LAYTON — To say DJ Lester is making a splash on the 1A football scene would be quite fitting — especially considering the conditions of last Friday's game.
On a sloshy, soaked field, which resembled a swamp more than a gridiron, the Layton Christian running back simply left defenders in his wake on a couple of key possessions. His touchdowns — from 20 and 55 yards out — were the game-clinchers for the surprisingly high-flying Eagles, who improved to 4-0 with the wet-and-wild 21-14 win over visiting Enterprise.
Lester splashed through the puddles and the Wolves' defense for roughly 175 yards (unofficial because the statisticians' papers were ruined in the storm) to go with his two scores.
"It was cold, but we persevered," he said following the Eagles' win over Enterprise, which gave them their fourth win compared to only three victories in the program's previous two seasons. "We came through it, though. We fought, kept on fighting, fighting to come out with a W."
It was just the latest in a string of outstanding outings for the 6-foot-2, 185-pound standout. He racked up 158 yards in the school's season-opening win over Ogden's JV squad. He also had a strong performance in a blowout of Whitehorse, followed by another excellent showing against West Wendover. In that one, he compiled 110 yards rushing, hauled in a touchdown through the air and kicked a field goal, to boot.
"DJ Lester, man, is a horse, good athlete," said Layton Christian's first-year coach Henry Lusk, the former University of Utah/NFL tight end. "The kid is just like all-around a great person, great player."
Lester says the key to his and Layton Christian's success so far has been the attitude change that the new coaching staff has instilled in the program. He says everybody is working together toward one goal: winning. And so far, so good.
"It's going pretty awesome right now," Lester said of Layton Christian's season. "This year's been a blessing with a new coaching staff. The coaches, everybody, we have the will to win. ... This year we got a coaching staff that really cares about everybody. So, they really want to win."
One thing Lester really enjoys is that his role has increased quite a bit this season. He is a four-year starter for LCA, but he's really being counted on to do many things this year, including handling rushing and kicking duties.
"I'm loving it right now," he said. "The coaches give me an opportunity to do something I've never done before. ... They're trying to mix it up, get me rushing and passing and everything. I love it."
And his coach is loving the results, too. He and his teammates battled through chilly conditions and a few illnesses and injuries in notching win No. 4 last week. They'll go for their fifth straight victory this afternoon at home against Monticello.
"Hard work and perseverance at the end is what took us over the top," Lusk said of the win over Enterprise in which the Eagles needed two fourth-quarter TDs to win. "It was a blessing to see those guys come and work as hard as they did today."
Lusk gets giddy thinking about what could transpire once the Eagles get back to full strength. They were missing some regulars last week.
"To see what we've done now with a couple of guys out, it's just going to be exciting to see what we can do when they come back," he said.
Though last Friday's rainy conditions were hardly ideal for a track meet — or football game, for that matter — Lester was able to showcase his biggest weapon on a couple of occasions. The senior runs like he has after-burners attached to his cleats. When asked what his greatest asset was, Lusk quickly said: "Speed."
"I think he loves to run and his engine is 100 miles an hour. The kid never gets tired. If he does, he won't tell us," Lusk said. "I think his strength is his speed. When it's dry, he can go. We've seen that. He can go."
Lusk also credits Lester for being a "smart" student-athlete.
Lester derives some of his burning motivation from a desire to honor a couple of special women who now watch him from the bleachers in the sky. He wears black glare strips under his eyes, with the acronym "RIP" written on them, as a tribute to these inspirational women.
"RIP (is) for my moms," he said. "My real mom died in 1999. Then my adopted mom died in 2004. It's pretty hard."
Layton Christian football schedule
Aug. 26 — Layton Christian 12, Ogden JV 7
Sept. 1 — Layton Christian 50, Whitehorse 0
Sept. 8 — Layton Christian 9, West Wendover, Nev. 0
Sept. 15 — Layton Christian 21, Enterprise 14
Sept. 22 — Monticello at Layton Christian, 4 p.m.
Sept. 29 — Duchesne at Layton Christian, 4 p.m.
Oct. 6 — Layton Christian at Rich, 4 p.m.
Oct. 11 — Layton Christian at Milford, 7 p.m.
Oct. 20 — Altamont at Layton Christian, 4 p.m.
E-mail: jody@desnews.com