Prep football: Davis flexes with Bessinger record, three 100-yard receivers in rout of Syracuse
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- Davis High receiver Bode Sparrow (2) lunges to the goal line as Syracuse defender Kolin White, bottom tries to hang on for a tackle during a game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Syracuse quarterback Ledger Wight carries the football in a game against Davis on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis quarterback Tradon Bessinger (4) throws a pass over Syracuse defensive lineman Jace Cook (71) as Davis lineman Will Smith (53) blocks on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- A Syracuse ball carrier tries to fight off Davis tacklers on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis players Tyson Baggett (1) and Jaxton Itaaheau celebrate a successful two-point conversion against Syracuse on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis running back Makaio Byrd (0) cuts upfield as Syracuse defensive back Kolin White (18) pursues on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Syracuse running back Kao Prom carries the football against Davis on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High players Bode Sparrow (2) and Isaac Morrison (8) celebrate after a play against Syracuse on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis quarterback Tradon Bessinger rolls out to pass in a game against Syracuse on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Students cheer during a football game between Davis and Syracuse on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Kaysville.
KAYSVILLE — High school boys often put up fantasy-like numbers when they play video football games.
Davis quarterback Tradon Bessinger amassed those kinds of eye-popping stats for real in a 54-22 Region 1 victory over Syracuse on Friday night.
Bessinger totaled a school record 504 yards passing, completing 32 of 41 attempts for a 73.8 percentage.
“It means a lot to me and my family. I’m very blessed to be in the situation I’m in,” Bessinger said.
He threw five touchdown passes to four different receivers, including four scores in the first half.
“It starts with the O-line. They gave me enough time, then our receivers did their thing,” Bessinger said. “Coach Peery does a great job. We all trust him and we know he’s going to develop a game plan where all we have to do is what he says to do.”
Three, and nearly four, Davis receivers each had 100-yard games, delineated as follows: Bode Sparrow (seven catches, 150 yards, one touchdown), Jaxton Itaaehau (six catches, 131 yards, two touchdowns), Isaac Morrison (eight catches, 104 yards, one touchdown) and Tyson Baggett (six catches, 88 yards, one touchdown).
Itaaehau outlined the difficulties opposing defenses have when facing the potent Davis (6-1, 1-0 Region 1) offense.
“When we have players like Bode Sparrow, Tyson Baggett and Isaac, it opens up all the receivers; when they cover T and Bode, I’m open. When they double-team Bode and me, Isaac and Tyson are open,” Itaaehau said. “We have too many weapons for them to guard.”
Bessinger gave a shoutout to his receiving corps, noting: “These guys ball out for me; I ball out for them. We know if we execute, trust each other, good things are going to happen.”
In addition to his two receiving touchdowns, Itaaehau had two other catches that didn’t go for scores, but dramatically aided the Davis cause.
The Darts faced a second-and-35 in the third quarter when Bessinger and Itaaehau hooked up for a 42-yard reception, and Itaaehau had a 35-yard catch on another Davis possession.
“It’s great; I trust Jaxton with all my heart. If anyone talks to me, it’s all about receivers and O-line, but that kid Jaxton is one of the most athletic kids I’ve ever seen. He’s a great kid,” Bessinger said. “We’re always on the same wavelength. We put in work all offseason.”
Syracuse (5-2, 1-1) tried to mix things up from the outset, winning the coin toss and opting to receive the opening kickoff.
That is a well-documented desire of the Darts, who almost always start the game with the ball, taking it when they win the coin toss, and usually receiving the kick when their opponent defers to the second half.
The Titans didn’t realize that they had lit a fire under the Davis defense.
“We took it personal. They wanted the ball and thought they could come out hard, but we’re a better team. We knew our defense could stop them,” Itaaehau said.
Morrison, playing on both sides of the ball, intercepted Syracuse quarterback Ledger Wight on the third play of the game and the Darts were in business at the Titan 25.
Six plays later, Itaaehau grabbed a 9-yard touchdown pass from Bessinger and the Darts were on the board, 6-0 at the 8:19 mark of the first quarter.
In what looked like an aggressive move, the Darts went for two after the touchdown, but there was actually a backstory to the decision.
“I’d like to say we wanted to take the momentum, but it’s because our kicker (Luke Jolley) was late to practice, so he had to sit out the whole first quarter,” Itaaehau said.
Bessinger threw three touchdowns in the first quarter, the others a 1-yarder to Morrison and a second to Itaaehau, this time for 37 yards as Davis led 20-0.
Ethan Lockwood, who had 19 tackles on defense, ran 11 yards to paydirt early in the second stanza as the Davis lead ballooned to 27-0.
Syracuse tried to fight back, with a 1-yard touchdown run by offensive lineman Koda Ashcraft and a 6-yard burst by Ryker Van Komen, cutting the deficit to 27-14, before Bessinger tossed his fourth TD of the half, 19 yards to Sparrow, and the Darts led 33-14 at the break.
The third period saw Davis’ onslaught continue to 47-14 on Bessinger’s fifth scoring pass, a 3-yarder to Baggett, and a 1-yard run by Makaio Byrd.
Itaaehau set up Byrd’s TD with a diving interception of a Wight pass –the third of the game for the Darts (Bridger Young had the other one) — at the Syracuse 9-yard line.
“I knew when they went to the ‘quad’ (formation) they would throw a screen, so I took a gamble and was just lucky to grab it,” Itaaehau said. “Our defense played phenomenal.”
Wight found Tanner Merrill on a 46-yard touchdown at the goal line for Syracuse’s final score, then Itaaehau added his third touchdown of the game on a 20-yard run around left end.
“That was 100% the line. The line opened up the outside and all I had to do was follow them,” Itaaehau said.
Wight finished 10 of 23 for 112 yards, three interceptions and one touchdown for Syracuse, while Van Komen rushed 18 times for 108 yards and one touchdown.
“Syracuse is pretty good, but we pride ourselves on coming out strong, coming out fast … put a team down,” Bessinger said.
