Timp Sports Weekly
September 22, 2015
Publisher's Message
While this week's issue is focused on Ferocious Pleasant Grove Viking sports, we will look at the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen's biggest volleyball win in a generation, the Awesome Cavemen shining at the Pleasant Grove Invitational, and Ferocious Viking Malik Overstreet costing the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, a football game for a third straight year. As those Ferocious Vikings would say, let's row straight to the stories behind those three aforementioned items.
Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
magnanovelist@gmail.com
Awesome AF Cavemen and Cavewomen Dominate Pleasant Grove Cross Country Invitational Sept. 19
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Awesome American Fork Cavemen and Cavewomen dominated three of the four races at the Pleasant Grove Invitational Sept. 19.
In placing seven runners in among the top 10 finishers in the varsity boys, jayvee boys, and jayvee girls' races, American Fork won all three divisions over the other three schools that had teams at the meet: Bingham, Pleasant Grove, and Wasatch.
Among the Awesome Cavemen to finish in the top 10 of the varsity boys' division, Casey Clinger took first, Pat Parker second, Joe Simmons third, Hagen Harmer fourth, Jason Manning fifth, Pat Larkin seventh, and Cole Phillipi eighth.
Clinger sid, "Running this course today gave a better feel for it. This is where we're going to have region next month. I should better on my time then. I want to break the 15-minute barrier on this course at region. My time today at 15:05. I want to finish under 15 minutes."
American Fork boys' coach Timo Mostert said, "Our runners improved their times today, and it was great for them to race against four good teams."
While the Awesome Cavewomen's varsity team sat out the Pleasant Grove Invite (American Fork's varsity girls' team will be running at the Bob Firmman Invitational in Idaho this coming weekend), their jayvees dominated the top 10 of the girls' junior varsity run. Among the Awesome Cavewomen to finish in that race's top 10 spots, Madison Marrott took first, Emma "Jack" Russell seocond, Kaylie Green third, Dani Christliers fourth, Ashlynn Lee fifth, Allie Green sixth, Stormy Watson eighth, and Scout McMillan 10th.
For the Awesome Cavemen in the junior varsity boys' race, Ben Carson took first, Parker Barnes second, Tony Jeffs third, Dalton Brems fourth, Carson Clinger fifth, Talon Garrick seventh, and Ammon Sumsion 10th.
The Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings had teammates finish in the top 10 in both the varsity girls and boys' divisions. For the Ferocious Vikings in the varsity girls race, Haley Tanne finished third, Skye Jeppson fifth, Aspen Lyons 12th, Nicole Sherridan 13th, Melanie Gomez 17th, Mia Bahr 24th, and Kendelle Tanne 25th. Representing Pleasant Grove in the varsity boys' division, Price Walker took ninth, Riley Taylor 10th, Reed Muir 11th, Brian Shultz 13th, Joe "Baad Boy" Lamb 14th, Jared "Da" Slye 23rd, and Josh Walker 24th.
Among the top seven Pleasant Grove racers in the girls' jayvee race, Jessica Harmon took 11th, Jenna McArthur 14th, Kate Christiansen 16th, Addie Berg 18th, Alyssa Bott 22nd, Paige 25th, Sarah Endecott 27th. The seven fastest Ferocious Vikings in the junior varsity boys race, Ali Ashtway took sixth, Tanner Lyons 14th, Eric Christen 20th, Matt Morrison 23rd, Preston Stobart 25th, Tracer Ridgeway 35th, and Wade Palmer 37th.
Pleasant Grove Coach Mark Morrison said, "Our runners improved their times. We had some jayvees run varsity, because of injuries among our regular varsity runners."
Pleasant Grove Coach Mark Morrison said, "Our runners improved their times. We had some jayvees run varsity, because of injuries among our regular varsity runners."
This season's Pleasant Grove Invite had a smaller field of competition. Whereas last season's invitation drew teams from 12 schools, only three schools chose to accept PG's invitations to participate in this year's meet.
The team scores for the varsity girls' division read Wasatch 46, Pleasant Grove 50, and Bingham 57. Team scores for the varsity boys' division were American Fork 15, Pleasant Grove 57, Bingham 81, and Wasatch 108.
The team scores for the varsity girls' division read Wasatch 46, Pleasant Grove 50, and Bingham 57. Team scores for the varsity boys' division were American Fork 15, Pleasant Grove 57, Bingham 81, and Wasatch 108.
Awesome AF Cavespikers Defeat Ferocious PG Vikings in Biggest Volleyball Upset of 2015 Season
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
Nobody could ever imagine that the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings, the defending state 5-A volleyball championship for the past three seasons, losing to a school that had not been to a state tournament in eight years. Yet, that was what happened on Sept. 15 when the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen sank the Ferocious Vikings in a five-game match at Pleasant Grove's gym.
What was more shocking about the Sept. 15 match was the fact that the Awesome Cavewomen, who had not played in a state game since their loss in a 2007 semifinal, had not defeated the Ferocious Vikings in a volleyball match in a generation. That didn't matter to American Fork, though, when the Awesome Cavewomen celebrated in Pleasant Grove's auxiliary gym after besting the Ferocious Vikings by scores of 16-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-15, 15-12.
In the first game, the Awesome Cavewomen, guided by Morgan Starkie and Lauren Ritchie, battled back within 14-13. Sara Hamson, Kamzyn Torwhitti, Brooklyn Dahl, and Malli Valguardson pooled their efforts together to stop the Awesome Cavewoman comeback. Despite efforts from Starkie and Ritchie, the Cavewomen slipped far behind, because of a strong Ferocious Viking effort at the net.
In defeating the Awesome Cavewomen 25-16, the Ferocious Vikings appeared destined to sweep American Fork away in three game. Game 2 opened with Tayler Tausinga putting American Fork on the board first. However, on Torwhitti's serving, the Ferocious Vikings rowed out to a 5-1 lead. Ritchie, Starkie, and Elena Hansen guided the Awesome Cavewomen within 5-4 and 7-5, but they couldn't tie the score. Hamson and Valguardson dominated the net, aided by Gina Rasmussen, Tania Muniz, Dahl, and Kennedy Redd. The Awesome Cavewomen didn't give up, however. Starkie and teammate Shay Prestwich guided them back within 24-22. However, a Natalie Ridder kill produced a 25-22 for the Ferocious Vikings.
The arrival of Game 3 brought with it an assumption that Pleasant Grove would polish off the Awesome Cavewomen. That didn't turn out to be the case, however. To the shock of Ferocious Viking fans, the Awesome Cavewomen secured a 3-0 lead on Kyndrah Enosa's serving. That lead didn't poke the Ferocious Vikings into realizing that American Fork had to be taken seriously. That was seen by Pleasant Grove's state veterans and first-year starters all taking turns at making bad hits and service errors that made it possible for American Fork to stay ahead all throughout Game 3. With Pleasant Grove making them look really good, the Awesome Cavewomen, especially Starkie, hammered the Ferocious Viking front row heavily. The closest the Ferocious Vikings could get to American Fork was 16-13. A Ritchie block produced a 25-19 win for American Fork and forced a fourth game.
Even though Hamson hits produced a 3-1 lead for Pleasant Grove in the fourth game, the Ferocious Vikings still couldn't get it into their heads that the Awesome Cavewomen were no longer easy opponents. For instance, the frequency of Ferocious Vikings making bad hits and missing serves was larger in the fourth game than it was in the third game. Pleasant Grove's awful performance gave Tausinga, Hansen, Starkie, and Prestwich a chance to play like NCCA Division 1 all-stars. Pleasant Grove did take leads of 9-8 and 11-10, but missed Viking serve midway through the game tipped the momentum to the Awesome Cavewomen's favor. Ritchie's blocking and Starkie's hitting enabled American Fork to pull ahead to a 25-15 win.
It convinced the Ferocious Viking to take American Fork seriously, especially when the Awesome Cavewomen rolled out to a 3-0 lead in Game 5. The Ferocious Vikings tied the game at three, but a missed PG serve gave American Fork a golden break. The Awesome Cavewomen stayed narrowly ahead for a spell, but Pleasant Grove tied the game at 10. A Ferocious Viking hitting error tipped American Fork ahead. The Awesome Cavewomen kept Hamson from doing really serious damage at the net as they battled to stay narrowly ahead of the Ferocious Vikings. Finally, a Whitney Bezzant ace won the game and the match for the Awesome Cavewomen.
American Fork Coach Shauntelle Durrant said, "In the third game, we took our shots when we needed to in order to stay ahead. Kills by Elena Hansen and Morgan Starkie gave us the momentum we needed to stay with PG all five games. Starkie produced 11 hits for us while Lauren Ritchie produced eight blocks for us."
Ferocious PG Vikings Dry Up Lehi Froggies 35-14 in Sept. 18 Football Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
For a third straight season, a Ferocious Pleasant Grove Viking cost the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, a football game. Malik Overstreet's catches of two touchdown passes paced his Ferocious Vikings to a 35-14 win over the Froggies in Pleasant Grove's Homecoming game Sept. 18.
As a sophomore two years ago, Overstreet caught a last-minute touchdown pass that lifted the Ferocious Vikings to a come-from-behind victory over the Froggies. Lehi's head coach at that time got blamed for the loss to Pleasant Grove, and he had to have police officers escort him out of Pioneer Stadium before angry Froggie fans could get their webbed hands on him. I was the only one who accused Overstreet for costing Lehi the game, and he didn't refute the accusation when I presented it to him months later.
Anyway, Overstreet didn't waste much time in costing the Froggies the Sept. 18 game. He scored both of the Ferocious Vikings' first-quarter touchdowns. Viking quarterback Isaac Hamilton, a "distant cousin" of Hollywood actor George Hamilton, said, "Malik was one of the best tight ends in the state. He ran the ball really well tonight. We can't give him the ball enough."
At 11;13 in the second quarter, Hamilton lobbed a 19-yard pass to Coleman Edwards for a touchdown. Extra-point kicks by Matt Smyth, a "distant cousin" of Hollywood director Alan Smythee, helped to produce the 21-0 lead that the Ferocious Vikings built up in the first half.
With the Ferocious Viking defense holding the Froggies scoreless in the first half, Lehi looked as though it would stroke home with a shutout loss. That prospect grew stronger in the second half's early minutes. After the Froggies had shut down a Ferocious Viking march, highlighted by Koy Wilkinson carries, they marched into midfield position under the guidance of quarterback Cammon Cooper. Suddenly, Ferocious Viking Aaron "Fairy Godfather" Sperry sacked Cooper for a big loss. A 21-yard Cooper pass to tight end Carson Terrill couldn't produce a first-down for the Froggies. To make things worse, the Froggies recovered a fumble of theirs at their 7-yard line during a punt. Taking a handoff from Hamilton, Wilkinson scored a touchdown, which Smyth frosted with a successful extra-point kick.
The Froggies didn't let that touchdown go unanswered. Long runs by running back Ben Slagowski and Ferocious Viking penalties moved the Froggies deep into Pleasant Grove territory late in the third quarter. From the PG 19-yard line, Cooper threw a pass to Cade Moore for a touchdown. It gave Lehi fans something to croak loudly about, especially when Jacob Keeslar kicked a PAT.
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
Nobody could ever imagine that the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings, the defending state 5-A volleyball championship for the past three seasons, losing to a school that had not been to a state tournament in eight years. Yet, that was what happened on Sept. 15 when the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen sank the Ferocious Vikings in a five-game match at Pleasant Grove's gym.
What was more shocking about the Sept. 15 match was the fact that the Awesome Cavewomen, who had not played in a state game since their loss in a 2007 semifinal, had not defeated the Ferocious Vikings in a volleyball match in a generation. That didn't matter to American Fork, though, when the Awesome Cavewomen celebrated in Pleasant Grove's auxiliary gym after besting the Ferocious Vikings by scores of 16-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-15, 15-12.
In the first game, the Awesome Cavewomen, guided by Morgan Starkie and Lauren Ritchie, battled back within 14-13. Sara Hamson, Kamzyn Torwhitti, Brooklyn Dahl, and Malli Valguardson pooled their efforts together to stop the Awesome Cavewoman comeback. Despite efforts from Starkie and Ritchie, the Cavewomen slipped far behind, because of a strong Ferocious Viking effort at the net.
In defeating the Awesome Cavewomen 25-16, the Ferocious Vikings appeared destined to sweep American Fork away in three game. Game 2 opened with Tayler Tausinga putting American Fork on the board first. However, on Torwhitti's serving, the Ferocious Vikings rowed out to a 5-1 lead. Ritchie, Starkie, and Elena Hansen guided the Awesome Cavewomen within 5-4 and 7-5, but they couldn't tie the score. Hamson and Valguardson dominated the net, aided by Gina Rasmussen, Tania Muniz, Dahl, and Kennedy Redd. The Awesome Cavewomen didn't give up, however. Starkie and teammate Shay Prestwich guided them back within 24-22. However, a Natalie Ridder kill produced a 25-22 for the Ferocious Vikings.
The arrival of Game 3 brought with it an assumption that Pleasant Grove would polish off the Awesome Cavewomen. That didn't turn out to be the case, however. To the shock of Ferocious Viking fans, the Awesome Cavewomen secured a 3-0 lead on Kyndrah Enosa's serving. That lead didn't poke the Ferocious Vikings into realizing that American Fork had to be taken seriously. That was seen by Pleasant Grove's state veterans and first-year starters all taking turns at making bad hits and service errors that made it possible for American Fork to stay ahead all throughout Game 3. With Pleasant Grove making them look really good, the Awesome Cavewomen, especially Starkie, hammered the Ferocious Viking front row heavily. The closest the Ferocious Vikings could get to American Fork was 16-13. A Ritchie block produced a 25-19 win for American Fork and forced a fourth game.
Even though Hamson hits produced a 3-1 lead for Pleasant Grove in the fourth game, the Ferocious Vikings still couldn't get it into their heads that the Awesome Cavewomen were no longer easy opponents. For instance, the frequency of Ferocious Vikings making bad hits and missing serves was larger in the fourth game than it was in the third game. Pleasant Grove's awful performance gave Tausinga, Hansen, Starkie, and Prestwich a chance to play like NCCA Division 1 all-stars. Pleasant Grove did take leads of 9-8 and 11-10, but missed Viking serve midway through the game tipped the momentum to the Awesome Cavewomen's favor. Ritchie's blocking and Starkie's hitting enabled American Fork to pull ahead to a 25-15 win.
It convinced the Ferocious Viking to take American Fork seriously, especially when the Awesome Cavewomen rolled out to a 3-0 lead in Game 5. The Ferocious Vikings tied the game at three, but a missed PG serve gave American Fork a golden break. The Awesome Cavewomen stayed narrowly ahead for a spell, but Pleasant Grove tied the game at 10. A Ferocious Viking hitting error tipped American Fork ahead. The Awesome Cavewomen kept Hamson from doing really serious damage at the net as they battled to stay narrowly ahead of the Ferocious Vikings. Finally, a Whitney Bezzant ace won the game and the match for the Awesome Cavewomen.
American Fork Coach Shauntelle Durrant said, "In the third game, we took our shots when we needed to in order to stay ahead. Kills by Elena Hansen and Morgan Starkie gave us the momentum we needed to stay with PG all five games. Starkie produced 11 hits for us while Lauren Ritchie produced eight blocks for us."
Ferocious PG Vikings Dry Up Lehi Froggies 35-14 in Sept. 18 Football Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
For a third straight season, a Ferocious Pleasant Grove Viking cost the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, a football game. Malik Overstreet's catches of two touchdown passes paced his Ferocious Vikings to a 35-14 win over the Froggies in Pleasant Grove's Homecoming game Sept. 18.
As a sophomore two years ago, Overstreet caught a last-minute touchdown pass that lifted the Ferocious Vikings to a come-from-behind victory over the Froggies. Lehi's head coach at that time got blamed for the loss to Pleasant Grove, and he had to have police officers escort him out of Pioneer Stadium before angry Froggie fans could get their webbed hands on him. I was the only one who accused Overstreet for costing Lehi the game, and he didn't refute the accusation when I presented it to him months later.
Anyway, Overstreet didn't waste much time in costing the Froggies the Sept. 18 game. He scored both of the Ferocious Vikings' first-quarter touchdowns. Viking quarterback Isaac Hamilton, a "distant cousin" of Hollywood actor George Hamilton, said, "Malik was one of the best tight ends in the state. He ran the ball really well tonight. We can't give him the ball enough."
At 11;13 in the second quarter, Hamilton lobbed a 19-yard pass to Coleman Edwards for a touchdown. Extra-point kicks by Matt Smyth, a "distant cousin" of Hollywood director Alan Smythee, helped to produce the 21-0 lead that the Ferocious Vikings built up in the first half.
With the Ferocious Viking defense holding the Froggies scoreless in the first half, Lehi looked as though it would stroke home with a shutout loss. That prospect grew stronger in the second half's early minutes. After the Froggies had shut down a Ferocious Viking march, highlighted by Koy Wilkinson carries, they marched into midfield position under the guidance of quarterback Cammon Cooper. Suddenly, Ferocious Viking Aaron "Fairy Godfather" Sperry sacked Cooper for a big loss. A 21-yard Cooper pass to tight end Carson Terrill couldn't produce a first-down for the Froggies. To make things worse, the Froggies recovered a fumble of theirs at their 7-yard line during a punt. Taking a handoff from Hamilton, Wilkinson scored a touchdown, which Smyth frosted with a successful extra-point kick.
The Froggies didn't let that touchdown go unanswered. Long runs by running back Ben Slagowski and Ferocious Viking penalties moved the Froggies deep into Pleasant Grove territory late in the third quarter. From the PG 19-yard line, Cooper threw a pass to Cade Moore for a touchdown. It gave Lehi fans something to croak loudly about, especially when Jacob Keeslar kicked a PAT.
Pleasant Grove still put the game away near the third quarter's end, though. After connecting a 21-yard pass to wide receive Dane Christiansen, Hamilton handed the ball off to Wilkinson for a 37-yard touchdown run at 0:28.6. Lehi held the Ferocious Vikings scoreless for the rest of the game, but that gave Froggie fans little comfort.
The Froggies still managed to get one more touchdown before they stroked home in defeat. Late in the fourth quarter, Cooper passed 21 yards to wide receiver Wyatt Parkinson for a touchdown at 4:12. A successful, Keeslar extra-point kick completed the evening's scoring.
Hamilton said, "We finally put together a great effort tonight. We haven't played very united in the last couple of games. Our offensive line blocked really well for me."
Pleasant Grove Coach Les Hamilton said, "Our defensive team played its best game tonight. Malik carried the ball well for us tonight. "
Hamilton said, "We finally put together a great effort tonight. We haven't played very united in the last couple of games. Our offensive line blocked really well for me."
Pleasant Grove Coach Les Hamilton said, "Our defensive team played its best game tonight. Malik carried the ball well for us tonight. "
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