Every high school football team has at least one big-play guy — the player that is the most difficult for the opponents to defend and the one that is capable of breaking loose for the big-gainer.
Often the player that fills this role is a ball carrier, someone with the quickness and power to sneak through a hole, bowl over a few tacklers and outrun the defenders. But for most of Utah Valley's 12 prep teams this season, the one they are turning to on crucial downs is a receiver.
The wide-out might be the strongest of all the offensive positions this season across the board in Utah Valley. Defensive coaches will tell you there's a plethora of players who are running good routes, with dependable hands, who can leap and run like a cheetah that they are having to defend every game with more than one man. There's good reason why many teams mainly run a passing-oriented offense.
Here's a look at the players we think are the valley's top wide receivers.
SAM THOMAS, Timpanogos Timberwolves: Thomas is one of those receivers who is much better than his raw athletic skills say he should be. He isn't lightning quick and doesn't possess eye-opening jumping ability. But he does all of the little things that make good receivers good, very good.
"He's a perfect possession receiver," Timpanogos coach Frank Bramall said. "His routes are so precise and he has great hands."
Thomas has 48 receptions and has caught seven touchdown passes this season, and leads the valley in receiving yards with 756, an average of 15.8 yards per catch.
BRYAN GONZALEZ, Orem Tigers: Of all the great receivers in the valley, few possess all of the attributes that Gonzalez has. Mainly, he's taller than the others and he's also a great jumper. Throw the ball his way, and there's few defenders who can outreach or outjump him. Add in his ability to run good routes and his above average speed, and you have one dangerous football player.
Gonzalez's numbers attest to his skill. He leads the valley with 51 receptions for 477 yards and seven touchdowns.
"There's not many defenders who dare come up on him," Orem coach Robert Steele said. "And teams definitely need to know where he's at on the field."
DAVID JACKSON, Timpview Thunderbirds: There's been a couple of games this season that Jackson has simply owned. Right when teams thought they had the T-Birds stopped, they suddenly see the ball flying through the air to Jackson, who somehow got all alone behind the defenders.
He's fast, has dependable hands and runs fluid routes, but he is most dangerous when defensive pressure on the quarterback forces him to break his pattern and find the open spot deep down field.
"He's made a lot of big catches for us this season," Timpview coach Louis Wong said. "He just has a knack of knowing where to be so our quarterback Ben Bateman can get him the ball whenever he's scrambling out of trouble in the backfield."
Jackson is second in the valley in yards per catch, at 16.4, and is tops in touchdowns, at eight. He also has 38 receptions for 624 yards.
PRESTON PHILLIPS, Timpview Thunderbirds: Phillips is the perfect complement to Timpview's other speedy receivers. While the others are stretching the defense deep, Phillips is finding the open seams underneath. After catching the ball, he's one of the most difficult to tackle. If not for the fact that he's played most of the season with a torn ACL, he'd probably lead the valley in almost every statistical receiving category.
"He's our go-to guy when we need something in the middle of the field," Wong said. "He's the kind of receiver that can find the open spot and sit there and catch the ball when he knows he's going to take a hard hit."
Even having missed a couple of games, Phillips still has 38 catches for 543 yards and seven touchdowns.
TAFT MORLEY, Spanish Fork Dons: In Spanish Fork's short-pass offense, Morley is having a monster year. When the Dons need five or six yards for a first down, look for Morley on the slant. By running good routes and with his good hands, Morley is the ideal possession receiver that every coach loves.
"He catches everything," Dons coach Scott Brumfield said. "He's really crisp in his routes and never drops a ball."
Morley leads his team, and is third in the valley, in catches with 44. He has 574 receiving yards, for four touchdowns, and averages 13 yards per catch.
STEVEN JENSEN, Lone Peak Knights: Jensen has been hampered some by injuries this year, but when he's in the lineup he can dominate a game. He has excellent speed and great hands. His physical strength allows him to jump over the coverage as well as outrun it. He is equally adept at running a deep route or going over the middle. He also blocks well.
"He is a real triple threat type of athlete," Lone Peak coach Monte Morgan said.
In Lone Peak's win over Bountiful, Jensen had a 67-yard run on a reverse and also caughta touchdown pass. For the season, he's caught four touchdown passes, fourth best in the valley.
ZACH FOX, Spanish Fork Dons: Fox has patented the down-and-out sideline route for the Dons this season. He always knows where the first-down marker is and can find the open spot in the corner of the end zone as well. Whenever the Dons have needed that 10-yard gain or more, Fox has been the target.
"He always seems to come up with the big play for us," Brumfield said.
Fox, a junior, has 34 catches on the year, for 454 yards and four touchdowns.
BRENNAN FOSTER, Springville Red Devils: Foster is a three-sport athlete that has blossomed this season as a football player. He has good speed, reliable hands and has worked hard to improve his route running, which has paid dividends come game time for the Red Devils.
"Brennan has been our go-to guy all year and will be a big key to our success in the playoffs," Springville coach Doug Bills said. "He loves to compete and always wants the ball."
For the season, Foster has 28 catches for 393 yards and three touchdowns.
BRAD NICHOLS, Pleasant Grove Vikings: On a team that has struggled some offensively, Nichols has shined. He's perhaps the valley's most dangerous receiver once he catches the ball. He has excellent speed, good hands and is an excellent runner with the ball in the open field.
"As the year has gone by he's had to work much harder because teams have finally figured out that he's someone they need to pay attention to," Vikings coach Dale Sampson said.
Nichols has 26 catches on the year, for 448 yards and five touchdowns. He leads the valley in yards per catch at 17.2.
SPENCER NIELSON, Payson Lions: Nielson plays multiple positions for the Lions, but whenever they need a big play, he's in the receiver spot. He has great hands and a knack for being in the right place at the right time and catches the ball well in traffic. Because of his strength and speed, he's one of the more dangerous receivers in the open field after catching the ball.
"He is a smart kid and has the tools to play every skill position on the field," Payson coach Colby Knight said.
Nielson has 14 catches for 228 yards and one touchdown, but averages 16.2 yards per catch — third best in Utah Valley.
E-mail: jimr@desnews.com