1908 Football

Payson's First High School Team

In 1908, high school classes were held at the Central School prior to the completion of the first Payson Senior High School building in 1912. (See the PHS Origin Story for more information about the development of Payson High School and its history.) The year 1908 saw the formation of the first high school sports team in Payson: a football team. This first team had no coach. Their uniforms consisted of pants worn over long underwear and shoulder pads. They called themselves the "Payson Farmers." Over the years, the team name became the "Payson Maple Leaves" (giving PHS the colors green and silver), and finally the "Payson Lions." All of our rich sport history began with these 1908 football players.

Back Row: Principal Joe Barlow, Ray Daniels, Reed Persson, Jody Bills

Middle Row: Robert Lee Simons, Bill Jones, Dixon Kapple, Jack Wignall, Carlton Wilson, Vivian Butler, S. D. Moore

Front Row: Bill Clayson Ray Done, Ralph Done.

Inducted 2020