Note: North Sanpete finished with a 7-5 overall record in 2018 and was tied for second in 3A South with a 3-2 record. It lost to Summit Academy 55-18 in the 3A championship.
North Sanpete 2018 Offensive and Defensive Stats
MT. PLEASANT, Sanpete County — North Sanpete leaned on its defense last year through a run to the 3A championship, but once it got there, Summit Academy hung 55 on it in the title game. This offseason, North Sanpete head coach Rhett Bird has been using that game to help remind the players of how to improve.
“It definitely helps us coaches pick pieces out of that championship game and relate our coaches tips that we give them now back to that championship game. We’re teaching plays to these kids and we always find ourselves saying the words, ‘Do you remember this play and this game?’ When we played defense in the playoffs and got all the way to the championship game, it kind of stings the way that that kind of happened, it’s really relevant,” Bird said.
Having made a deep run to the title game last year, Bird has seen the belief that this team can reach the championship again.
“Every year, you’ve got to go back and cover the basics — obviously the culture, the tradition, all those things were built upon last year in a lot of different ways, but with a new group of kids, they’ve got to decide for themselves — am I going to buy in to the culture and the things the coaches asked them to do? It’s not just something that you build on right away, the kids, they have that belief and we’re building on that belief. They know that we can make it to that state championship game. We’re always telling them, ‘Hey, that’s what we’re working for and it’s our goal,’” Bird said.
Team at a glance
Coach: Rhett Bird enters his fourth year as head coach of North Sanpete. He is 11-20 overall and a graduate of North Sanpete High School.
Team Offensive Snapshot
Offensive coordinator: Rhett Bird
2018 offensive production: 17.9 ppg (9th in 3A)
-- Eight returning starters
-- Pro style offense
Key offensive returning starters
-- Connor Jorgensen (FB)
Jorgensen rushed for 521 yards and three touchdowns last year.
-- Jaxton Langschwager (TE)
As the only returning tight end, Langschwager will be important to North Sanpete’s offense. He caught two touchdowns in 2018.
Returning offensive starters
Connor Jorgensen (FB)
Payton Clawson (FB)
Cole Mickel (OL)
Andrew Petersen (OL)
Trevor Dyches (OL)
Jaxton Langschwager (TE)
Trevin Morley (RB)
Luis Rodriguez (K, P)
Offensive newcomers to watch
Kaden Taylor (RB)
Magnus Clawson (WR)
Turner Robinson (WR)
Bird’s comments on Landon Bowles:
“We’ve got a sophomore quarterback, Landon Bowles, he throws the ball really well, he’s really smart. I was just interviewed the morning by the Sanpete Messenger and I told them that I’ve been able to put in our plays faster than I’ve been used to, just because he’s caught on to things really quick, not only to his position, but he’s helping guys in the backfield, he’s helping O-linemen, he’s helping receivers. For a sophomore to be able to pick up on things that quick is really exciting. Obviously, we’ve just got to get him up to speed, because it’s a big difference coming from freshman football to varsity football.”
Bird’s comments on offensive line:
“We’ve already seen the communication between them (offensive line and quarterback). They talk a lot, they help everyone else out on the field, there’s a lot of leadership between those guys. We’re excited because those three guys were all younger guys for us and so we’re excited to get them back this year and we’re excited to have them going into the future as well. Cole Mickle and Andrew Petersen were just sophomores last year and they’ll be juniors for us this year, and they’re a big, key part of what we’re going to be in our offense.”
Bird’s comments on running backs:
“We have five guys we’re rotating, not necessarily at the running back position but at different positions in the backfield — Payton Clawson, he’s a senior this year for us, first-team all-stater last year, he’s playing some of the halfback spot. Kaden Taylor, he’s a kid that didn’t play a lot last year, he’ll be a senior and he’s looking really good in our practices. Then, we have Trevin Morley. We have three guys that are rotating at ‘H’ that look really good. They’re going to split time, they’re going to rotate. We’re really excited about what our backfield looks like this year.”
Keys for offensive success in 2019:
Bird’s keys to offensive success are being disciplined, to run with tempo and getting positive results on offense.
Team Defensive Snapshot
Defensive coordinator: Dave Peck
2018 defensive production: 16.8 ppg (2nd in 4A)
-- Five returning starters
-- 3-4 defense
Key defensive returning starters
-- Connor Jorgesen (LB)
Jorgensen was named a Deseret News first-team all-stater last year, racking up 61 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two interceptions.
-- Payton Clawson (S)
Clawson was another first-team all-state selection, totaling 47 tackles and five interceptions.
Returning defensive starters
Connor Jorgesen (LB)
Payton Clawson (S)
Jaxton Langschwager (DL)
Callan Beck (CB)
Trevin Morley (LB/DB)
Defensive newcomers to watch
Cole Mickel (OLB)
Bird’s comments on Connor Jorgensen:
“We expect the same that he’s capable of. We expect that he’s a leader on the field, that he rallies to the ball, that he gets other guys to the ball, that he’s vocal. We expect him to have a really good year for us. Matter of fact, Connor, he’s struggled with injuries the last couple of years and it’s the first year that I can probably say that he’s 100% ready to go, nothing’s hurting him, he looks better than we’ve ever had him before.”
Bird’s comments on Payton Clawson:
“Payton’s a first-team all-state safety, Connor was a first-team all-state linebacker. We expect that those guys are playing at that type of level that they were at last year. We hope that they build upon the things that they were good at last year and that not only do they play at that level, but they get other guys to play at the same level. If they can be vocal and get guys to buy in to what we’re asking them to do, then we feel like we’re going to have a pretty stout defense, like we had last year.”
Bird’s comments on Jaxton Langschwager and the defensive line:
“Jaxton is a great kid. He’s one that’s kind of been a surprise to us the last two years. Really strong kid in the weight room. We need him to lead, we need him to be vocal, we need him to bring those other guys on the D-line along. The other two kids that have been playing in practice on the D-line are Sheldon Christiansen and we’ve got a rotation at the D-tackle position. Sheldon’s a big kid. He didn’t play football for us last year, but he is capable of being a first-team all-state nose guard and he’s a really big kid. We’re excited to see what he does there in the middle.”
Keys for defensive success in 2019:
Bird’s keys to defensive success are rallying to the ball and playing with a lot of energy.
Coaches preseason Region 14 straw poll: Third
Deseret News Region X prediction: Fifth
Key Region Game: at Juab, Sept. 27 (Week 7)
Bottom line
North Sanpete relied on its defense last season en route to reaching the state title game, and the Hawks’ defense could be in for another big year with Connor Jorgensen and Payton Clawson back. Offensively, North Sanpete will have to replace quarterback Chance Clawson, but have an experienced offensive line and fullback depth.
2019 Schedule
Aug. 16 — GRANTSVILLE, 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 — at Emery, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 — SOUTH SEVIER, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 — at Richfield, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 — GRAND, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 — AMERICAN LEADERSHIP, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 — at Juab, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 — MANTI, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 — at Union, 7 p.m.
Oct. 16 — at Delta, 7 p.m.
….
Felt’s Facts for North Sanpete High School
All-time record: 309-453-19 (103 years)
Region championships: 11 (1923, 1984 co, 1990, 1996 co, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003 co, 2004 co, 2005 co, 2015 co)
Playoff appearances: 29
Current playoff appearance streak: 7 (2011-2018)
All-time playoff record: 12-29
State championships: 0
State championship record: 0-1
Most played rivalry: 71 meetings with Delta dating back to 1933. Delta leads 56-13-2.
Felt’s Factoids: North Sanpete racked up 12 sacks to set a state playoff game record against Union in 2001. ... Dave Peck, who has coached Bingham to five state championships, and Mark Wootton, who has directed Mountain Crest to a state title, both began their head coaching careers at North Sanpete in 1984 and 1991, respectively.
...
Last 5
- 2018 — 7-5 (3-2 in 3A South – 3A Runner-up)
- 2017 — 0-10 (0-5 in 3A South – 3A First round)
- 2016 — 4-5 (1-4 in 3A South – Missed playoffs)
- 2015 — 7-5 (4-1 in 3A South – 3A Semifinals)
- 2014 — 4-8 (2-3 in 3A South – 3A Quarterfinals)
...
North Sanpete coaching history
- 2016-current — Rhett Bird (11-20)
- 2014-2015 — Rick Wilson (11-13)
- 2012-2013 — Matt Roberts (8-14)
- 2011 — Steve Coburn (4-7)
- 2008-2010 — Casey Jensen (6-24)
- 2005-2007 — Ben Morley (13-19)
- 2004 — Blake Turner (6-5)
- 1991-2003 — Mark Wootton (73-56)
- 1988-1990 — Todd Peacock (17-11)
- 1987 — Gary Stears (2-7)
- 1985-1986 — Dale Barker (1-15)
- 1984 — Dave Peck (7-3)
- 1979-1983 — Paul Tidwell (16-30)
- 1974-1978 — unknown (13-36)
- 1973 — Roger Tree (3-5-1)
- 1967-1972 — unknown (20-33)
- 1965-1966 — Brent Rock (10-7)
- 1960-1964 — unknown (18-14)
- 1956-1959 — Mack Wilkey (16-12)
- 1954-1955 — Don Holbrook (5-7-1)
- 1951-1953 — unknown (2-21)
- 1950 — E.G. Brunger (3-3)
- 1929-1949 — unknown (21-73-4)
- 1927-1928 — Donald Simmons (4-6)
- 1919-1926 — unknown (14-10-2)
- 1915-1916 — unknown (2-3-1)
- 1912-1913 — unknown (1-1)
.....
Deseret News First Team all-staters the past 10 years
- 2018 — Dustin Ashworth, C
- 2018 — Connor Jorgensen, LB
- 2018 — Brock Justesen, LB
- 2018 — Payton Clawson, S
- 2015 — Spencer Applegarth, RB
- 2015 — Taylor Lee, DB
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.