Timp Sports Weekly
March 10, 2009

Publisher's Message

This is the first issue of an online magazine intended to cover the sports scene extending north from Lindon, Utah, clear to nearby Lehi. Don't expect Timp Sports Weekly to be Utah County's answer to Sports Illustrated. This magazine's mission is to focus on prep athletics and summer sports leagues.

Because readers of local sports stories tend to prefer reading hard copy versions of those accounts, I intend to create as soon as possible a print edition of this magazine, which will be filled with reports and columns written by various sports journalists hired by me. When the print edition of Timp Sports Weekly finally hits the stands, please don't look upon it as a replacement for the recently defunct, northern county weeklies, which four generations of newspaper readers had had enjoyed for four generations until the last seveal years.

For this edition, we will be looking at previews of Lehi Pioneer soccer and four American Fork High sports teams. Let's get to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
deanmemmott@hotmail.com

AF Cavewoman Softball to Open Season With Veteran Players
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The American Fork Cavewomen are set to open their season this week with five seniors, who have had three years of softball experience.

Second-year American Fork Coach Duke Sorensen said, "The seniors we have back this year are Haley Holmstead, Kayla Sorensen, Jonna Wright, Annie Christensen, and Shelby Petersen.

"Annie and Shelby will be pitching for us. We expect Haley Holmstead to be one of our top hitters. She was a big hitter for us last year. These girls have picked up a lot of softball experience since the last season."

Last spring, American Fork finished fourth in region, but the Cavewomen ended up finishing higher in the state tournament than any of the other three Region Four schools participating in the playoffs.

The coach said, "We had 43 girls come out for tryouts this year. We kept 33 of them. We're going to have a lot of sophomores on the varsity team this year. We're also going to have a ninth-grader on the varsity squad."

He said that after American Fork has completed preseason play this month, the Cavewomen will be involved in a really tough region. He said he believed the battle for the league's three state playoff spots will be really tough.

Sorensen's assistant varsity coach this year will be Dennis Romboy.

AF Cavebatters to Begin New Season in St. George
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The American Fork Cavemen will be opening their new 2009 baseball season at the Little Caesar's Tournament at St. George's Bruce Hurst Field next week.

"We have three starters back this year," said American Fork Coach Jarod Ingersoll. "They're Josh Mooney, Bo Fisher, and Stu Dirsch. They bring good experience to the team. They'll be a huge key to our season.

"We like playing in St. George at this time of year, because of good weather and a great baseball field. It will give our guys a chance to have great concentration on their playing."

"We have two sophomores who'll be seeing varsity action this season," Ingersoll said. "Ryan Pitcher will be playing second base for us. Caden Worthington will be a pinch runner for us."

American Fork will be playing non-league games throughout this entire month. In April, they will be playing Region Four foes who include the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings, the Spanish Fork Dons, Timpanogos Timberwolves, Lone Peak Knights, and the Lehi Pioneers. The league promises to be a tough one.

"Only three teams will be going to state from Region Four this year. It's ridiculous. We should have a fourth team going to state from our region," Ingersoll said. "The fights for the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 spots are all going to be bloodbaths."

Assisting Ingersoll this year are Correy Clayton, Eric Olsen, Jay Holmstead, and Glenn Taylor. The coach said, "Correy and Glenn will coach the sophomores. Eric is going to be our jayvee coach. Jay will be assisting me with the varsity."

Lehi Soccer Team Returns With Experienced Players
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneer soccer team is returning with a load of experienced players this spring.

Lehi Coach Steve McMurdie said, "We have a large portion of our varsity back from last year. We did lose some experienced players last year, but the majority of our veteran players are back. I'm optimistic about our chances for doing really good in region.

"Riley Anderson is returning as a goalie. He did pretty good in that positon his sophomore year. Another two returning players to watch out for are Austin Tucket and Iam Ramos."

Lehi will open its season at Northridge later on this week.

AF Cavekickers to Open Season This Week
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The American Fork Cavemen are opening their 2009 soccer season at home this week. American Fork will be enjoying the services of seven veteran seniors this spring.

"Five of them are returning starters," said American Fork Coach Barkley Chile. "They include Chris Penida, Quinton Holt, Sean Halbleb, Josh Whittaker, and Steven Bean. They're the ones pushing our ninth-graders and sophomores. Our other two seniors will be playing as subs.

"Chris Penida will be a our starting goalie. He played keeper last year. He was on the last American Fork team that went to state.

"Three preseason games we have which promise to be tough are Mountain View, Payson, and Pine View. Every team in our region is going to be tough."

American Fork's Region Four opponents include Lone Peak, Timpanogos, Lehi, Pleasant Grove, and Spanish Fork.

Cavetracksters Return as a Young Squad This Year
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The American Fork Caveman and Cavewoman track teams this year promise to be young squads. That is the word, according to head American Fork track coach Art Taylor.

He said, "We lost most of our talent to graduation last year. Most of our kids this year are juniors and sophomores. We do have experienced distant runners on our girls and boys' teams.

"On the girls' side, we have Danielle West and Alexis Laws. We anticipate they will do good things again at Region. At state last year, Danielle took fifth in the mile and Laws ninth in the two-mile.

"On the boys' side, Robby Lee and Ryan Bradshaw are our most experienced distant runners. Robby had to stay home from state last year, but Ryan did get to compete at the state meet.

"We have 90 kids involved in the track program so far. Fifty of them are boys, and the other 40 girls.

"Melissa Roberts is our returning discus thrower. Christy Warren is a senior hurdler for us, and she took fourth at region last year. She went to state, but didn't place there.

"Among the assistants I will have this year are Bruno Hunziker, Timo Mostert, Brad Huff, Kevin Mann, and Lauren Browning."