Timp Sports Weekly
November 29, 2011
Publisher's Message
For this week's issue, we look at four boys' basketball games played at the Great Zuke Challenge, held Nov. 22-23 at Utah Valley University's McKay Events Center. We will also look at the Nov. 22 Lehi-Wasatch girls' basketball game, which had ties to American Fork athletics. This issue will look at the recent Utah County Invitational. We also have an essay about people's willingness to run long distance races in freezing weather. Let's get to those items.
Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
Awesome AF Cavemen Open Hoop Season With Nov. 23 Win Over Woods Cross Wild Kittens
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Awesome American Fork Cavemen opened their 2011-12 basketball season Nov. 23 with a 65-52 win over the Woods Cross Wildcats, AKA the Wild Kittens, in the final varsity game of the Great Zuke Challenge, held at Utah Valley University.
The game opened with Awesome Cavemen Marcel Davis getting the opening tipoff. American Fork soon missed a shot, which a Wild Kitten rebounded. Skyler "Mean Kitty" Farnes scored the game's bucket, but Woods Cross could not build a big lead from it. Awesome Caveman Zach Hunter tied the game, then stole the ball, which he quickly stuffed through the Woods Cross hoop. By the game's conclusion, Hunter make a total of three dunk shots. They epitomized what the Awesome Cavemen did to the Wild Kittens that Wednesday afternoon.
The combined firepower of Hunter and Davis helped American Fork club its way to a 17-5 lead quicker than you could say Ali Lamb Chop. The closest that the Wild Kittens could get to American Fork during the first period was when a Brady Cowley trey put them within 11-5. Danny Beddes and Quincy Bair came up with assists to Davis, Hunter, and Austin Waddoups for buckets that created a 20-9 lead for the Awesome Cavemen at the end of the period.
In the second period, American Fork found the Wild Kittens to be more difficult to tame than originally thought. That was because of Wild Kitten Felipo "Big Phil" Mokofisi. His inside shooting allowed Woods Cross to pounce within 26-20. Waddoups stole the ball at the point and sank a layup that proved vital to American Fork in the long run. Free throws from Luke "Sir Purr" Jowers and Garret Grant guided the Wild Kittens within 28-23. Free throws from Davis and Hunter enabled American Fork to take a 35-24 lead into the second half.
In the early second half, Bair went on a scoring spree that neutralized offensive efforts from Mokofisi. Aided by a Waddoups trey, Bair's shooting gave the Awesome Cavemen a 44-26 lead. Aided by Morgan "Mo" Flinders, Tyler Rawson, and Ryan Andrus, a "distant cousin" of movie actress Ursula Andrus, the combined firepower of Hunter, Davis, and Waddoups produced a 50-30 lead for American Fork midway through the third period.
A Mokofisi bucket at the start of the fourth quarter sparked a 7-2 scoring run that put the Wild Kittens within 53-41. Mokofisi remained a big challenge for the Cavemen all the way through the final quarter as he continued sinking inside shots. Caveman Coach Doug Meacham admitted, "We were letting him get some great catches inside."
However, Mokofisi couldn't carry the game for the Wild Kittens, for Waddoups and Hunter came up with shots that kept the Cavemen's lead in double figures throughout the final quarter.
Meacham, "I thought we showed a lot of toughness in this opener. We did have problems with free throws. We need to work on them in order to have better chances for winning games. Our guards did really good. Still, we need to create a tempo with our defense. We'll be working on that through the early part of this season."
Davis led the Cavemen with 15 points while Hunter added another 14 and Waddoups 13. Mokofisi led Woods Cross with 14 points while Farnes and Cowely each added another nine.
Lehi Froggies Neuter Timpanogos T-Pups at Zuke Challenge
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, neutered the Timpanogos Timberwolves, AKA T-Pups, 46-44 in a preseason opener at the Zuke Challenge, hosted by Utah Valley University Nov. 23.
The game went down as one of the tightest showdowns in the two-day tournament. In the first quarter, Trevor Schade and Cam Bailey, a "distant cousin" of comic strip character Beetle Bailey, guided the T-Pups to a 10-9 lead over the Froggies.
In the second quarter, though, Ryan Christofferson, Tanner Pittard, and Brad "Mister" McGregor guided the Froggies in battling the T-Pups to a 15-15 draw. Two Tanner Halford free throws sent the T-Pups ahead 17-15. The game turned into a seesaw affair. Shortly before halftime, Christofferson sank a three-pointer that tipped the Froggies ahead 18-17.
In the third period, Jesse "Speedy" Perez became the T-Pups' chief gun. Scoring nine straight points, he gave the T-Pups leads of 19-18, 23-20, and 26-20. Pittard attempted to turn Lehi's situation around for the better through guiding the Froggies within 23-22. However, with Perez's shooting, the Froggies couldn't regain the lead during the third quarter. Foul shots from Bailey and Bryan "Wooden" Nickle helped the T-Pups take a 34-28 lead into the final quarter.
Scoring five points early in the final quarter, McGregor led the Froggies on an 8-2 scoring run that tied the game at 36. Two Schade foul shots broke the 36-36 tie, but holding onto the lead proved to be slippery for the T-Pups. Colt ".45" Colledge shot in a free throw, then scored on a Christofferson assist to put Lehi back ahead 39-38. Trades in the lead continued until two Blake Cleveringa foul shots gave the Froggies a 43-41 lead. With Colledge soon pulling down a key defensive rebound, Cleveringa hit a three-pointer that gave Lehi a strong hold on the lead. The T-Pups refused to throw their paws up, however, especially a Tyler Hamilton trey put them within 46-44. When Bailey rebounded a McGregor free throw, the T-Pups looked as though they would either force the game to go into overtime or win on a three-point shot. They gambled on an 18-foot shot at the buzzer. However, a Froggie rebounded the shot.
Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "Cleveringa hit a big three and two crucial foul shots that saved us. We had problems with foul trouble. Colton Colledge, for one, played only 1 1/2 quarters, because of foul trouble. He did make some big rebound for us down the wire, though."
Cleveringa said, "When we made that rebound at the end of the game, we felt a sigh of relief. They played us really tough. We played our best in the fourth quarter. When Brad and I made those big free throws in the second half, we knew we could pull this thing out."
Colledge led Lehi with six rebounds. The game's MVP, Christopherson led Lehi with 12 points while Pittard added another eight points. Schade and Perez led the T-Pups with nine points apiece.
Springville Hellions Scorch Wasatch Bugs 65-57 at Zuke Challenge
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
AKA the Helltown Hellions, the Springville Red Devils scorched the Wasatch Wasps, AKA the Bugs, 65-52 at the Zuke Challenge Nov. 23.
A former Lehi basketball coach, Lonnie Magnusson marked his debut for his second go-around as the Bugs' head boys' coach at the Nov. 23 game. The Hellions found the Bugs worthy opponents, particularly in the first quarter. Cale Strong and Matt "The Yellow Jacket" Pelo, and Zach "Mr. Sting" Watts came up with shots that gave the Bugs first-quarter leads of 6-4 and 12-9. However, Wasatch found out the difficulty of exorcising Springville Red Devils. A Max Schreiner trey tied the game at 12. Schreiner then broke the tie with an inside shot. It put the Hellions ahead for the rest of the quarter.
The Bugs almost retook the lead at the start of the second period when a Strong bucket put them within 19-18. However, after a Bug had pulled down a defensive rebound, Wasatch made a bad pass. It proved ultimately fatal to the Bugs, for McKay "Sexy He-Devil" Murphy sank a three-pointer that kept the Hellions narrowly ahead for the rest of the quarter. Pelo and Parker "Venom" Davis guided the Bugs within two points four times in the quarter. However, Nate Israelson and Murphy came up with shots that prevented Wasatch from tying the game. The half ended with Helltown leading Wasatch by just 34-30
In the early third period, Israelsen sank a layup that gave the Hellions a 36-30 advantage. However, Pelo led the Bugs on a 9-4 scoring run that put them within 40-39. Two Jacob Ward free throws kept Springville ahead. Sunk during the buzzer, a Murphy trey gave Springville a 46-41 lead.
In the final quarter, the Hellions kept the Bugs from getting closer than 56-51. Murphy and Israelson led the Hellions on an 9-6 scoring run which clutched the game for them. Israelsen led the Hellions with 19 points while Schreiner added 14 and Murphy 12.
Weber's Brigade of Doom Roasts Maple Mountain Golden Chirps 66-47
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
With Nov. 23 being Thanksgiving Eve, the Weber Warriors, AKA the Brigade of Doom, roasted the Maple Mountain Golden Eagles, AKA Golden Chirps, 66-47 in a Zuke Challenge game.
With Hayden Schenck as their big gun, the Warriors took a 21-9 lead over the Golden Chirps in the first quarter. The Brigade of Doom never looked back. Tried as the Golden Chirps do, they couldn't shut Schenck down anywhere in the key. He left them bewildered as the Brigade of Doom made the Thanksgiving Eve game a dark experience for the Golden Chirps. By halftime, the Brigade of Doom had secured a 40-21 lead over Maple Mountain.
Its few bright moments were provided by Jace Edmunds. That Golden Chirp got really hot in scoring in the second half. Unfortunately, by then, however, the game had long since become a lost cause for the Golden Chirps. Through Edmunds' efforts, they did outscore the Brigade of Doom 14-10 in the third quarter. The closest that the Golden Chirps could get to Weber was 55-40 in the final quarter.
Schenck led the Brigade of Doom with 19 points while Justin Nielsen added another 11. Edmunds led Maple Mountain with 17 points while Zach Porter added another eight.
Lehi Froggerettes Begin Girls' Basketball On Stinging Note Via Home Loss to Wasatch
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
AKA the Froggies, the Lehi Pioneers began their new girls' basketball season with a six-point loss to the Wasatch Wasps, AKA the Bugs, in a Nov. 22 game at home. The Bugs buzzed past the Froggies 51-45 in a game that had interestingly had American Fork ties.
One of those ties was Arlynn Robinson, a daughter of Paige and the late Chad "Mad Dog" Robinson. Arlynn's parents both had played basketball for the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen and -men back in the 1980's. Arlynn produced crucial shots for the Bugs early in the game. It opened with Froggie To'a Faleao scoring the very first bucket. Arlynn's shooting tied the game at two and four. Finally, Robinson put the Bugs ahead 6-4 on an assist from Kayla Baird. The Bugs stayed ahead for the rest of the first half. Still, Jalissa Bagley and Beth Beeston provided shots that kept the Froggies close to Wasatch. Late in the first quarter, Beeston nailed trey that put Lehi within 14-13, but she missed a foul shot that would have evened the game at 14. Shots from Riley Gagon and Becky Manwhinney gave the Bugs an 18-13 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
In the early second quarter, Bagley and Beeston led Lehi on a 5-3 scoring run. When Beeston hit another trey, which cut the lead to 21-18, the Froggies looked certain of catching up. However, Manwhinney and teammate Ashlyn Coleman came up with shots that proved to be quite stinging to Lehi. The Bugs lead by as far as 31-19. Nikki Fitz, Kenzie Arviso, and and Faleao led Lehi on a 6-1 scoring run that put the Froggies within 32-25 by halftime.
Like the Bugs, the Froggies had an American Fork tie in the game. That tie's name was Jana Shumway. Her late father, Scott, played on the Awesome Cavemen's 1979 state championship team. in the early third period, Jana came up with rehounds and a bucket that sparked a strong comeback for the Froggies. Faleao and Jana guided the comeback that saw a Bagley bucket cut the lead to 32-31. A Beeston trey put Lehi back out in front 34-32. A seesaw battle ensued. When Lehi took a 38-36 lead in Quarter 3's final 30 seconds, the Froggies looked as though they would be ahead at the start of the final period. However, Manwhinney hit a buzzer-beater that tied the game at 38.
A long series of defensive rebounds kept the game tied at 38 until two Manwhinney free throws put Wasatch back out in front, opening an 8-0 scoring run for the Bugs. Fitz hit a trey that put the Froggies within 46-41. Through Manwhinney's free throw shooting and Arlynn's rebounding, the Bugs didn't let the Froggies catch up with them in the fourth period.
Wasatch's new girls' basketball coach Tom Perkins said he had a lot of respect for Lehi. (A former women's basketball coach at Utah Valley University, he had the Beautiful Stephanie Trane, a former Awesome Cavewoman cager, play for him in the 1980's.) Perkins said, "Lehi's starter, No. 32 [Beeston] proved to be a really good post against us. Lehi gave us a big scare in the third period."
Lehi Coach Troy Gifford said, "I thought our underclassmen like ninth-grader Faleao did a good job under the basket. Jalissa Bagley and Beth Beeston hit some big shots for us. We played great defense in the third period, allowing us to have that 9-1 scoring run."
Loner Girls, Awesome AF Cavemen Win Utah County Swim Titles
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
At the Utah County Invitational, held at the American Fork Recreation Center Nov. 11, the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, and the Awesome American Fork Cavemen won the girls and boys' divisions respectively. The Loners finished first in the combined team scores.
In the girls' division, the Loners posted a winning score of 378 while the Awesome American Fork Cavemen finished second with 322 points. Posting 282 points in the boys' division, the Awesome Cavemen staved off the second-place Springville Red Devils, AKA the Hellions, by seven points. Lone Peak finished third in the boys' division.
Comprised of Samm Scoresby, Breanna Burk, Brittani Finlayson, and Rachel Hubbert, the Loners' girls' 200-yard medley relay team took first. Awesome Cavemen Ethan Pollock, Chris Nielson, Daryk Childs, and Max Kimball pooled their efforts together to win the boys' 200-yard medley relay.
Posting a time of 1:159.89, Awesome Cavewoman Camille Okelberry won the county title in the girls' 200-yard freestyle. She also took county in the girls' 100-yard butterfly.
Finlayson took county in the girls' 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard breaststroke.
Loner Chris Nielson outlasted Pleasant Grove's Nate Bramhall and Lehi's Trevor Blackburn by two seconds, winning the boys' 200-yard individual medley.
AKA the Froggies, the Lehi Pioneers had a swell reason to be hoppy when Tanner Frandsen won the boys' 50-yard freestyle. Lehi Coach Dennis Meyering said, "Tanner's winning that event was a high point for us. We let our kids swim in off-events today. They did really well in them." Lehi finished fourth in the boys' division and fifth in the girls.
Awesome Caveman Chris Nielson on the boys' 100-yard butterfly in a time of 55.67, besting Lehi's Blackburn by two seconds.
Outswimming American Fork's Morgan King by four second, Scoresby won the girls' 100-yard freestyle. Loner Rachel Hubbert took the girls' 500-yard freestyle title.
Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings Dane Ostergaard, Ryan Fonseca, Brayden Cutler, and Nate Bramhall joined forces to win the county boys' 200-yard freestyle relay. An American Fork team of Katie Steele, Syd Young, Morgan King, and Camille Okelberry won the girls' 200-yard freestyle.
Bramhall won the boys' 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 1:00.25, besting Loner Zack Bradshaw by four seconds.
The team of Scoresby, Finlayson, Burk, and Hubbert won the girls' 400-meter freestyle relay for the Loners. The Awesome Caveman team of Zack Murphy, Ethan Pollock, Daryk Childs, and Chris Nielson won the boys' 400-yard freestyle relay.
Publisher's Column
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
Through much of late October and the first half of November, Lehi's FCCLA Club had been promoting its annual Turkey Trot, which was held at Lehi High Nov. 19. Flyers had been posted on lockers and walls on classroom.
Well, winter weather hit Utah on the evening of Nov. 18, and I kind of wondered if the Turkey Trot would be held at all. Still, I showed up for it. The cold weather had clearly cooled a lot of long-distance racers' desires to compete in the run. Still, 10 racers, who included nine girls and one boy, showed up for it.
The only boy to run in it was Chris "The Ferocious Chihuahua" Sanchez. He did not run cross country for Lehi during this recent fall. In fact, he intended to be a wrestler for the Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, this winner. Still, he toughed it out, winning the race. Annie Gillespie took second and Kaylee Forbes third.
The low turnout meant a huge surplus of promotional sweat shirts that FCCLA people would have to take home. I jokingly suggested to FCCLA instructor Valerie Grimes, "You should put those shirts on E-Bay."
She said, "We might sell these at next year's Turkey Trot."
Despite the low turnout for that 5-K race, the fact that it had participants turn up showed people's willingness to run in freezing weather. That fact was shown to me when I left the Lehi High campus. On an overpass just north of it, a guy was jogging in warmups.
Even though I can't imagine myself running in really weather, there are lots of people who're willing to do that. That's a big reason, they stay fit year-round and do well in 5-K road races.
