2023 Record: 7-6 overall, 3-3 in 4A Region 8

2023 Playoffs: No. 14 seed, lost to No. 6 Ridgeline, 45-6, in 4A quarterfinals

Players to Watch: Andrew Binks (OL/DL), David Keel (RB/DB), Bryce Mortensen (OL/DL), Asher Geldmacher (WR/DB), David Fullmer (WR/DB), Trevyn Wall (QB).

Outlook: The last two seasons have been historic for the Payson Lion football program. The 2022 team had a winning record and hosted a playoff game which they lost to Olympus. Then in 2023, Payson won two playoff games and went to the quarterfinal round for the first time in decades.

Payson was actually a gridiron juggernaut in the late 1960s and early 1970s as they won two state titles, and this recent success after years of futility has the community buzzing. Perhaps expectations should be tempered a bit as the Lions lost a lot of talent, but second year head coach Brian Wall is embracing the challenge.

“It’s raised a lot of questions for sure,” Wall said. “It’s no secret that we had a class that came through that helped us the last three years. That senior class from last year played a lot of varsity football. It did raise the expectations for the kids and the level of confidence. The success has also brought a lot more interest and numbers to the program and just a lot more buy-in those that were already there.”

Wall said he sees “Provo as the team to beat” in Region 8, but also expects Salem Hills and Spanish Fork to be formidable as well.

Payson should have some good talent at wide receiver with senior Asher Geldmacher (6-0, 175) and junior David Fullmer (6-0, 160), the latter missing a lot of last year’s season with an injury.

Senior David Keel (6-0, 155) will get the bulk of the carries at running back, while Bryce Mortensen (6-3, 185) will be one of the anchors of the offensive and defensive lines along with fellow senior Andrew Binks (6-0, 210).

Wall’s own son Trevyn (6-0, 145) will be the starting quarterback this year as a junior and got a lot of playing time last year when Kade Edwards was injured.

“He (Trevyn) did a good job for us but has a lot to learn,” said Brian Wall, who also pointed out the coach-son dynamic can be interesting at times because he is often harder on his own son than the rest of the players.

Building Culture: “A lot of our culture is getting out in the community, so we get our kids out in the community doing a lot of different things. We want to build a tradition and a culture of winning here at Payson and we believe that starts in our youth program. We get our kids out involved in the youth program to help create a family atmosphere and what it means to be a Lion.” – Brian Wall