High school football: Wasatch hopes offensive sparks continue to fly

Note: Wasatch finished with a 10-3 overall record in 2009 and a 3-1 record in Region 10. It lost to Juan Diego, 35-14, in the 3A semifinals.

HEBER CITY — A year ago, the folks up here figured their high school's football team would be pretty successful offensively after coaches decided to switch from the school's bread-and-butter offense — a grind-it-out rushing attack — to an aerial-driven spread offense.

But few people, if anyone, could've envisioned just how successful Wasatch High's offense ultimately would be in 2009.

Spurred on by the offensive change, the Wasps usually lit up the scoreboard and made it to the Turf at Rice-Eccles Stadium to play in the 3A semifinals for the second time in three years.

One season later, the Wasps hope their spread offense will yield similar results.

"We changed the offense (last year), and it took off like gangbusters, really," said Wasatch coach Steve North. "It was a lot of fun. The kids grabbed ahold of it and ran with it. We were more of a pound-it, just-come-at-you kind of offense, and we spread it out, had the kids to do it and they loved it.

"I think this year we're the same type of team. We don't have the really, really strong running game, but we do have a kid that can throw and we do have a bunch of kids that can catch. So we're gonna stick with it."

If sticking with it yields anywhere near the same kind of production as last year, expect Wasatch to be one of 3A's top teams again.

With star quarterback Payton Davis at the controls last year, the Wasps were simply awesome on offense. Davis threw for 3,173 yards and 34 TDs, slot receiver Mike Davis had 1,424 yards and 14 TDs and outside receiver Cory Nielson had 1,019 yards and 14 TDs.

All three of those guys have graduated, but North believes the players that will "replace" them will be just fine.

Senior Tyler Purdy is ready to step into the spotlight at quarterback, and fellow senior Alex Probst leads a talented receiving corps.

"I don't know if we can match (last year), but if we can even come close we'll win ballgames — and that's what we're after," said North. "That's what I told the kids, 'We may not make the numbers we made last year, but that's OK. If we can just put some numbers on the board, we'll win ballgames.' "