High school football: Payson handles distracted Juab

NEPHI — Payson is off to its best start in years and Juab was celebrating its homecoming as the two schools prepared to meet on the football field Friday night.

It was difficult, however, for either group of players to focus completely on football after a freak accident severely injured two Juab starters.

"Our hearts go out to Juab," said Payson head coach Jeremy Chapman after the Lions defeated the Wasps 34-14. "They suffered a terrible tragedy."

On Wednesday night the football players were participating in a pre-homecoming bonfire when a gas can exploded and several players caught fire. Two of those boys, senior center Hayden Coombs and senior running back JB Ellison, were severely injured. Coombs was flown to the burn unit at the University of Utah Medical Center and Ellison was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

"They've been improving every day and we just keep praying and hoping for them," said Juab head coach Mike Bowring. "We think they will both be OK."

That blow would have been significant for the Wasps to absorb, but losing those two starters was only part of what the team had to deal with.

Injuries to other players in earlier games have sidelined five of the Wasps' starting line-up.

When asked about preparing in the wake of such tragic events, Bowring shook his head.

"I'm proud of our kids," he said. "They played their guts out. We've been adjusting and changing time after time. It's hard to get in any kind of flow... Still, all of our injured guys are going to be OK. We're glad they're still with us. Our family is still intact."

Chapman said the Lions, now 3-1, also struggled with Juab's tragedy.

"We talked about it before the game, and I think we came out a little flat," said Chapman. The Lions owned a 7-6 lead thanks to a blocked extra point, but the coach said he talked to his players about why they traveled to Nephi Friday night.

"We made a lot of stupid mistakes in the first half," he said.

Senior running back Jeremiah Guzman was only responsible for one touchdown, but he almost single-handedly shredded the Wasps' tough defense in the second half. He finished with 125 yards rushing, much of that in the second half.