How could you ever say no to something as meaningful as that to a group of young men who have basically known each other their entire lives. I may never be as proud of a group of kids. – Wasatch head coach Steve Coburn
HEBER CITY — The Wasatch High School Wasps opened their 2016 football campaign on Friday night facing the visiting Ogden Tigers. It was the fourth consecutive year that the programs have met in the opener, and the fourth straight that the Wasps have won in dominating fashion.
Wasatch scored on its first possession and never looked back on its way to a convincing 55-14 win.
Yet it was more than the play on the field — or the win — that will resonate with the Wasatch faithful.
Moments before the game began at Wright-Tree Stadium in Heber City, you could hear a pin drop due to the silence, despite a large number of fans.
During the Wasps’ regular pre-game ceremony of “Lighting the W,” the program dedicated the moment to a young man and his younger brother who would never take the field for the Wasatch High School football team.
Coleman Sweat, a young student-athlete who would have been a senior at Wasatch this season, was killed in a snowmobiling accident three years ago, along with his little brother Trevan.
The seniors on this year’s Wasatch team decided they wanted to pay homage to their friends by dedicating the season to them. The school honored the young boys' parents and grandparents from both sides of the family before the game, giving them a framed jersey and team helmets, adorned with Coleman’s youth league number, No. 5.
Team members will also wear a “CS” logo on the right side of their helmets in honor of Coleman and his brother.
“It’s something the boys, the seniors, brought up to me a while ago,” said Wasatch head coach Steve Coburn. “How could you ever say no to something as meaningful as that to a group of young men who have basically known each other their entire lives. I may never be as proud of a group of kids.”
The moment brought tears to nearly every eye in the house and spoke volumes for the community, which despite its growth remains a little town at heart.
Once the pre-game ceremony ended, the Wasps got down to business and began to run over the Tiger defense.
Wasatch opened the game with a drive capped by an 11-yard run by senior tailback Nash Jones. Zach Davis nailed the extra point and it was 7-0 black and gold.
Following an Ogden punt, Hayden Richards bashed his way from 3 yards out from the halfback spot, finalizing a Wasp drive that made the score 14-0 following Davis’ PAT.
The home defense again held and forced an Ogden punt. An interception of Wasp quarterback Grayson Wynne on a pass in the flat on the first play was returned 59 yards for a touchdown for the Tigers by safety McKay Turpin. The successful extra point by Alex Zollinger made it 14-7 and gave Ogden hope.
But it was early, and the Wasps would not be denied on this night.
Wynne made up quickly for his pick with a 2-yard touchdown run at 9 minutes into the second period. The junior nearly broke loose for a 25-yard TD scamper earlier in the drive, only to be shoe-string tackled at the 5-yard line, exposing himself as a serious running threat.
On the next Wasatch drive, it was Steven Ballif’s turn as the halfback bullied his way down field behind the powerful Wasatch line. At the 5-minute mark, Ballif bowled into the end zone for a 2-yard score.
Jones, the Wasps’ speedy versatile back, scored again for his team with 40 seconds remaining in the first half on another 2-yard burst.
Following the halftime break, Wasatch was forced to switch quarterbacks after a hand injury to Wynne.
Sophomore Brock Cloward took over, and the Wasps didn’t miss a beat.
Staying with its strong running attack, the Wasps pounded out yard after yard before Jones again found pay dirt on a 5-yard run early in the third quarter. Davis hit the PAT, and the home team was easily in control at 41-7.
As the game went on, Wasatch went to reserves out of the backfield and continued to roll over the visiting defense. Killian Robinson and Zane Foy scored on 5-yard and 13-yard runs respectively for the Wasps. Davis continued to solidly kick the ball through the uprights, converting on seven of eight PATs.
Ogden added a long touchdown play on an 80-yard pass from quarterback Carson White to wideout Aden Cleverly with less than five minutes in the game, but that play ended the scoring for both sides on the night.
Linebacker Eric Strobelt intercepted a Tiger pass in the end zone as time expired to finish off the game.
Wasatch came up a mere 2 yards shy of a 500-yard ground attack against the Tigers. The linemen gave the home team's backs plenty of daylight, and the strong group took advantage.
The defense for the black and gold was equally as dominating, forcing the visitors to punt on every offensive possession but two.
All around, it was a satisfying win for Wasatch, which earned the chance to honor its fallen teammate and start off the 2016 campaign with a big victory.
Kenny Bristow is the sports editor and staff sports writer for the Wasatch Wave and contributes to the Deseret News high school coverage for the Wasatch region. Email: kennywbristow@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook.