Payson edges out Mountain View 20-19 in messy game
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- Payson football coach Mike Cole talks to his team after a 20-19 victory against Mountain View on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.
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- The Payson football team celebrates a 20-19 victory against Mountain View on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.
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- Mountain View (in white) and Payson line up for a high school football game on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.
In a game that featured four missed extra points, two missed field goals, a blocked punt and nearly 300 yards combined penalties between both teams — including an ejection of a starting quarterback and punter — Payson hung on to beat Mountain View 20-19 Friday night to win its home opener in prep football.
Mountain View had a tenuous 13-7 lead at halftime and was forced to punt on its first possession of the third quarter. Hyrum Stafford, who is both the team’s starting quarterback and punter, booted the ball away to Carson Wall, who broke through the defenders on a 35-yard punt return. It was there he was taken down hard by Stafford. Unfortunately, Stafford was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct in the first half and this was his second one which meant an automatic disqualification.
“That was definitely a big turn (of events),” said Payson head coach Mike Cole of the ejection. “Obviously, we don’t want to see a good player for them get tossed, but it is what it is.”
Wall’s return and Stafford’s ejection definitely turned the momentum, at least for a while, to Payson’s side as the Lions converted the excellent field position into a 1-yard touchdown run by Justice Taylor.
However, the extra point proved a bit difficult as the Lions were flagged for delay of game and then a procedure penalty so the kick missed its mark and the score remained tied at 13-13.
Going to a new quarterback, a mishandled snap resulted in a Mountain View turnover and Payson capitalized again as Wall hauled in a 2-yard scoring pass from Taylor. This time Bronx Newbury converted the point after and the Lions now led 20-13.
Mountain View’s Marley Griffing settled in at quarterback and led the Bruins down the field where Carter Vance scored on a 3-yard run. But the Bruins missed the extra point and trailed 20-19.
Mountain View had two excellent chances to retake the lead. The visitors executed an onside kick after their score, taking over at midfield. But the drive stalled because of penalties and a big Lion sack by Cade Muir forced the Bruins to punt the ball away.
Midway through the final stanza Mountain View moved the ball down to Payson’s 7-yard line and faced a third down and 3. But two penalties later, Mountain View missed a 43-yard field goal and the Lions remained in front with just over six minutes to play.
Payson’s offense went on the move as Wall had a first down run and Taylor then had a nice connection to Valentin Sanchez to move the chains. Wall then broke another long run which looked like it would allow the Lions to run out the clock as Mountain View had used two of its timeouts. But Payson was flagged for holding on that play and had to punt the ball away with 1:06 remaining, giving Mountain View one last chance.
The Bruins advanced the ball to midfield and faced a fourth and 13. Griffing hit Porter Carson on a short hitch route and he lateralled it back to Vance. But Vance was pushed out of bounds two yards short of the sticks and the Payson victory was ensured.
“I’m glad our kids made the plays when they needed to, that’s all I could ever ask,” Cole said of the emotional win in his first game as Payson’s head coach.
Muir, a team captain and 3-year starter, thought his team showed the type of grit he hasn’t seen in the last two seasons prior.
“I’ve never seen a Payson team come out in the first game with so much grit and determination like this team has,” Muir said. “We worked our tails off in the summer and that’s what it boils down to.”
For Wall, it was nice to get that first win.
“It feels really good,” Wall said. “We pulled it out. We had great determination.”
On his touchdown run, Taylor wasn’t sure what exactly happened.
“I couldn’t tell you (exactly what happened). I just saw a gap and ran it in.”
Wall, who plays both wide receiver and lines up at running back, had high praises for Taylor.
“He is frickin’ great,” Wall said. “He made some stellar plays, running around, throwing dots and getting down.”
Payson came out strong and scored first when Taylor hit Crusik Deichman on a 14-yard scoring connection. Newbury converted the extra point and put the Lions up 7-0.
It didn’t take Mountain View long to respond as Briggy Moses electrified the Bruin faithful that made the trip out to Payson with a 74-yard kickoff return. The extra point was missed leaving Payson still ahead 7-6. Then Mountain went ahead when Stafford found Koa Giles behind the Lion defenders for a 46-yard touchdown pass. Talmage Matsumori split the uprights and Mountain View took a 13-7 lead which it would eventually relinquish in the second half.
Payson (1-0) will head south to Nephi to take on 3A Juab (0-1) next Friday, while Mountain View (0-1) hopes to rebound as the Bruins host Tooele (1-0).
PAYSON 20, MOUNTAIN VIEW 19
Mountain View 6 7 6 0 – 19
Payson 7 0 13 0 – 20
P-Deichman 14 pass from Taylor (Newbury kick)
MV-Moses 74 kickoff return (kick failed)
MV-Giles 46 pass from Stafford (Matsumori kick)
P-Taylor 1 run (kick failed)
P-Wall 2 pass from Taylor (Newbury kick)
MV-Vance 3 run (kick failed)
