1943 Football Team

State Champions

Athletes: Max McBeth, Burraston, Bob Amos, Clarence Staheli, Fenton Steele, June Jewett, Allen Davis (Quarterback), Tom Page, Kieth Jones, Milton Hendrickson, Jackson, Rosenlof, White, Simmons, Whitmore, Robert Hutchings, Menlove, Carl Butler, Hutchinson, Sam Peery, Shepherd, Hurst, Hiatt, Cyrus McKell, Dan Bishop, Hill, Tervort, Brown, Gene Pulver, Dawson, Loveless, Wayne Wyler, Shepherd, Heath, Jensen, Boyle, Brown, Winnie

Coach: Donald Fuller

The 1943-1944 season was a big one for Payson High Football. Competing in what was then called "Class B" (for smaller schools), The PHS Lions were Region Champions of Region III. They followed this title up with a run to the state finals where they played Wasatch Academy. It was a dreary day, and the battle was hard-fought. Senior Sam Peery caught 2 touchdown passes. At the end of the game, the final score was 19-19, a tie. Because a tie-breaking process had not been introduced in Utah high school football yet, both teams were awarded a co-championship. So in the year 1943, Utah Class B football had two state champions: Wasatch Academy and the Payson High School Lions!

Within months of this championship, many of these men had joined the service and served their country honorably in World War II.

Inducted 2020