogos players line up for a play during the Region 7 game in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- Payson players stand for the national anthem before the Region 7 game against Timpanogos in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
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- Timpanogos players run onto the field before the Region 7 game against Timpanogos in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
It didn’t take long for the Payson football team to send a message to undefeated Timpanogos Thursday night that although the game was in Orem, the night was going to belong to the Lions.
The Timberwolves has a shot to stop the Payson offense on the first drive of the game, forcing the Lions into a fourth-and-4 from the Timpanogos 33-yard line.
Payson turned to bruising senior running back Jaxon Bulkley and he delivered with a big eight-yard run for the first down.
It would be the last chance the home team had to get some momentum as the Bulkley scored a touchdown on the drive and started a 35-0 first-quarter scoring spree for the Lions.
That huge advantage proved to be plenty as Payson dominated in almost every facet of the game, rolling to a 49-6 victory.
The amazing first quarter was one that saw a lot of contributors for the visiting Lions.
On the second play after Bulkey’s touchdown, Payson junior cornerback/wide receiver Dylan Wall stepped in front of a Timberwolf pass for an interception, then raced 22 yards the other direction for a defensive touchdown.
Trailing by 14 points early, Timpanogos emulated the earlier Lion gamble on its next drive and went for it on fourth-and-2 from its own 31-yard line.
The pass on the play was batted down at the line of scrimmage by the Payson defense, giving the Lions excellent field position to build the lead.
The visitors needed only one play to take advantage as Payson junior quarterback Kade Edwards spotted Wall open down the sideline on a wheel route and hit him for the 31-yard touchdown.
Timpanogos was able to get its first first down of the game on a 24-yard run by junior athlete Luke Livingston, but the drive ended on another failed fourth-down attempt when Livingston was sacked.
Once again, the Lions were only too happy to capitalize on getting the ball in Timberwolf territory.
This time it took seven plays for Payson to get back in the end zone but Edwards fired a laser pass to junior wide receiver Cooper Swasey for the three-yard score to increase the lead again.
The quick nature of the Lion scoring drives and the Timpanogos miscues meant it was still in the first quarter — and Payson wasn’t done yet.
The Lions got one more break when an on-target pass hit the hands of the Timberwolf receiver and popped up to where Payson senior linebacker Kamden Schimpf was able to snatch it away.
He duplicated Wall’s success of earlier in the quarter, taking it 22 yards to the end zone to cap the stunning 35-point outburst with 1:49 left in the frame.
That would be all the scoring the Lions would need but Payson added a 59-yard touchdown connection from Edwards to Swasey and a 65-yard TD pass play from Edwards to Wall to increase the lead even more.
Timpanogos was able to get on the board midway through the second quarter when junior quarterback Chase Riggs tossed a nice pass to Livingston for a 21-yard score.
But, as was typical throughout the night for the Timberwolves, there was a penalty that pushed back the extra point attempt and it ended up sailing wide.
The Timpanogos defense was able to haul in a pair of interceptions on Payson passes in the second quarter, but weren’t able to turn them into points.
The big Lion lead meant that there was a running clock throughout the second half, limiting opportunities for either side to add more points.
It was a big response for Payson since the Lions lost a heartbreaker in overtime at Cedar Valley last week.
With the win, Payson (3-2, 1-1) got above .500 heading into next week’s Region 7 home game against Uintah on Sept. 16. Timpanogos (4-1, 1-1) will look to get back to its winning ways when it goes on the road to face the Aviators in Eagle Mountain on the same evening.
Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
