LAYTON — In 2021, the Layton High football team went 6-5 for its first winning season since 2016 and just its second winning season since 2008.

After totaling a combined 7-32 record in the four prior years, players and coaches heralded 2021 as a turnaround.

In retrospect, it was also somewhat of an underachievement. Of the five losses last year, four were by single digits. The only double-digit loss was by 14 points.

Plausibly, the Lancers were a few plays away from entering the playoffs unbeaten.

Things have changed for Layton.

“That group last year, I was appreciative and grateful for that group because they’re the ones that set the standard and the foundation for this group to follow and the next group,” LHS coach Fotu Katoa said after a June scrimmage. “In the process, the system we have, we mentor the next group all the way down to our eighth-graders.”

Layton will have a new starting quarterback, dual-threat athlete Tyler Wensel, and a new starting running back. Wensel played receiver last season and steps into a role vacated by Garrett Gifford, who threw for nearly 3,000 yards in 2021.

The team will also need to replace graduated receiver Nic Sanders, who had 1,121 receiving yards last year, and the Lancers are running a different offense this year.

‘Reload’ is the word that best describes the team in spite of new faces at the biggest positions on offense. Several impactful starters graduated, but several more impactful starters return and Layton has many of the things a team needs to challenge for a Region 1 title.

“All around, we’re pretty strong. Obviously, we’ve got some new guys we need to step in … I think by the time the season rolls around we’ll be really strong all around,” senior offensive lineman Spencer Hill said.

Hill, listed at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, was recently offered a college football scholarship by Utah Tech and is talking to a few more schools, including Weber State.

Senior linebacker Damon Elmore, who was recently offered by Southern Utah, said that although the team has a lot of depth and talent, finishing games is an area that needs to improve.

Hill also said the team needs to finish better. Layton twice blew double-digit, fourth-quarter leads last year in losses against Farmington and Weber.

“We just made a couple mistakes, it happens, we’re not going to let that happen this year,” Elmore said. “We’re going to be able to make plays when it really matters, when it’s really the crunch time.”

Katoa called the offensive line the strength of the offense and said the Lancers are going to pound the ball on the ground. They did that last year with 356 run plays and 258 passing plays, according to MaxPreps.

The most experience on the team lies with the defense, which was a solid unit last year and could be one of the top defenses in the region.

Linemen Takoa Byrd (4.5 sacks) and Xander Barnes (2.5 sacks) anchor the group up front, along with Elmore and outside backer Ethan Hearne (10 tackles for loss).

The challenge, then, for a team that’s this experienced is to obsess about, and work on, details.

Katoa, now in his third year as head coach, said multiple times he loves the “buy-in” of this team and he feels good about where things are with the program.

WHAT’S NEW

Brian Berrong is Layton’s new offensive coordinator.

QUOTABLE

Katoa, Hill and Elmore were all asked who the player was on Layton’s team that other teams will find out about soon enough.

Answer? A 6-foot-1 senior cornerback Elias Parkinson.

“That dude is a dog, dude just doesn’t get beat, he works hard, he seriously is the smartest football player I think I’ve ever met,” Elmore said.

“I think he’s the most underrated guy on the team. He should be right up there with me and Damon getting offers,” Hill said.

FACTS and FIGURES

2021 season: 6-5, 3-3 Region 1. It was a turnaround season, going from 2-7 in 2020 to 6-5 in 2021. Four of the Lancers’ five losses were by single digits and they lost to Weber in the second round of the playoffs.

2022 strength of schedule: 56-47 (.544).

Players to watch: Elias Parkinson (CB/WR), Tyler Wensel (QB), Spencer Hill (OL), Damon Elmore (LB), Xander Barnes (DL), Ethan Hearne (LB), Takoa Byrd (DL), Brigham Lawson (WR)

Returning starters: 7 offense, 8 defense

Strength/Weakness: Depth and experience/Record in close games

NOTES

Layton is 9-21 against Northridge since Northridge opened in 1992, but when the Lancers win this game, it’s usually a signal of good things to come. Of the nine seasons where Layton’s won the crosstown rivalry, the Lancers have finished with a winning record in six of those nine.

Speaking of Northridge, Layton has a two-game winning streak against the Knights, which is the fourth time the Lancers have strung together consecutive wins over Northridge (1995-96, 2007-08, 2015-16).

The last time Layton beat Syracuse was 2009 (12 straight losses).

Layton faces Lewiston (ID) for the first time in school history on Aug. 26 at the Rocky Mountain Rumble in Rexburg, Idaho.

It’s also the Lancers’ first game against an out-of-state school since 1980 when they played Capital High from Boise, Idaho.

SCHEDULE

All games 7 p.m. unless noted

Aug. 12: at Alta

Aug. 19: Northridge

Aug. 26: vs. Lewiston (ID), 2 p.m. at Madison High (Rexburg, ID)

Sept. 2: Davis*

Sept. 9: at Fremont*

Sept. 16: at Farmington*

Sept. 23: Weber*

Sept. 30: at Clearfield*

Thur., Oct. 6: Syracuse*

Wed., Oct. 12: BYE

* — Denotes Region 1 game

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