AF-PG Football

Timp Sports Weekly

September 28, 2010

Publisher's Message

For this week's cover story, we look at the Sept. 24 football game played between the Awesome American Fork Cavemen and the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings. We will also look at Pleasant Grove and American Fork volleyball action and a deadlocked girls' soccer game between the Lehi Pioneers and the Timpview Thunderbirds, AKA the Millionairesses.

Dean Von Memmott

deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Ferocious PG Vikings Defeat Awesome AF Cavemen 14-10 in Football Showdown Sept. 24

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

Played between the Awesome American Fork Cavemen and the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings, a Sept. 24 game at Viking Stadium went down as one of the greatest gridiron contests played thus far this autumn. In a breathtaking, defensive battle in the second half, the Ferocious Vikings defeated American Fork 14-10.

All of the game's scoring occurred in the first half. Still on a high after having won at home against the Jordan Beetdiggers, AKA the Plowboys, the Friday before, the Awesome Cavemen got onto the scoreboard first. During the first quarter, Caveman Kyle "The Tusk" Lusk booted a 36-yard field goal. Strong defensive efforts by both teams cause the first quarter to end in a score of 3-0.

No relation to the late Leona "Only the Little People Pay Taxes" Hemsley, wide receiver Trevor "Chubbs" Hemsley caught a 41-yard touchdown pass from Caveman quarterback Ryan "Load the Dishwasher" Pitcher early in the second quarter to improve the lead at 10-0. The Awesome Cavemen could not hold on to their lead. Ferocious Viking quarterback Zack "Bushwhack" Christensen lobbed a 70-yard touchdown pass to running back Colt "The Bolt" Babb. Pleasant Grove soon pulled ahead 14-10 through McKay "Maddy" Madsen's catch of a 14-yard pass from Christensen. 

The tone of the second half became set when the Awesome Caveman defense shut down the first Viking march of the third quarter. Three minutes into it, the American Fork offense took its turn on the field. Taking a hike at the American Fork 19-yard line, Pitcher scrambled 17-yards to the Caveman 36-yard line. However, after running back Spencer Vernon had carried the ball to the Caveman 44-yard line, the Viking defense didn't let American Fork grab any more yard, compelling the Cavemen to punt to the Viking 17-yard line.

Marching from there to the Pleasant Grove 40-yard line, the Ferocious Vikings soon ran into trouble. After they lost five yards on an illegal receiver penalty, Vernon dealt them more further aggravation through nailing Babb for an eight-yard loss.

With American Fork wide receiver Dallin Lindsey catching a 13-yard pass from Pitcher late in the third quarter, the Cavemen soon invade Pleasant Grove's territory, only to be stopped cold in the early fourth period. Caveman linebacker Tyler Belliston's sacking Christensen for a three-yard loss pretty much epitomized how Pleasant Grove's offense fared in the game's final period. The Ferocious Vikings couldn't get ball into the Awesome Cavemen 10 anytime during the quarter.

American Fork's offense experienced two particular setbacks that ultimately proved fatal to the Cavemen. Midway through Period 4, Pitcher connected to a side pass to Hemsley, who then through the ball at Nate Cummings, who was so far away from any Ferocious Vikings that he could have made a long touchdown run. However, Cummings failed to catch the ball. American Fork received a second good chance for a go-ahead touchdown when a Hemsley catch of a 10-yard pass put the Cavemen on the Viking 38-yard line. With 1:05 left in the game, Pitcher hurled a long pass towards an intended receive in the end zone. However, Ferocious Viking Quinn "The Pin" Newbold picked off the pass, clutching the game for his team.

Awesome AF Cavespikers Collar Hillcrest Puppies in 3-Game Match Sept. 23

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Awesome American Fork Cavewomen went back to their winning ways when they defeated the Hillcrest Huskies, AKA the Puppies, in three-game match played at American Fork Sept. 23.

The game showed that the Cavewomen  could easily recover from terrible beatings like the one that they had suffered at Pleasant Grove on Sept. 16. Led by Hayley Sua-Filo, Holly Morris, and Jessica Fugal, the Awesome Cavewomen posted a 10-1 lead over the Puppies in the first game. Hillcrest couldn't put an effective offense and defense together during the game. Alise Larsen and Jenna "Munchkin" Hardman held their own against Puppies like Natalie Rudd, Steamboat Middleton, and Lauren Child. When the game ended with a 25-5 win, spectators had good reason to expect a brief game.

In the second game, Hillcrest's No. 17, AKA Miss Tornado, joined Rudd, Middleton, and Child in trying to make the match a close affair through quickly answering shots made by Larsen, Fugal, and Marissa Moss. The Puppies pulled within 8-5, but a Sua-Filo kill checked Hillcrest's comeback. American Fork pulled away and triumphed 25-14.

Even though server Rudd gave the Puppies a 1-0 lead in the third game, American Fork soon took it over completely through Alison Vincent's serving. Aided by kills from Larsen and Alison Petit, a "distant cousin" of TV journalist Tom Petit, the Awesome Cavewomen quickly created a 17-7 lead. Kills by Kate Ashby and Child guided the Puppies within 19-11, but American Fork went on a 6-0 scoring run to win the match.

A niece of former Pleasant Grove softball coach Jeff "Donuts" Wilson, Alyce Jones said, "We learned from the PG match that if we serve with a low error rate, we're going to be successful. We missed only a few serves today."

American Fork will be playing the Brighton Bengals, AKA the Bad Old Puddy Tats, and Alta Hawks, AKA the Tweeties, this week.

Lehi Girls' Soccer Team Battles Timpview Millionairesses to 1-1 Draw Sept. 23

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneers battled the Timpview Thunderbirds, AKA Millionairesses, a 1-1 stalemate during a Region Seven girls' soccer game at Lehi Sept. 23.

The Millionairesses got on the scoreboard first when Mo Christensen kicked in a goal during the opening period. The score stayed at 1-0 until the final minute of regulation play.

Lehi's Caitlyn Hepworth dribbled into the Millionairesses' penalty box and scored a goal that forced the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, Dylan Downs, Paige Rabb, and Alex May guided frequent Lehi attacks deep into Timpview territory. However, Timpview kept the Pioneers from scoring a game-ending goal. Meanwhile, Lehi goalie Ali Houghton help up well under the press of overtime as the Millionairesses kept bringing the ball her away. Pioneers like Sydney Cook and Abbie Foster helped Houghton in keeping Timpview from kicking the ball across the goal line.

Lehi Coach Brett Bergholm said, "Timpview is the luckiest team in the region. They have often been able to win on junk goals like the one they made in the final five seconds of the last overtime game we played against them. I'm proud of my girls to be able to hang in there despite the all that frustration we experienced today. We had so many chances to score goals todays. Missed chances for goals has been the story of our season so far. I'm glad we were able to get a point for tying Timpview today."

Ferocious PG Vikings Defeat Jordan Plowgirls in Sept. 21 Volleyball Match

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

When the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings left for a volleyball tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, last weekend, they took with them a 3-1 Region Four record. It almost turned out to be a 2-2 record, though, because of a tough, four-game match that Pleasant Grove  played at Jordan Sept. 21. Pleasant Grove defeated the Jordan Beetdiggers, AKA Plowgirls, 25-15, 25-18, 19-25, 25-18.

Viking Coach Jamie Schappier said, "We have to learn how to execute in 0ur matches. Our girls must remember that they need to keep fighting for every ball that comes at them, regardless of how far ahead they are."

The Ferocious Vikings dominated the first game. Guided by Audrey Biggs and Kim Dahl, Pleasant Grove quickly built up a 10-2 lead through Heather Clark's serving. Deylane Daniel produced kills that enabled the Ferocious Vikings improve their advantage at 16-8. Audrey Gee, Hannah Weinberger, and McKaylee Moss orchestrated a Jordan comeback that sliced the lead to 17-11, but the combined power of Dahl, Biggs,  Daniel, and Gaby Jenkinson  proved to be too much for the Plowgirls. Once the Ferocious Vikings had secured a 22-12 lead, Jordan couldn't plow its way back into the game.

The Plowgirls showed hints in the second game that they weren't going to be patsies for the defending state 5-A champs. Jordan traded leads frequently with the Ferocious Vikings early in Game 2. Only when Pleasant Grove pulled ahead 8-7 did the Ferocious Vikings obtain permanent control of the game. Kills by Le'o Fotu tightened the Vikings' hold on the lead. However, Alyssa Sorenson and Moss kept having the Beetdiggers closing in on Pleasant Grove. Jordan got within 14-13, but a Dahl kill gave the Vikings the energy to pull away and win 25-18.

In winning the first two games, Pleasant Grove soon learned the same lesson that the Plowgirls had served to the Awesome Cavewomen in a Sept. 14 match. That lesson was Jordan could come back to deck its opponent in a third game. Disregarding what American Fork had learned the week before, the Vikings got taken to school in Game 3. It unfolded with Pleasant Grove taking a 4-1 lead. Jordan battled back to tie the game at five. When the Plowgirls broke the 5-5 tie, the game proceeded to go downhill for Pleasant Grove. Sorenson produced tips and kills that shook Pleasant Grove's morale as the Plowgirls soon harvested a 16-8 lead. Dahl and Biggs guided the Ferocious Vikings back within 22-17, but aided by a Pleasant Grove hitting error, Sorenson and Gee registered kills that made Jordan a 25-19 winner.

The Vikings took the Plowgirls more seriously in the fourth game. Jordan took a 2-1 lead at the start of it. Dahl delivered some crucial kills that put the Vikings back out in front as Clark produced a series of successful serves that kept Pleasant Grove from losing the momentum. The Plowgirls stayed on Pleasant Grove's heels, though. Gee and Sorenson guided them within 10-9 and 13-12. Dahl and Biggs' hitting gave Pleasant Grove the spark to pull far enough away to make it impossible for Jordan to tie the game. It ended with a Daniel kill scoring the match point.