OCR Text |
Show 4 Earned Bauble- - Wing Bums Em Wsrfsy By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports KAYSVILLE of the famed offense is in itself a monument. Even though he swung back to the split-- his final few years here as a coach, when people think of Davis double wing, the former Davis mentor is always in the picture. It just happened that Liston, who lives in Kaysville today, was Sawleys head coach in 57, 58 and 59 when the double wing was set aside for another offense. So Sawley, w ho has experienced bundles of success himself in coaching the double wing, never played in it himself while a player here. Davis, liked to think of the double wing as Its use made opposing teams unique. have to change their normal defensive preparation, remembered Purdy, who guided a number of squads to region and state playoffs including the capturing of a few of those titles. GERALD PURDY succeeded Liston as the next Davis football coach and it was he who brought the double wing back in 1960. Though Purdy and his troops took their knocks learning the complicated offense as they lost all n of their games that year, the new offense eventually paid its dividends as the 1960 team never lost a league game. Purdy, who today is an assistant principal at today. "I think the offense we use is unique, said Sawley after his club had worked it brilliantly Clearfield 20--0 last Frito shut out arch-riv308 and rack yards rushing in the proup day cess. No one in the state runs anything even close to it, he said. T - The outdated rumor has it that Brigham Young once applied for the head football job at Davis High but didnt get it because he couldnt figure out the double wing. GOOD OLE Davis hasnt quite been around that long, but the offense that has helped to win a ton of games at this school, isnt an easy one to figure out for the newcomer, let alone the hundreds of teams that have played against it. Coach Ward Sawley says one of the fun things about football is being able to dream up just about anything and not being restricted by much in using it. Perhaps thats the reason Lee Liston in 1947, brought the double wing offense to Davis High. LISTONS responsibility for the initial birth JAY CULLIMORE then succeeded Purdy and during his reign the offense was used again, though much like Sawley who took over after Cullimore retired each coach has modified it and made changes to adapt to their styles and the kids who used it and still use it al BUT I dont think it matters what you run, dont have some pretty good athletes who are willing to work hard and who believe in what youre doing, the double wing wont magically produce a winner. We havent had to sell this offense to the kids, because they have enjoyed it just as much as weve enjoyed coaching it. if you I BELIEVE our offense enables smaller players to be successful and thats one reason for its success. Its not a power offense where you block people one on one and move them off the ball. Its giving the kids good blocking angles, double teams, trap blocks and some misdirection tactics. If you get a good combination you can move with the ball and score with it. AND SAWLEY was quite pleased with the linemen and backs who are running it every Friday in this years march. Of his backs, kids like Ryan Smith, Jeff Hammer, Mark Miller, David Kinard, Mike Robinson and Steve Sargent, Sawley sayd theyre all good runners and blockers. We pick em for the blocking ability just as much for their ability to run. If they cant block, they can't play. If someone is not carrying the ball, they are a key in our blocking scheme, Sawley admitted. The Davis backs may not win every 100 meter dash around, but the coach said their adequate speed and ability to get to holes and turn it up field put them where they are. LN MANY respects, football has rolled along in trends of its ow n. From the wishbone to a power running offense to perhaps the pass which stage is dominant now, the trend is for real. But one school that has been as successful in falls principle sport as any other, that refuses to be swept along in that trend, is good 'ole Davis High with its trusty and testy double wing idling ever so strong by. DmtsMjm Owt9 AndAnmm Roll up 308 yards rushing By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports KAYSVILLE - As Brent Hancock and Ward Sawley climbed into the sack last Thursday night, each had a pretty good idea what theyd like to take place in the opening minutes when their teams took to battle the night fol-- lowing. HANCOCK, THE confident general of the Clearfield Falcons, had nothing but passing on his mind while Sawley, the unquestionable leader in Davis Dart country , wasnt thinking anything but keeping to the ground. Friday night came and so did the expected. THE FALCONS and Jeff Parry came out flaring away, as their first three offensive plays produced three first down and nearly 40 yards to boot. But the breakdown dealt them death, and an eventual 20-- 0 defeat. The Darts on the other hand, with a blocking scheme second to none that evening, came out stampeding with seven consecutive running plays and a 6:22 first quarter TD that was only an indication of what was to follow. EM credit, said Hancock. GIVE Theyre the best team weve faced thus far. And certainly the way Davis executed, theyll probably be one of the best the Falcons will have played all year. But despite the loss which marks the Falcons as an 3 team to this point, Sawley was complimentary himself. Theyre not an 3 team, and theyre the best weve played so far. I have a feeling theyre going to bounce back, said Sawley. 0-- 0-- AND FOR THOSE who witnessed it, its assumable that the Falcons did have a chance right into the fourth quarter. But that chance was slim as the Falcons played without the services of Parry who left the game in the beginning of the final quarter due to a brain concussion he sustained in the opening quarter. Of course the chance was slim also with a Davis defense that wasnt giving up much, in fact allowing Clearfield only 145 yards total offense for the evening. The report Monday was that Parry would What a familiar sight for those who attended last Fridays clash. Gaping holes like this one that Mike Robinson (34) Davis-Clearfie- not practice through this week to avoid any contact, but would be suited up for the key clash with Layton on Friday at 7:30. SAWLEY AGREES that Davis seven running plays into the heart of the Clearfield defense, that eventually produced the games first points, might have set the tempo for the game. In that first series we had success with (Jeff) Hammer and (Mike) Robinson chewing up yardage up the middle against their We kept doing it until they squeezed it shut and then found success running outside on them the rest of the night, Sawley said as he reflected back. It was Ryan Smith and Mark Miller who controlled the outside running and it was Miller who scored the first TD from four yards out. OVERALL OUR offense was a little shinier than our first two games, Sawley reported, The reason is because of an excellent week of practice and reviewing the Ben Lomond film to understand our mistakes. I thought a lot of it had to do with attitude, because it wasnt like the prior game where we were running around like a pinball in a machine. The Darts were certainly happy to have Jeff .. Sampson back, a captain and a key performer ld CUPPfB PHOTOS Shaun Stoie flashes through paved the way to a 20-- 0 shut out of Clearfield and a racking up of 308 yards rushing in the process. on that line. Sampson and the rest of the interior were crisp when they had to be, plowing open enough holes to allow the backs to have their finest day on the ground. SO CONFIDENT was Sawley of the lines play, that he made this comment, If we get linemen off the ball like we did the other night and have the kind of holes they were producing, we could put just about anyone as a I cant even compare our effort last week to that of Ben Lomond's. With Steve Sargent leading the way at QB , in fact scoring two TDs himself on the ground, and with Smith, Miller, Robinson and Miller pounding away, Davis racked up 308 yards on the ground and getting 16 of 19 first downs from rushing the ball. SARGENT HAD one of his finest nights passing the ball too, completing 6 of 1 1 passes for 58 yards. Davis received another fine game from both Chris Stevenson and Greg McNabb, on both defense and offense. Rick Francis played in his first complete game since injuring his thumb in a summer football camp, and turned in a su- perb performance. CLEARFIELDS closest attempt to score in the first half and if not the entire year, was a 24 yard field goal missed by Ray Dixon to start the second quarter. The Falcons demise was a running attack that could produce only 49 yards. Hal Moore, Clearfields fine tailback, measured a couple five yard runs and that was the extent of that. IT WAS JUNIOR Brad Sherwood that had to take over for Parry when he left the game. Sherwoods skills and ability to lead the team were tested through the final 12 minutes and though he had some bright moments, Hancock is hopeful that Parry can come back to lead the Falcon offense. For the evening, Clearfield gave up for interceptions. After the three consecutive first downs to start the game, the Falcons could manage only five more the rest of the evening. Clearfields defense had their knocks to take with the powerful running game of the Darts, but they had their moments too. Parry intercepted a pass which led to Dixons missed field and on one Davis drive that went 18 plays, the Darts were prevented from scoring due to some key plays from Clearfield defenders and a penalty on a Davis lineman. Double-Win- g Faces Single Wing KAYSVILLE - It may not be this way for long, but East and Davis are presently tied for the league lead in Region Four. A CHANGE IN the deadlock is scheduled to take place this Friday afternoon in Salt Lake City at 5 p.m. when the Darts travel to meet the Leopards in Davis only afternoon game of the season. The truth of the matter is, that another Region Four football campaign is scheduled to break loose and at least in this week, all six win-los- s records squads are as deadlocked in as theyll ever be. COACH WARD Sawley, who has prepared his 83 Darts to this point, will be working with the rest of the staff for his fifth consecutive region championship and state playoff berth. He is one guy who likes to think of everything as even right now, including the fact the Darts and the Leopards went went 0 in winless. 3-- pre-seas- Any team, regardless of what theyve done, can pick it up and go with it, said Sawley, At least thats the way I want the team and the coaching staff to look at it. EAST HAS instilled a new offense this year, setup. With opening adopting the single-win- g 26-and West (lost games against Olympus tried have ), the desperateLeopards (lost ly to kick the new offense into gear. Lastweek against Judge, they scored their first points off it, but still lost Through what scouting weve done, there is some indication theyve got things going, said Sawley, And they have the ability to get it going. I sincerely believe that East is capable of beating anyone in the state. Theyve got the personnel, theyre as big or bigger than Clearfield. Defensively theyre an excellent squad. THE DAMS coach could be right because certainly you dont have to go far this year to 0) 21-0- 29-1- find three more quality teams that East has faced in, Olympus, West and Judge. Itll be a different kind of challenge for us, said Sawley in referring to the East game. Weve played teams that have enjoyed passing the ball and now were up against a team that likes to run. |