Cavewomen and Bingham Piickers

Timp Sports Weekly

January 31, 2012

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen's home game against the Bingham Miners, AKA the Pickers, the Lehi wrestling team's final home meet, and a split that the Lehi boys' basketball team had in two straight home games recently. As they say in Lehi, let's hop straight to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Awesome AF Cavewomen Bury Bingham Pickers 54-39 in Region 4 Girls' Hoop Action Jan. 26

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

After having suffered a 15-point loss on the South Jordan court of the Bingham Miners, AKA the Pickers, three weeks before, the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen buried their blue-uniformed foes alive 54-39 during a Region Four girls' basketball game at American Fork Jan. 26.

"Tonight's score was the same one for the game that we had played at Bingham at the start of this month," said American Fork Coach Corey Clayton. "In that contest, though, Bingham was the one that came out on top. That game taught us what we needed to do against Bingham. We didn't execute well in that game."

In the first quarter of the Jan. 26 rematch, Cassidy Fraughton and Ashley Baugh guided the Cavewomen in outscoring the Pickers 11-7. Led by Summer Yack and Shelby Richards, Bingham outscored American Fork 10-8 to pull within 19-18 by halftime.

At the start of the third quarter, Richards put Bingham ahead 20-19. For a little while, the Pickers held the Awesome Cavewomen scoreless. Bingham built up a lead of 29-20. Before the Pickers could push the point spread into double digits, Fraughton sank a short shot to begin the Awesome Cavewomen's comeback. Stealing the ball, Awesome Cavewoman Sadie Williams passed to J.D. Shephard for a 19-foot jumper that cut the lead to 29-25 just before the quarter break.

"Shepherd's three-pointer gave us enough momentum for the final quarter," Clayton said. "In it, Ashley Baugh hit two key three-pointers that locked our hold on the game's tempo that period. Ashley has hit only two treys this season, and both of them were made tonight."

The Miners' 29-25 lead came under deep during the opening of the fourth quarter. After the Awesome Cavewomen took possession of a jump ball, Williams produced a three-point play that put the score at 29-28. Despite a free throw hit by Picker Kenzie Bruggerman, Fraughton still tied the game at 30. Even though Picker Lateisha Richards broke the 30-30 tie, Bingham couldn't keep its hold the tempo.

Stealing the ball, Baugh tied the game at at 32. After Fraughton had put the Awesome Cavewomen back out in front 34-32, Baugh hit her first trey of this season. Pumped up by that bucket, that Awesome Cavewomen extended their lead to 41-32. Miner Coach Rand Rasmussen's use of two different quintets for throwing opponents off balance didn't work for him in the Jan. 26 game like it had done in the Pickers' recent road win over the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies. Combined foul shooting from Baugh, Williams, and Shepherd soon produced a 46-34 advantage for the Awesome Cavewomen. Picker Jillian "Calamity" Powell hit a trey to cut the Awesome Cavewomen's lead to 46-37 during the final 1:19. Bingham became so desperate that it make the frequent mistake of sending Baugh and Megan Eliason to the foul line. Those two Awesome Cavewomen's combined foul shooting produced a 6-2 scoring run that clutched the game for American Fork.

Clayton said, "Ashley and Cassidy played really good in the fourth quarter. Their shooting and rebounding rebounding helped us through that period after we had been down by nine earlier in the second half."

Baugh said, "The loss at Bingham made us really mad. So we really wanted tonight's game. We proved tonight that Bingham's just all talk."

She lead the Awesome Cavewomen with 15 points while Fraughton added another 10 and Williams nine. Shelby Richards led the Pickers with 11 points while Yack added another eight.

Lehi Grapplers Quiet Westlake Shockers 43-35 in Final Home Dual Meet Jan. 25

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

After having lost two non-league basketball games at home to the Westlake Thunder, AKA the Shockers, earlier this month, the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, finally had something to croak about during a Jan. 25 dual meet at home against Westlake. In what was a riveting -- correction, ribbiting -- contest, the Froggies hopped away with a 43-35 win over the Shockers.

Even though the meet was strictly a non-league affair, bragging rights were still on the line. Moreover, the Froggies hadn't forgotten Zavon Jackson's last-second rebound that had given the Shockers a one-point win over Lehi's boys' basketball team in a Jan. 5 game. So the Froggie grabblers were determined to go to any length to avenge that loss.

For the first three matches of the Jan. 25 meet, Westlake looked as though it would dry up Lehi like it had done the Froggies in girls and boys' basketball this month. The meet opened with a 138 weight class match between Froggie Chris "Bittersweet" Coca and Riley "The Tornado" Cluff. Bittersweet took The Tornado down, and that Froggie soon owned a 3-0 lead over his Westlake foe. However, midway through the second period, The Tornado reversed Bittersweet and pinned him. That shocking moment made the evening look alarming for the Froggies.

Westlake's Hayden "Count Bolt" Rentfro pinned Dave "Mr. Ambush" Busko, and Shaun "The Gale Wind" Allred defeated Garrett "The Steam Shovel" Batley on a technical fall. The two additional consecutive Westlake wins gave the Shockers 17-0 lead.

Lehi's Donovan "The Bus" Busby stopped the streak of Shocker wins by sticking Spencer "Cloudburst" Hansen in the first period of their 160 weight class match. In the 170 weight class showdown, Froggie Trevor "The Handsome" Hansen took Ross "The Waterspout" Cameron down and pinned him 30 seconds into their match.

Busby and Hansen's pins set the stage of Lehi's takeover of the lead in the 182 weight class match. Early in it, Lehi's Brock "The Shock" Wilson and Shocker Colton "The Funnel Cloud" Fairbourne battled to a 2-2 draw. In the third period, The Shock escaped the The Funnel Cloud's hold, and then that Froggie took his Westlake foe down. The Shock pinned The Funnel Cloud to put the Froggies back ahead 18-17.

Westlake's Kaden "Microburst" Daley pinned Ryan "The Rapture" Absher during the first minute of their 195 weight class match to put the Shockers back ahead 23-18.

The Froggies didn't let Westlake enjoy its five-point lead for long. In the 220 weight class match, Froggie Brackin "The Chainsaw" Stringham built up an 8-1 lead over John "Foul Weather" Poulsen. The Chainsaw then pinned Foul Weather to put the Froggies back ahead 24-23.

Lehi extended its lead to 30-23 on pins scored by Tyrel "Baron Water Moccasin" Porter in his 285 weight class match against Nate "The Firestorm" Shumway.

The 106 weight class match went down as a stunning contest. It opened with Shocker Hayden "The Blaze" Butler taking down Dalton "The Mustang" Rice. The Mustang reversed the Blaze and then performed a series of moves that froze that Westlake wrestler 11-3.

A 113 -pound Shocker, Danny "The Black Cloud" Green reminded Lehi that Westlake was still far from being beaten. At 0:48 in the first period of his match, the Black Cloud pinned Cousin Landon "The Hard" Memmott.

The 120 weight class match saw Westlake's Josh "Downpour" Canfield storm ahead 5-0. His Lehi opponent, Chris "The Swedish Stud" Anderson struggled back within 7-6 on a series of reversals. Before The Swedish Stud could pull ahead, Downpour took him down and eventually pinned him in the third minute, cutting the Froggies' lead to 40-35.

This made the 132 weight class match the contest thad would determine the dual meet's winner. Lehi's Vince "The Driller" Miller and Shocker Jordan "The Whirlwind" Zufelt battled to a 2-2 tie. The Whirlwind pulled ahead 4-2 on a second-period reversal. In the third period, however, the Driller pulled ahead 5-4 on a three-point near fall. The Driller went on to win 10-6, giving Lehi a 43-35 win.

Lehi Froggies Fix Riverton Silverpups 69-44 in Region 4 Boys' Hoop Action Jan. 24

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In Region Four boys' basketball action at Lehi Jan. 24, the LEhi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, fixed the Riverton Silverwolves, AKA the Silverpups 69-44.

The game opened with the Froggies getting the opening tipoff. Suddenly, they threw the ball away, giving the Silverpups a good break. Bryce Stone sank a layup that put the Silverpups on the board first. Riverton's 2-0 lead got quickly flooded away. Lehi's Ryan Pittard tied the game at two, and Blake Cleveringa's trey sent the Froggies jumping ahead 5-2. Lehi's leapfrogging over Riverton couldn't cool Stone down. He hit two straight, unanswered buckets that gave his Silverpups a 6-5 lead. It grew to 8-5 on two Austin Anderson foul shots. As soon as Colt Colledge's first hook shot had put the Froggies within 8-7, Dee "Big Bad Pup" McCleary hit a three-pointer that gave the Silverpups their biggest lead of the quarter. Colledge quickly tied the game at 11 through sinking two straight layups. McCleary broke the 11-11 deadlock via hitting three straight free throws. In tying the game at 14 and 16 on a Ryan Christofferson three-point play and a Cleveringa jumper, Lehi looked as though it made stroke ahead at the end of the period. However, two Anderson foul shots left the Silverpups with an 18-16 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Riverton couldn't howl joyfully about it for long, however, for Lehi tied the score at 18 on two McGregor foul shot at the start of the second period. Despite the Silverpups breaking that tie, Cleveringa scored four straight unanswered points to give the Froggies another lead. After a Pittard bucket, Christofferson dunked the bucket, hinting what would be in store for the Silverpups in the second half. Through Anderson and Dicky Worsham's shooting, Riverton pulled within 26-25 and 28-27. However, a Jordan Peck free throw and a Colledge layup tightened the Froggies' hold on the lead, putting the score at 31-27. McCleary missed three straight foul shots just before halftime.

With a Stephan Holm foul shot putting the Silverpups within 31-28 in the early third quarter, the game looked as though it would stay close. Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "I thought we had a great third quarter. Our defense made them turn the ball over frequently. Ryan Christofferson and Blake Cleveringa hit some threes that broke the game open for us early in the second half."

No sooner had Riverton howled within 31-28 when Christofferson swished in two straight three-pointers. Cleveringa contributed a trey to improve the Froggie lead at 40-28. During the third quarter, the Froggies held the Silverpups to five points while Colledge and McGregor had a heyday inside the Riverton key. Those two Lehi players' inside shooting created a 51-32 lead for their team at the end of the third period.

Riverton couldn't recover from that quarter, even though they became hot again in the final period. Colledge held his on on the boards against Silverpups like Connor Henderson, Stone, and McCleary, a close relative of former American Fork High basketball players Ron Cook, Gary Cook, and Rhonda Cook. In the meantime, Jordan Peck hit a 17-foot shot that improved the Lehi lead at 53-32. The Froggies stayed more than 20 points ahead for the rest of the quarter, courtesy of Colledge and McGregor's shooting. The game ended with Silverpup Skyler Lewis hitting a bucket.

Colledge led the Froggies with 19 points while Cleveringa added another 18 and Christofferson 13. McCleary led the Silverpups with 15 points while stone contributed another eight.

Lone Peak Loners Soak Up Lehi Froggies 63-50 in Region Four Boys' Basketball Jan. 27 Action

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Region Four boys' basketball contest at Lehi Jan. 27, the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, soaked up a 63-50 win over the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies.

Although only 15 years old, the rivalry between the two schools is as intense as the much older one between the Froggies and the Awesome American Fork Cavemen. That was reflected throughout the Jan. 27 game. At various points in the contest, teenage Loner fans taunted Froggie supporters through singing, "Pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and walked!"

Later on in the game, those same Loner fans shouted repeatedly, "Warm up the wagons!"

In the first quarter, though, Lehi did have much to croak about. The Loners got on the board first through a bucket sunk by T.J. Haws, whose dad had played for Brigham Young University, founded by Brigham Young to glorify the University of Utah. Before the Loners could improve on their 2-0 lead, Ryan Pittard tied the game at two while putting a shot back in. Pulling down a defensive rebound, Colt Colledge dribbled away and sank a go-ahead bucket for Lehi. The Loners didn't let Colledge's first bucket go unanswered. They pulled ahead 5-4 on a three-pointer sunk by Nick Emery, whose brother Jackson Emery plays for the BYU Cougars, AKA the Zoobies.

With a Colledge foul shot evening the game at five, Blake Cleveringa produced a three-point lead that gave the Froggies an 8-5 advantage. Even though Emery tied the game at eight on his second consecutive three-pointer, Lehi took control of the tempo. The Froggies stayed narrowly ahead of the Loners for the rest of the quarter. Near the end of the quarter, a Ryan Christofferson trey gave Lehi a 19-12 lead. That was the farthest that the Froggies got ahead of Lone Peak.

A nephew of former University of Utah baseball player Travis "I'll Go Anywhere But BYU" Hansen, Chase Hansen was known this school year for quarterbacking the Loners to their first-ever state football championship. At the end of the first quarter, he did something else that he would definitely be remembered for this school year. A second before the buzzer sounded the end of the first quarter, Hansen hit a three-pointer that cut the Froggie lead to 19-15.

Loner Coach Quincy Lewis said, "We struggled in the first quarter. Nick Emery floated us through it until we could get a hold of the tempo in the second quarter. Talon Shumway and T.J. played very well for us in the third period, giving us control of the momentum."

Pulling down a defensive board at the start of the second quarter, Shumway, a "distant cousin" of TV's Alf Shumway, became too hot for the Froggies to cool down. He sank two straight buckets that tied the game at 19. An inside Cleveringa shot broke the 19-19 draw, but Emery hit a three-pointer that tipped the Loners back out in front 22-21. As soon as Haws had pulled down a defensive rebound, he connected a cross-court pass to Shumway for a layup, improving the Loner lead at 24-21. Lehi called a time-out at 4:57 in hopes of regaining control of the momentum. Cleveringa tied the game at 24 on a three-pointer. However, Conner Toolson, a very close relative of former Loner swimming star Sarah Toolson, hit a trey of his own to put the Loners back out in front. Even though that shot went down as Toolson's only bucket in the game, it kept the Loners ahead until Cleveringa hit two foul shots to tip his Froggies ahead 28-27. With a Haws three-point play giving the Loners a 30-28 lead in the first half's final 30 seconds, Lehi gambled on a long shot that it missed. Colledge pulled down an offensive rebound as the buzzer sounded intermission.

In the early second half, Shumway took command of the boards. That Loner's impressive defensive rebounding denied the Froggies a long string of opportunities for key second shots. Shumway and Haws joined Emery in nailing shots that gave the Loners a 39-30 lead. Realizing how close the Loners were to creating a double-digit lead, Ryan Pittard and Brad "Mr." McGregor guided the Froggies within 40-36. Suddenly, Haws dunked a shot, then swished in a jumper that gave the Loners their first 10-point lead of the game. Lone Peak's 46-36 advantage sparked the Froggies into trying to pull off a rally. They hopped back within 46-42 via Jordan Peck and McGregor's shooting.

Emery hit two straight layups at the start of the final quarter to set up an 8-0 scoring run the Loners. Lehi went cold, and the Froggies didn't warm up until after a Haws bucket had put the Loner lead at 57-42 during the game's final three minutes. McGregor and Cleveringa hit each a trey to spark an 8-6 scoring run for Lehi. However, Emery's handiwork had proved to be too destructive for Lehi to recover from.

"That 1-2-2 zone defense, which they used against us in the second half, frustrated us," said Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell. "We tried running a little man-to-man offense to undermine it. However, they just frustrated us with their zone defense. Also, they hit a couple threes in the second half, changing the tempo of the game. Those treys gave them the momentum."

Emery lead the Loners with 23 points while Haws added another 19 and Shumway 10. Cleveringa led Lehi with 21 points while Colledge and Christofferson each added another seven.

Two Home Losses

Timp Sports Weekly

January 24, 2012

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at two home games that the Lehi Pioneer girls' basketball team played at home recently. Both contests ended unhappily -- correction -- unhoppily for the Pioneers, AKA the Froggies. As they say in Lehi, let's dive into those stories.

Bingham Pickers Dig Out 59-39 Win Over Lehi Froggies in Region Four Girls' Basketball

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In Region Four girls' basketball at Lehi Jan. 17, the Binghan Miners, AKA the Pickers, digged out a 59-39 win over the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies.

Lehi came cold in the game's opening minutes. This gave the Pickers a great chance to strike it rich in scoring. The game opened with Picker Jillian Powell getting the tipoff. Even though Lehi's To'a Faelo pulled a defensive rebound to keep Bingham from scoring during the game's first rebound, her action merely delayed the Pickers from getting the lead. Summer Yack nailed an inside shot to put the Pickers on the board first. Teammate Madison Aulai-Roe scored the next field goals to give Bingham a 6-0 lead.

Even though a Jana Shumway free throw put the Froggies on the board, they continued staying cold in scoring. Only after Cherylin "Popgun" Lyman had improved the Picker lead at 8-1 did the Froggies start nailing shots from the floor. To'a swished in two straight buckets, and Jalissa Bagley's two foul shots steered Lehi within 11-7. That turned out to be the closest that Lehi could get to Bingham in the first quarter. A Sheradyn Parker bucket left the Pickers owning a 13-7 lead at the end of that period.

To throw the Froggies off track, Bingham Coach Rand "The Grand" Rasmussen employed two different line-ups of Pickers throughout the entire of the game, especially in the second quarter. With Yack scoring on an offensive rebound at the start of Quarter 2, the Pickers went on a 10-0 scoring run that gave them a 23-7 lead. Shumway and Jalissa Bagley trimmed it back to 23-13. However, the Froggies couldn't build up a strong tempo for a little while. So the Pickers continued enjoying their double-digit lead until their lead had grown to 26-13 on a shot which Yack had put back in. To'a hit an inside shot that opened an 8-0 scoring run for the Froggies. After To'a had put a shot back in, teammate Brook Willes sunk a layup, and Cherish Mansfield contributed two foul shots that prodded the Froggies to hop back within 26-21. Near the end of the half, Bingham's Shelby Richards stole the ball and sank a layup to give her Pickers a 28-21 lead for the start of the new half.

Early in the second half, To'a cut the Picker lead to 28-23. A Richards bucket ignited a 13-1 scoring spree for the Pickers. Led by Yack and Lyman, that long rally turned out to be the knockout punch that Bingham dealt to Lehi. By the third quarter's end, the Pickers commanded a 47-27 lead.

During the final period, the Pickers stayed more than 20 points ahead. That didn't stop To'a from becoming the game's top scorer with 17 points. That statistic gave Lehi little to croak about, however, for the Froggies were still unable to hop out of the Region Four cellar.

Yack and Lyman led Bingham with nine points each. Bagley, meanwhile, emerged as Lehi's second highest scorer with eight points.

Ferocious PG Vikings Sink Lehi Froggies 74-39 in Jan. 19 Game

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Region Four girls' basketball game at Lehi Jan. 19, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings dried up the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, 74-39.

Pleasant Grove Viking Coach Glenn "Big Time D.J." Larson said, "We got a lot of steals and great transitions tonight. We have every back from injuries except Sanaah Robinson. She blew out her knee; so she's done for the season. Hopefully, we're finding better luck during these next few weeks. We had steals across the board. After we beat Lone Peak recently, we became confident that we could win games. We did lose to Bingham in overtime on Tuesday. We had a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, but we let it slip away from us, and we let Bingham get us in OT."

Early in the Pleasant Grove game, Froggie To'a Faeleo sank two free throws to open the game's scoring. After Ferocious Viking Britney Johnson tied the score at two, Ashli Shulz sank two straight buckets to give Pleasant Grove a 6-2 lead. it vanished quickly, however, for sophomore Beth Beeston sank two consecutive treys to tip Lehi ahead 8-6. The Froggies then looked as though they would keep hopping further ahead. However, they discovered they couldn't tame Megan Wilde. That Wildie girl scored seven consecutive points and pulled down a crucial, defensive rebound to enable the Ferocious Vikings to sail ahead 13-8. The closest that the Froggies could get to Pleasant Grove during the late first quarter was 16-10. A Wilde shot left the Ferocious Vikings ahead 18-10 at the end of the quarter.

Wilde stayed uncontrollable in the second period. She led the Ferocious Vikings on a 10-2 scoring run in that period. After a McKenna Miles trey had improved Pleasant Grove's lead at 28-14, Brook Willes sank two free throws in hopes of getting the Froggies jumping back into the game. However, Shulz stirred up a 10-8 scoring run that improved the Ferocious Viking lead at 38-22 shortly before intermission. While Jana Shumway did scored from the floor in the late second quarter, six of Lehi's second-period shots came from Willes' free throw shooting.

The early minutes of the new half went down as a battle for Lehi to keep the point spread from growing past the 20-point mark. With Ferocious Vikings able to rack up points on lots of steals, Lehi's efforts to reduce the lead to single digits turned out to be vain, even though the Froggies did see Shumway put shots back in.

With Pleasant Grove taking a 57-32 lead into the final quarter, Megan Wilde and MaKell Shannon became really dangerous inside the keyhole. The two Ferocious Vikings' inside shot enabled Pleasant Grove to put the game away in the early fourth quarter. Shulz, meanwhile, continued coming up with steals to help break the game wide open.

With the Froggies' cause now clearly lost, Lehi Coach Troy Grifford gave second-stringers like Kate Puzey, Kenzie Taylor, and Sammi Slater lots of game time.Meanwhile, Lehi lost Jalissa Bagley to fouls midway through the period.

In going 9-11 at the line, Willes became Lehi's top scorer with 11 points while Beeston added another eight. Miles sank four treys as she emerged as Pleasant Grove's top scorer with 15 points. Shannon and Wilde each score 14 points to become the Ferocious Viking' second highest scorers while Johnson added another nine and Shulz eight.

Triple Issue

Timp Sports Weeklly

January 17, 2012

Publisher's Message

I apologize for letting distractions of the recent holiday season keep me from producing sports news stories. Anyhow, I am going to present accounts of athletic contests that I witnessed in these past three weeks. Four of them were Lehi Pioneer boys' basketball games, three Lehi girl basketball games, and two dual wrestling meets. Let's get to those stories in this triple issue of Timp Sports Weekly.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Bingham Pickers Stick Awesome AF Cavegrapplers 45-30 Jan. 12

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Region Four dual wrestling meet at American Fork Jan. 12, the Bingham Miners, AKA the Pickers, drilled the Awesome American Fork Cavemen 45-30.

Nick "The Pick" Henninger and Cole "Blue Ice" Schieving each scored a fall for the Pickers early in the dual meet, giving Bingham strong momentum.

The Awesome Cavemen had teammates score pins. Nephews of former American Fork wrestler John "Superstud" Bartholemew, Slicky Ricky and Dandy Andy Bartholemew each posted a pin. Slicky Ricky, for instance, stuck Jake "The Indigo Snake" Curtis during the first period of their 145 weight class match. Ben "Mr. Ungentle" Petersen pinned Bingham's Brandon "Sir Flash" Cash a minute into their match.

In the 150 weight class, Adam "The A-Bomb" Zander blew away Awesome Caveman Kia'i "Tiger Claws" Kurittura on a technical fall.

Awesome Caveman Brayden "The Photon Torpedo" Rhoton gave his team some consolation during his 160 weigh class match against Bryce "The Vise" Christensen. With this contest being the last one for the night, the two grapplers battled to scoreless tie in the first period. In the second period, The Photon Torpedo took The Vise down. Even though the Vise tied the score at two on two escapes, the Photon Torpedo denied him chances to slip ahead. In the match's last 30 seconds, the Photon Torpedo scored a tie-breaking, match-winning takedown.

Awesome AF Cavemen Win 62-58 on Lehi Froggies' Home Court Jan. 13

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The century-old rivalry between the Awesome American Fork Cavemen and the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, proved to be Jan. 13 to be as much alive as it was back in the early 1900's. In a Region Four boys' basketball opener at Lehi on the 13th, the Awesome Cavemen posted a 62-58 win over the Froggies.

In the early portion of the game, the Awesome Cavemen looked as though they would be grunting sadly instead of joyfully at the end of the game. With the Lehi student body croaking excitedly in the first quarter's opening minutes, the Froggies had no trouble in hitting shots from the floor. The Awesome Cavemen, on the other hand, kept missing field-goal shots. Good free throw shooting was the only thing that saved American Fork in the first quarter. A Colt Colledge layup and a Blake Cleveringa trey gave the Froggies a 5-0 lead. Even though a Marcel Davis foul shot put American Fork on the board, the Cavemen still had trouble with shaking off their cold spell. After a Colledge jump shot had improved the Froggies' lead at 7-1, Quincy Bair and Danny Beddes' free throw shots pushed American Fork within 7-4. When Colledge improved the Froggie lead 9-4, the Cavemen looked as though they would not be making any points from the floor during the quarter. They had gone through that kind of experience on many other occasions. However, midway through the first period, Zach Hunter, a little brother of former Awesome Caveman hoopster Andy Van Buren, sunk a layup that set off a 9-3 scoring run for his team. Marcel Davis put American Fork ahead 13-12 just before a buzzer sounded the first quarter break.

Receiving an inbounds pass at the start of the second period, Braxton Nerdin put the Froggies back ahead 14-13. Receiving a pass from Austin Waddoups, Morgan "Mo" Flinders hit a trey that put the Awesome Cavemen back ahead and set off a 12-0 scoring run. When he was keeping Colledge off the boards, Hunter joined Beddes in hitting shots that produced the Awesome Cavemen's first double-digit lead at the game. After a Hunter bucket had put the lead at 26-14, Colledge swished in two foul shots. Colledge and Cleveringa guided Lehi within 25-20 while the Awesome Cavemen kept Nerdin, a son of former American Fork cager Dave Nerdin, in check. After Lehi's Jordan Peck had missed two crucial foul shots, Awesome Caveman Brayden Harris hit a trey just before halftime.

In the early third period, Brad "Mr." McGregor became the Froggie for American Fork to worry about. As soon as a Beddes bucket had put the Awesome Caveman lead at 30-20, McGregor nailed two foul shots and a bucket to keep the Froggies within 32-24. Lehi couldn't overcome the eight-point gap, because of stunning rebounding by Hunter, Beddes, Waddoups, and Ryan Andrus, a "distant cousin" of Hollywood actress Ursula Andrus. Bair and Beddes' shooting soon produced another double-digit lead for the Awesome Cavemen. They stayed ahead by at least 10 points through the rest of the third quarter. It ended with Froggie Tanner Pittard intercepting an American Fork pass.

When the fourth quarter commenced, the score created the idea that American Fork would -- as usual -- dry up Lehi. However, the Froggies went on a 10-2 scoring run that warned American Fork fans that their Awesome Cavemen just might get washed out of the Lehi gym. Cleveringa hit two straight three-pointers that enabled Colledge to lead the Froggies within 47-43. After that, the Awesome Cavemen couldn't get any more double-digit leads. Aided by defensive rebounds from McGregor, Pittard, and Nerdin, the Froggies hopped within 50-48 and 52-50. Beddes soon fouled, but Andrus, Waddoups, and Davis did a decent job in taking turns filling in for him. Bair, meanwhile, hit foul shot, then a layup to put American Fork's lead at 55-50. Taking a pass from Davis, Hunter dunked a shot in response to a McGregor free throw that had clipped the lead to 55-51 in the last two minutes.

"Making that dunk shot definitely helped me get momentum," Hunter said.

Waddoups and Bair hit key foul shots to give American Fork a 62-53 lead. Colledge led Lehi on a 5-0 scoring run. It occurred too late to save the Froggies. Bair said, "I just kept myself under composure whenever I went to the line in those last few minutes. When Zach dunked that shot on Marcel's assist, that excited us to no end and gave us momentum."

American Fork Coach Doug Meacham said, "We lost our vision early in the game. However, it was great for us to have been able to shoot 57 percent in free throws in a road game like this one. Our foul shots saved us, especially in the first period.

"Zach Hunter wasn't going to let himself be denied the ball. He battled his way into the paint and scored most of his points on close shots, doing Lehi much damage."

Hunter led the Awesome Cavemen with 18 points while Bair chipped in another 15. Colledge poured in 23 points to become the Froggies' top scorer, and Cleveringa tossed in another 13.

Lone Peak Loners Drain Lehi Girls 78-45 in Region 4 Gals' Hoop Opener

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Region Four girls' basketball opener at Lehi Jan. 1o, the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, drained the Lehi Pioners, AKA the Froggies, 78-45.

The game did open on a promising note for the Froggies. After they had rebounded a shot missed by Loner Lauren LeFrandt, the little sister of former Awesome American Fork Caveman baseball player Scottie LeFrandt, Froggie Jana Shumway sank the night's first bucket on an inside jumper. Before the Froggies could expand their 2-0 lead, Loner Talyn Revell hit a tying shot. Rebonding a missed Revell shot, LeFrandt put the ball back in through the hoop. Froggie Brooke Willes tied the game at four, but two Lyndsee Robison foul shots set off a 11-0 scoring run for the Loners. Foul shots from Beth Beeston and Willes guided the Froggies within 17-8, but they couldn't get any closer to the Loners that period, even though Lehi's Kenzie Arviso hit a trey near the end of the quarter.

At the start of the second period, a Cami Simons trey set off a 9-0 scoring run for the Loners. Twin sisters Shalie and Karlie Taylor became hot in scoring during the second period as they helped Revell and LeFrandt deliver an early knockout blow to Lehi. With the Loners having built up a 41-16 lead by the late second quarter, Arviso and Jalissa Bagley attempted to stir up a Froggie comeback. However, after the Froggies had pulled within 49-25 on a Kenzie Taylor layup, the Loners had no reason to worry about the second half.

During it, the Taylor twins and Revell often frustrated Shumway, Beeston, and Whitney Hall in battles for rebounds. In the meantime, the Loners stayed more than 20 points ahead. The third period ended with a Revell trey putting lead at 65-34.

In the fourth period, Lone Peak Coach Keith Flood gave his second-string Loners like Emily Krout and Corrie Lamoreaux much playing time as their team stayed more than 30 points ahead. Lamoreaux sank an inside shot that put the night's final score at 78-45.

Revell led the Loners with 18 points while LeFrandt added another 14 and Shalie Taylor 13.

Froggie Grapplers Fix Riverton Silverpups 39-12 in Dual Region 4 Meet Jan. 5

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Region Four dual wrestling meet at Lehi Jan. 5, the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, fixed the Riverton Silverwolves, AKA the Silverpups, 39-12.

The meet got off to a favorable start for the Froggies. In the 113 weight class match, Silverpup Chandler "The Hard Ball" Call took Cousin Landon "The Hard" Memmott down. Once Cousin Landon pulled ahead 3-2, The Hard Ball's control of the match vanished. Cousin Landon scored a three-point near fall and a two-point one to win 8-4.

In the 120 weight class, Froggie Chris "The Tiger Fish" Andersen defeated Chris "The Stone" Jones on a technical fall. Froggie Max "Super Ax" Inman and Silverpup Jared "Major Hook" Cook was a seesaw fight all the way through. Major Hook scored first on a takedown. Super Ax pulled ahead 3-2 on an escape and takedown. Super Ax built up a 6-2 lead, but Major Hook scored a reversal that cut the lead to 6-4. Major Hook eventually tied the match at seven. Super Ax won the match 10-7 on a third-period, three-point near fall.

A 130-pound Froggie, Vince "The Driller" Miller opened his match by taking down Silverpup Bryce "Dry Ice" Cavanaugh. Even though Dry Ice did get within 4-2 on a two-point near fall in the second period, he could never tie the score. The Driller produced a reversal and two-point near fall to built up an 8-2 lead. Dry Ice clipped it to 8-3 on a third period escape. No more scoring occurred after it during the match.

With Froggie Cody "The Pile Driver" Corrington shutting out Jayden "The Gas Tank" Frank 9-0, wrestling fans wondered whether the string of Lehi wins would continue. It experienced a brief interruption in the 145 weight class match. It opened with Lehi's Austin "Prince Carnage" Young took down Jeremy "The Riverton Shark" Ranck. The Riverton Shark soon tied the score at three, and he then pulled ahead 5-3 on a two-point near fall. That Silverpup went on to defeat Prince Carnage 8-3.

In the 152 weight class match, Lehi's Derrick "Count Brave" Jessop took Evan "Mr. Conquest" Sandquist down. Reversing Count Brave, Mr. Conquest pinned him. During 160 weight class action, Froggie Trevor "The Handsome" Hansen pinned Jeremiah "The Jeep" Jessop in the first period.

Siilverpup Aaron "The Purple Baron" Thomas never trailed in his 170 weight class match against Froggie Brock "The Super Shock" Wilson. The Purple Baron finished his match as an 8-3 winner.

Lehi picked up 12 free points on two straight Riverton forfeits. In the 285 weight class, Lehi's Tyrell "The Tombstone" Porter pinned Jacob "The Ladder" Filoso. During his 220 weight class match, Froggie Brackin "Lord Demolisher" Stringam scored a takedown against Robbie "The Bulldozer" Shurtliff. Although no more scoring occurred in that match, Stingam's takedown was enough to improve Lehi's lead at 39-12.

In the 106 weight class match, Lehi's Dalton "The Mustang" Rice defeated Logan "Herr Panzer" Ballard on a technical fall.

Lehi Froggies Drop Home Game to Payson Kitties in Dec. 29 Girls' Hoop Action

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

AKA the Kitties, the Payson Lions' girls' basketball team showed up in Lehi on Dec. 27 and put on a performance, which was, as Paysonites would say, something to meow about. The Kitties clawed the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, 43-35.

A Jalissa Bagley foul shot put the Froggies on the board first, but Tess Spencer and Katie Hannifin guided the Kitties out to a 5-1 lead. Lehi attempted to build momentum from a Sheay Anderson layup, but a Hannifin trey staved off the Froggies' comeback attempt. During the period, the Kitties found Lehi willing to battle back hard. After Priscilla "Miss Soft Paws" Hales put had the Kitty lead at 10-5, Bagley stole the ball and sank a layup. Hannifin answered it with a foul shot sunk just before the first quarter break.

In the second period, Nikki Fitz came up with some steals for Lehi in hopes of keeping the game close. Fitz sank a layup on a fastbreak, and teammate Beth Beeston swished in a foul shot to put Lehi within 13-10. Lehi suddenly went cold in scoring. This gave Payson, AKA Kittytown, a golden opportunity to pull away. Hales went wild in scoring during the ensuing 15-0 scoring run. A Beeston foul lifted Lehi's scoring drought at the end of the half, but by then, however, the Kitties commanded a 28-11 lead.

A Taylor Quist bucket set off a 6-0 scoring run for Kittytown in the third period. That scoring rally enabled the Kitties to stay at least 20 points ahead for much of the quarter. By its end, Kittytown commanded a 39-18 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Bagley scored on a steal to open an 11-0 scoring run for the Froggies. Beeston's foul shooting helped them pull within 39-27. Two Quist foul shots set off Payson scoring in the final period. Still, Lehi continued washing away chunks in the Kitties' lead. After a Sheay Anderson bucket at cut the lead to 41-34 in the final minute, the Froggies had a chance of forcing the game into overtime. However, Hannifin hit two foul shots to clutch the game for the Kitties.

Bagley led the Froggies with 13 points while Anderson and Beeston each added six points. Spencer led Kittytown with 11 points while Hales and Hannifin each added another seven.

Lehi Froggies Collar Provo Bullpuppies 61-43 in Dec. 30 Endowment Game

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneers celebrated the end of 2011 by collaring the Provo Bulldogs, AKA Bullpuppies, 61-43 during an endowment game at Lehi Dec. 30.

The Froggies didn't waste much time in gliding ahead of the Bullpuppies. Ryan Christofferson hit a layup and a trey that powered Lehi to swim ahead 11-0. A Cole Gordon free throw put the Bullpuppies on the board at that point. However, they couldn't put together an effective offense that period. Even Provo big scorer Dallin Bosco, son former BYU quarterback Robbie "Zoobie Doobie" Bosco, was ice cold. Gordon did score on an offensive rebound of his own foul shot, and an Adam Finch bucket clipped the Froggie lead to 17-5. Lehi's Brad "Mr." McGregor hit a trey to give his Froggies a 20-5 lead at the end of the quarter.

In the second period, Finch and Jonny "Snow" Flake led strong efforts to keep the Froggies from chances for second shots. Provo held Lehi to eight points in the second period. Nevertheless, the Bullpuppies' terrible first-quarter performance haunted them through Period 2. Provo couldn't get any closer than 26-16 in the second period. Shortly before halftime, Blake Cleveringa hit a shot that improved the Froggies' lead at 28-16. The half ended with Froggie Ryan Pittard pulling down a defensive board.

Bosco became Provo's chief gun in the third period as the Bullpuppies battled to erase Lehi's double-digit lead. With Froggie Colt Colledge controlling the boards, Provo couldn't receive many opportunities for second shots. Cleveringa led Lehi's third-period scoring as the Froggies outscored the Bullpuppies 13-11 in the quarter.

Tanner Pittard pulled down key boards for the Froggies in the fourth peirod as Cleveringa, Christofferson, and McGregor nailed shots that kept Lehi way more than 10 points ahead. Colledge kept Flake in check during battles for rebounds in the final period. Colledge's performance on the boards helped Lehi to produce its 18-point win over the Bullpuppies.

Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "I thought in the first quarter, they had trouble what kind of defense to use against us. We got kind of took them out of their game. They settled down in the second period. Still, we controlled the tempo. This was a great way to get over the bad game we had against Hurricane in a tournament down in St. George during the holidays. We got to improve our defense and passing the ball around, if we expect to do well in region. Brad [McGregor] and Ryan [Christofferson] did really well in this game. Blake Cleveringa played his best game of this season tonight."

Colledge and Christofferson led Lehi with 12 points each. Cleveringa contributed another 11. Gordon led Provo with 13 points while Bosco added another nine.

Froggies Defeat Hunter Wild Things 62-51 in Jan. 4 Boys' Hoop Action

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Jan. 4 game at home, the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, defeated the Hunter Wolverines, AKA the Wild Things, 62-51.

The game went down as one of the tightest contests that Lehi had played at home in recent memory. The contest was also a homecoming for Hunter Coach Dave "Cheech" Filamohala, who coached the Froggies to three straight 3-A boy basketball championships in the 1990's.

In the first quarter, a Ryan Christofferson bucket sent the Froggies hopping out to an early 6-2 lead. However, the Wild Things refused to let Lehi do to them what it had done to the Provo Bullpuppies on Dec. 30: tame them in the first quarter. Dimitri Salida sank a layup and two foul shots to tie the game at six. A Davonte Maez jumper put the Wild Things ahead 8-6. With Colt Colledge tying the game at eight, Christofferson broke the deadlock. However, Hunter did not let the Froggies go on a long scoring run. Two Willie Petersen foul shots and a Trevon Johnson jumper allowed the Wild Things to claw their way within 12-11 and 14-13.

Hunter treated the preseason contest as though it was a single-elimination state playoff game. Petersen, Maez, and Noah Togiai battled Colledge, Christofferson, and Brad "Mr." McGregor for every rebound. The Wild Things didn't let the Froggies lead by more than eight points. A three-point Petersen play tied the game at 16-16 early in the quarter. Even though Colledge broke that tie, the Froggies couldn't get a scoring run going until Togiai had put the Wild Things within 19-18. Colledge hit a foul shot at that point. McGregor and Blake Cleveringa each swished in a trey to improve the Froggie lead at 26-18. Two straight Salida buckets cut the lead to 26-22. A McGregor foul shot ended the first half.

Salida's shooting kept the Wild Things in the game during the third quarter -- until they had reached within 36-34 on a Brandon Davies layup. Shots from Tanner Pittard and Christofferson sparked a 10-0 scoring run for the Froggies. The period ended with Petersen nailing a 17-foot shot to cut the lead to 46-36.

The Wild Things unleashed an 8-2 scoring run the early fourth quarter, pulling within 48-46. After Hunter had rebounded a Cory Tauilel free throw, Colledge rebounded a missed putback shot. That defensive rebound became the pivotal momentum in the game, for right afterwards, Christofferson hit two foul shots and a layup to give Lehi a margin wide enough to survive the game's final two minutes. Still, a Johnson trey put the Wild Things within 52-51. Colledge hit a hook shot, which erased the Wild Things' last chance to pull ahead. Two Pittard foul shots clutched the game for Leh. It sunk 10 straight foul shots in the last two minutes to win the game.

Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "It was a tight, physical battle all the way through. We had figured that Hunter would be really tough. They came really ready to play us."

Colledge led Lehi with 16 points while Christofferson, Pittard, and McGregor each contributed 12 points. Salida led the Wild Things with 15 points while Johnson pitched in another eight.

Westlake Shockers Blast Lehi Pioneer Girls 65-42 at Jan. 6 Game

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a final preseason girls' basketball game for this winter, the Westlake Thunder, AKA the Shockers, blasted the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, 65-42 in a Jan. 6 game at Lehi.

In the first quarter, Froggie Beth Beeston hit a trey. It turned out to be the Froggies' only three points for the period. In the meantime, Jessica Benson and Shannon Jenson led the Shockers in drying up Lehi. Westlake finished the first period with a 17-3 lead. They improved it at 29-12 in the second period. Four minutes before halftime, Beeston hit three treys to orchestrate a Froggie rally. Lehi couldn't get any closer than 33-17 during the period.

In the third period, Jenson scored five unanswered points to help put the game away early. In the meantime, Jana Shumway scored on an offensive rebound to open second-half scoring for Lehi. The Shockers pushed their lead beyond the 20-point mark. They stayed more than 20 points ahead for the rest of the game, despite efforts from Beeston and Jalissa Bagley to turn the game to Lehi's favor. The Shockers were just too tough for Lehi to take down.

Bagley led Lehi with 15 points while Beeston contributed another 14, of which 12 were made on four three-pointers. Jenson and Benson each poured 18 points to become the Shockers' highest scorers.

Westlake Shockers Post First-Ever Win Over Lehi Froggies Jan. 6

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

A shocking historical event occurred at Lehi during a preseason boys' basketball game Jan. 6. That occurrence in question was the Westlake Thunder's first-ever win over the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggers. AKA the Shockers, the Thunder defeated Lehi 53-52, courtesy of a defensive rebound pulled down by Shocker Zavon Jackson.

For the past three years, Lehi had been washing Westlake away in every boys' basketball game played between them. So it was easy to assume that the Froggies would hop all over the Shockers in the non-league game. However, Westlake wouldn't let the game turn into a washout win for Lehi.

In the contest's first minute, Jackson scored two straight unanswered field goals to give the Shockers a 4-0 lead. Froggie Brad "Mr." McGregor answered it with a trey. Colt Colledge soon hit a trey that put the Froggies within 7-6. After Gabe Jaco had improved the Shocker lead at 9-6, another Colledge trey tied the game at nine. Smashing the deadlock with a three-point tie, Jackson enabled the Shockers to stay ahead until way late in the quarter. Froggie Blake Cleveringa hit two foul shots, then sank a layup on a steal to put his team ahead 13-12. Lehi's first lead did not last long, for Jackson erased it through a layup. A Ryan Chistofferson layup left Lehi leading 15-14 at the end of the opening period.

Pulling down a defensive rebound at the start of the second period, Jaco thundered away to sink a go-ahead layup. It set off a blazing, 7-0 scoring run for the Shockers. The Froggies carried out a vicious attack on the Shockers' 22-15 lead. McGregor opened the attack by swishing in a three-pointer. The Froggies jumped back within 23-21 on foul shots from Colledge and Jordan Peck. Layups by Jackson and Davey "Smitty" Smith offset the impacts of the Froggie comeback. In the game's final minute, Smith rebounded a free throw missed by him, and he hit a jumper that improved the Shocker lead at 30-23.

The third period went down as a frustrating time for Lehi. The new half opened with the Froggies going on a 6-2 scoring run. As soon as they had leaped within 32-31, the chance for pulling ahead kept slipping away from them, even though they held the Shockers scoreless for most of the period. Every time a Froggie would pull down a defensive rebound, Lehi would miss every kind of shot imaginable, even easy layups. In the meantime, Smith and Jaco improved the Shocker lead at 36-31. A Colledge trey revived Lehi's hopes of pulling back out front. Suddenly, the Froggies went cold again as their fans watched in horror all attempts for tying the game drop an inch short of the Westlake hoop.

In the fourth quarter, Jackson, Smith, and Pouha "T.P" Finau swished in shots that created a 51-42 lead for the Shockers. A Colledge three-pointer stirred up a 10-2 scoring run for the Froggies. Colledge and Christofferson took firm control of the boards as the Froggies battled back within 53-51. In the final 18 seconds, a Colledge free throw put Lehi within 53-52. Colledge missed his second free throw. While rebounding, a Shocker lost control of the ball. The turnover gave Lehi students hopes of croaking for joy right after the final buzzer. Upon receiving an inbounded pass, a Froggie shot the ball from just outside the perimeter. The ball bounced off the rim, and Jackson rebounded the shot as the buzzer. Gasps instead of joyful croaks came from the Lehi student section. Meanwhile, Westlake students gave off thunderous sounds of jubilation over what had just happened. True, the game didn't count, but it still gave the Shockers bragging rights for the next year.

Jackson said, "We've been waiting for this for a long time. This win gives us confidence that we'll do really good in region. We just needed to have this win."

Westlake Coach Dave Robinson said, "They finally played four quarters tonight, especially when they were on Lehi's floor."

Jackson led the Shockers with 21 points while Smith added another 11. Colledge led the Froggies with 22 points while McGregor added another 14 and Chistofferson 10.