AF-PG Hoops

Timp Sports Weekly

January 17, 2010

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at two basketball games that epitomize four generations of rivalry between the Awesome American Fork Cavemen and the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings. Both contests were tight affairs. Let's get to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Awesome AF Cavewomen Take Down Ferocious PG Girls in Jan. 14 Hoops Battle

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Awesome American Fork Cavewomen stayed unbeaten in Region Four girls' basketball standings through winning 56-46 at home against the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings Jan. 14.

The game unfolded with American Fork having difficulty against Viking junior point guard Danyele Hoffman. Opening the night's scoring with a trey, she singled-handedly created an early 5-2 lead for the Vikings. However, her Cavewoman counterpart Laini Kalumbi quickly proved to be as threatening as her. Pulling down a defensive rebound, Cavewoman Hayley Su'a'filo connected a pass to Kalumbi for a shot that opened an 8-1 scoring run for the Cavewomen. After Pleasant Grove had tied the game at six on a Kourtney Dinehart foul shot, American Fork's Kylie Allen broke the tie. Amy Krommenhoek and Kalumbi worked together to create a 12-8 led for American Fork at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter opened with Hoffman pulling down a defensive board and cutting away for an attempted layup. The Viking point guard missed the shot, which American Fork rebounded. Marin Gilbert hit a set shot that soon resulted in American Fork's lead swelling to 16-8. Combined shooting from Hoffman and Jenny Hamson sparked a 14-6 scoring run for the Ferocious Vikings. Stealing the ball at one point, Krommenhoek hit a crucial trey that helped American Fork stay out in front during the Vikings' scoring run. It climaxed with Hamson tying the game at 22. Kalumbi broke the 22-22 just before halftime.

In the early second half, Su'a'filo, Grace Farnsworth, Shelby Carson, and Kenzi Moeai stepped forward to help Kalumbi to pull big rebounds. Meanhile, Krommenhoek led a 7-2 scoring run that improved American Fork's advantage at 31-24. In the third period's final three minutes, Hamson and Hoffman became the only Vikings having in luck in scoring. The two Pleasant Grove players guided their team within 37-31. Kalumbi's incredible performance at the line and on the floor enabled the Awesome Cavewomen to take a 39-31 lead into the final period. 

It opened with Kenzi Larson pacing the Vikings within 39-35. That turned out to be the closest Pleasant Grove could get to the Cavewomen. Besidess nailing an important trey, Krommenhoek joined Moeai, Allen, and Kalumbi in swishing in foul shots that gave American Fork leads as wide as 10 points. Hamson and Hoffman's combined efforts couldn't turn the Vikings' fortunes around for the better.

American Fork Coach Corey Clayton said, "We had big rebounds from Grace Farnsworth, Shelby Carson, Hayley Su'a'filo, and Kenzi Moeai. Like at Alta two nights ago, Laini Kalumbi had a great game."

Kalumbi led American Fork with 25 points while Krommenhoek added another 12. Hamson and Hoffman led the Ferocious Vikings with 15 points each.

Ferocious PG Vikings Outlast Awesome AF Cavemen 64-61 in Jan. 15

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In Region Four boys' basketball action at American Fork Jan. 15, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings rowed from behind to defeat the Awesome American Fork Cavemen 64-61.

Viking Coach Randy McAllister said, "Tonight's the third straight time we have had to battle to try coming from behind to win. We have won two of those games. Tonight, our guys kept battling back."

American Fork Coach Doug Meacham said, "I thought we were aggressive on offense. For our defensive game, we played pretty good for the most part. Our problem tonight, though, was that we weren't playing to win; we were playing not to lose. At the final stretch, we let them have more layups and post catches in the second half than they had in the first half. That did us in."

The Ferocious Vikings took a 2-0 lead two minutes into the game. American Fork battled back, though, through efforts from Ben Beddes, Quincy Bair, Austin Waddoups, Alex Ross, and Marcel Davis. The first quarter ended in an 8-8 tie.

After a Joe Kruger foul shot snapped the tie, Davis hit a go-ahead shot that made the rest of the quarter a seesaw fight. Bair, Beddes, and Waddoups engaged in fierce battles with Vikings Sefa Tanoai and Kruger for rebounds. After Pleasant Grove had secured a lead of 15-10, the Cavemen went on a 6-2 scoring run that put them within 17-16. Bair recovered a loose ball at that point, but American Fork missed a key shot, Brandon Thurgood hit a three-pointer that permitted the Vikings to a take a narrow lead into the next half, even two Bair free throws did put the Cavemen within 22-21.

The third period opened with Davis tying the game at 23. Caveman Jake Blackhurst broke the deadlock with a three-point play.  American Fork attempts to gain momentum from it became frustrated with Kruger and Tanoai's boarding. With the score reading 28-27, American Fork, Viking Bryan Sampson stole the ball and sank a layup. More switches in the lead followed in the third period. Ross hit a three-point that tipped American Fork ahead 34-31 and kept the Cavemen out in front for the rest of the quarter. 

When he went to the foul line at the end of the quarter, Tanoai served the Cavemen a reminder of how a serious a threat he still was to them. He hit two free throws that put the Vikings within 37-35.

In the fourth quarter, Ross became really aggressive for American Fork on rebounding and outside shooting. His fourth-quarter treys helped to give the Cavemen a 48-41 lead. Taking an assist from Davis, Bair sank a layup, then a free throw to complete a three-point play, which gave the Cavemen a 51-43. Tonai's performance inside the key prevented the Cavemen from acquiring a 10-point lead. After Ross had put American Fork's lead at 53-45, Tonai went on a shooting spree. When only 1 1/2 minutes remained in the game, Viking Dallas Lloyd stole the ball and passed to Tanoai for a layup that put the Vikings ahead 58-57. Tonai soon scored on an inbounds pass that improved Pleasant Grove's chances for taking home a win. Davis cut the lead to 62-61 in the final 10 seconds, but Brady Hoglund hit two foul shots that clutched the game for the Vikings.

"Sefa is a four-year varsity player," McAllister said. "He showed tonight why he has all that experience."

Ross led American Fork with 17 points while Davis added another 14 and Beddes 10. Kruger led Pleasant Grove with 16 points while Tanoai added another 15 and Sampson 12.

Mountain View Teddy Bears

Timp Sports Weekly

January 11, 2010

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at four basketball stories and an account of the Lehi Pioneer wrestling team's final home win against the Mountain View Bruins, AKA the Teddy Bears or T-Bears. Three of those stories cover contests that could have ended in any team's favor. Let's get to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Lehi Grapplers Finish Home Season With 49-29 Win Over Mountain View T-Bears

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneer wrestling team finished its home season with a 49-29 win over the Mountain View Bruins, AKA the Teddy Bears or T-Bears, in a dual meet Jan. 7. The win left Lehi as the only undefeated team in Region Seven standings.

Lehi Coach Dan "Mr. Nice" Rice said, "They [his grapplers] wrestled with lots of intensity. So they were able to way out in front early.  This was an important dual meet for us since we and Mountain View went into this with unbeaten region records." 

The meet opened with Mountain View's 125-pounder, Sam "The Rising Sun" Chun taking a 2-1 lead over Dallin "The Stallion" Rice. The Rising Sun couldn't keep The Stallion under control for long. Rice pulled ahead on a reversal, and he went on to win 8-2 over The Rising Sun.

The 130 weight class bout didn't last a full first period. Forty-five seconds into the match, Lehi's Koy "Squeeze Toy" Ash pinned Chris "Big Gun" Chun, brother of The Rising Sun. Ash's victory sparked a streak of Lehi pins. 

In the 135 weight class match, Lehi's Tanner "The Buck" Eastmond wrestled Hugo "The Tiger Shark" Ruelas to a 0-0 in the first period. In the second period, though, The Buck pinned The Tiger Shark.

Taking a 4-1 lead over Mountain View's Kaika "Hard Roll" Cole, Justin "The Throttle" Cottle pinned him in the second period of their 140 weight class match.

T-Bear Ryder "The Bright" Wright quickly became outmatched by Lehi's Logan "Dog Pound" Brown in their 145 weight class battle. Rolling out an to early 7-1 lead over The Bright, Brown pinned that Teddy Bear within two minutes of the match.

A 152-pound wrestler, Lehi's Trevor "The Handsome" Hansen pinned Ty "The Outlaw" Shaw so quickly, that the Pioneers looked as thought they would keep their streak of scoring falls going.

However, Mountain View's Zach "Hard Tack" Taylor stunned Lehi fans through pinning Riley "The Great Dane" Anderson 30 seconds into their 160 weight class match.

In the 171 weight class match, Mountain View's Bennett "The Silver Hammer" Maxwell secured a 5-1 lead over Lehi's Braxton "The Quick" Southwick. Though the Quick did jump back within 5-3 on a reversal, the Silver Hammer still pinned him in the third period. 

Pioneer Taylor "Il Toro" Savio set off another streak of Lehi pins during his 189 weight class match against Taylor "The Sower" Story. Il Toro built up an 11-0 lead in the first two period. Just when the match looked as though it would end in a technical fall, Savio pinned Story.

Lehi's Bubba "The St. George Dragon" Demke pinned Riley "The Tor" Moore 40 seconds into their 215 weight class match.

By pinning Lehi's Garrett "Big Boom" Bolles, 285-pounder Clancy "Thunder Bolts" Holz reminded Pioneer fans that the Teddy Bears were still capable of scoring wins in the dual meet.

The 103 weight class match between Lehi's Logan "The Fightin' North Briton" Passey and Slammin' Ammon Gafney went down as the evening's tightest contest. Slammin' Ammon secured leads of 3-2 and 8-5. However, The Fightin' North Briton continued showing the ferocity of his Scottish ancestors. Passey tied the match at five and eight. Soon, The Fightin' North Briton pulled ahead 11-8. Slammin' Ammon scored a takedown just before the final buzzer, but that move occurred too late to save him. Passey won 11-10. A Mountain View coach protested the outcome of the match, and the referee fine the Teddy Bears one point.

Lehi's 112-pounder, Andy "The Hun" Tilley didn't last a minute against Naakaki "The Navajo Ram" Tsosie. The Mountain View wrestler pinned Tilley a half minute into their match.

After battling Mountain View's Cam "The Mean Lamb" Urbach to a scoreless tie in the first period, Steve "The Corsair" DuBose pinned his 119-pound foe in the second period, ending the dual meet.

Lehi Pioneer Girls' Hoop Team Open Region 7 Play With Home Win Against MV T-Bears

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneers improved their Region Seven girls' basketball record at 2-o by taking down the Mountain View Bruins, AKA the Teddy Bears or T-Bears, 56-43 at home Jan. 5.

Lehi Coach Troy Gifford said, "Tonight, our girls learned to play all four quarters of basketball. Also, we were the aggressors. We proved we could be able to keep attacking the basket."

The win came in the aftermath of a home loss to the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, four days before. Eager to atone for that defeat, the Pioneers hopped out ahead of the Teddy Bears early in the contest. As soon as Lehi's Katie Rogers had caught the tipoff, she paused to Chelz Atoa for a three-point shot. It sent the Pioneers jumping out to a 7-0 lead. Before Lehi could move any further ahead, two Shanna Halielle foul shots opened a 6-0 scoring run for the T-Bears. Foul shots from teammate Mika Pinner enabled Shanna to tie the game at eight on an offensive rebound. To Lehi fans' relief, Briar Sands broke the 8-8 deadlock, and she stole the ball at the end of the quarter.

The second period opened with Rogers scoring through an offensive rebound. The ensuing quarter witnessed a combined shooting of Sands and teammate Gabby Grantham extend Lehi's lead out to 10 points four times. Also, Grantham harassed the Teddy Bears with steals. Maddie Beeton along with twins Shanna and Shaynne Halille guided Mountain View efforts to keep the point spread from extending beyond 10 points. The Bruins couldn't get any closer to the Pioneers than eight points during the quarter. It ended with Lehi leading 26-16.

In the third period, Mountain View's Lindsey Ezola hit a three-pointer that sparked a strong T-Bear comeback. The Teddy Bears held the Pioneers to seven points in the quarter as Mountain View clawed its way back into the game. Gifford said, "Whitney Cook came up with some big-time plays for us, especially in the third period."

Hitting a three-pointer right after Ezola had done so, Cook came up with steals and rebounds that permitted the Pioneers to maintain their lead as T-Bears such as Pinner delivered big slashes to it.

With Pinner cutting the lead to 33-31 by sinking a quarter-ending shot, Mountain View had a real chance of winning on the Pioneers' home floor like the Loners had done four days before. In the fourth quarter, Pinner produced a three-point play that gave the Teddy Bears a 34-33 lead. Mountain View's stint in the driver's seat didn't last a minute. Two Sands foul shots tipped the Pioneers back out front. Upon making a defensive rebound, Grantham connected a pass to Anau Faleano for a successful jump shot that prevented a Shanna Halille trey from putting the Bruins back out in front. Pioneer Jackie Cattani came up with steals, three fourth-quarter points, and some defensive rebounds to help tighten Lehi's hold on its narrow lead. Besides producing key assists, Cook hit a jumper that kept the T-Bears from placing their paws on the momentum. Free throws from Rogers and Cattani gave Lehi the fuel to pull away in the game's final two minutes.

Cook led Lehi with 11 points while Sands added another 10. Shanna Halille led the Teddy Bears with 14 points while Pinner added another 12.

Awesome AF Cavemen Lose Region 4 Opener At Home to Jordan Plowboys

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

After having enjoyed a successful preseason in boys' basketball, the Awesome American Fork Cavemen suffered a heartbreaking loss Jan. 6 when the Jordan Beetdiggers, AKA the Plowboys, rode into American Fork and defeated them 54-51 in a Region Four opener. 

American Fork Coach Doug Meacham confessed, "We lost our composure after the first period. We committed dumb fouls, and we did everything out of character. We gave up lots of layups and free throws to them. When we're defending down the stretch, we have to watch out for little things that can cost us games. We need to be better defenders.

"In the first half, we let [Joe] Mero hit some threes that hurt our momentum. They [Jordan] went to the foul line more frequently than we did. They went to the line 31 times and we 19.

"We need to attack the basket more often instead of going for jump shots."

The Cavemen had complete ownership of the first period. A Jake Blackhurst sent the Cavemen swinging their way out to a 9-0 lead through Marcel Davis' scoring. After the Cavemen's scoring run had climaxed with a Ben Beddes trey, an Alex Hart bucket put the Beetdiggers onto the scoreboard. Those Plowboys had trouble grabbing the momentum in the first period. Caveman Quincy Bair hit a 10-foot jumper and a trey to put the score at 16-4. After the Cavemen's lead had grown to 18-4, Jordan went on a scoring run led by Kevin Goldsmith. When a Goldsmith trey had put the Plowboys within 23-20, the Cavemen had to forget about the game returning to being a cakewalk. Late in the second period, Beddes drew a technical foul when American Fork led by just 27-26. Mero hit a technical shot that tied the game at 27. Caveman Mike Wells hit a tie-breaking trey, but Goldsmith sank a layup that enabled Mero to put the Beetdiggers ahead 32-30 on a three-point shot just before halftime.

Early in the next half, Beddes hit two foul shots and a three-pointer to put the Cavemen back ahead 35-32. With help from two Blackhurst foul shots, Beddes put the score at 40-32. A Goldsmith three-point play opened a 10-2 scoring run that ended the third quarter in a 42-42 tie.

In the final quarter, the Cavemen didn't hold up well under the stress of the tight game. They frequently fouled the Beetdiggers. A Nate Monson foul shot, for example, put Jordan ahead 43-42. Jordan's high accuracy at the foul line kept the Cavemen from pulling back ahead, despite battling back within one point several times.

Beddes led American Fork with 16 points while Davis added another 13. Goldsmith led Jordan with 18 points and Mero contributed another 15. 

Provo Bullpuppies Soak Up Lehi Girl Pioneers 52-26 in Region 7 Play

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneer girls' basketball couldn't make it through its current without a region loss. In a Region Seven battle at Lehi Jan. 8, the Provo Bulldogs, AKA the Bullpuppies, soaked up Lehi 52-36.

With Ashley Kuchar as their biggest gun, the Bullpuppies took 10-6 lead in the first quarter. Even though Lehi did stroke within 10-7 in the second period, Provo rowed out to a 20-10 lead. Katie Rogers and Anau Faleano led Lehi efforts to keep the game close. When the first half ended with Provo leading 22-14, the Pioneers still had a chance for hopping back into the game.

However, Kuchar became really hot in the second half. The Pioneers couldn't shut her down anywhere on the floor. Kuchar's shooting gave the Bulldogs a double-digit lead. Gabby Grantham did put Lehi within eight points a few times on steals, but Kuchar's scoring remained impossible to cool down. Kuchar finished the game with 24 points. Grantham and Rogers led Lehi with 11 points each.

Provo Bullpuppies Survive Tighten Region 7 Boys' Opener at Lehi

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Publisher

In a Region Seven Boys' basketball opener at Lehi Jan. 8, the Provo Bulldogs, AKA the Bullpuppies, outlasted the Lehi Pioneers 48-46.

A Keith Moor sent the Bullpuppies out to an 8-2 lead. During the game's early minutes, Ryan Durrant dominated Provo scoring as Lehi had some difficulty with putting an effective offense together. Soon, Willie Walker and Ryan Christofferson got the Pioneer scoring machine at top speed. The Pioneers battled their way back within 21-17 during the first quarter.

In the next quarter, though, Kyle Collinsworth replaced Durrant as the top Bullpuppy scorer. He hurt Lehi tremendously inside the paint. Besides frequently barging his way through for layups, he frustrated Walker and Christofferson on the boards. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs outscored the Pioneers 15-8 in the second quarter.

After Provo had improved its lead at 38-25 in the early third quarter, Walker orchestrated a strong Pioneer comeback through his shooting and rebonding. Teammate Josh Scott frequently pulled down defensive boards that Lehi changed into buckets. The period ended with a Scott basket putting Lehi within 42-37.

Walker's offensive efforts finally paid off for the Pioneers. In the final quarter, he put them ahead 43-42, but Collingsworth scored on an inbounds pass to restore the lead to Provo. Walker came really close to forcing the game into overtime when he tied the score at 46 through a three-point play. However, with only four seconds left, Collingsworth rushed his way through Lehi's 1-2-2 zone defense to score the winning basket.

Collingsworth led Provo with 18 points and Durrant added another 11. Walker led Lehi with 23 points while Scott added another 10.

End of Preseason

Timp Sports Weekly

January 5, 2010

Message From the Publisher

For this issue, we look at the Lehi Pioneers wrapping up their final of preseason basketball play. Two of the stories involve the Lehi boys' team finishing 2009 with two straight wins. Our third story deals with the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, drying up the Pioneer girls' team in a Jan. 2 contest. Let's get to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott 

Publisher

deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Lehi Boys Post Washout Win Against Maple Mountain Golden Chirpies 88-44 Dec. 30

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Spots Weekly Publisher

In a non-league boys' basketball game at home Dec. 30, the Lehi Pioneers didn't show any bit of rust from their nine-day break during the recent Holidays. Lehi posted a washout win over the Maple Mountain Golden Eagles, AKA the Golden Chirpies, by a score of 88-45.

Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "We played against a very young team. This is Maple Mountain's second year of existence. They have a lot of young players. Down the road, they will get really good. We have a lot of veterans on our team this year. Their experience showed a lot in tonight's game."

The contest opened with Zach Stanley getting the opening tipoff. Golden Eagle Cam "Don't Call Me Ringo" Starr pulled down a board, but the Pioneers didn't let Maple Mountain capitalize on that defensive rebound. Stealing the ball, Pioneer Jordan "Mr." McGregor sunk a layup to open the night's scoring. Spurred on by a Willie Walker bucket, Zach Stanley scored eight straight unanswered points to spur the Pioneers on to a 17-0 lead. A Josh Scott stuff shot pretty much hinted how well Lehi would dominate during the evening. By the time a Kelby Crandall free throw put the Golden Eagles on the board, they were already doomed to experiencing a long evening at Lehi. Starr and Jace Edmunds attempted to get a Golden Eagle rally going at the end of the first quarter. However, it ended with Lehi ahead 25-6.

For the second period, Cam Starr hit a three-point shot that sent Maple Mountain on a 12-7 scoring run. Jordan Rupp scored four straight points to spark a fierce Lehi attack on the Golden Eagle basket. Walker and Rupp paced the assault. It left Lehi leading 43-20 at the end of the first half.

Throughout the second half, Walker capitalized on the Golden Eagles' tremendous inexperience as he seized control of the boards constantly slipped through Maple Mountain's defense to sink short shots. Ryan Christofferson and Cody Hauver joined Walker in having a great night at the free throw lines. Their foul shooting put the game away despite efforts from Chris Clark and Cam Starr to make the contest closer.

Lehi had three players hit in double figures. Walker led the Pioneers with 16 points while McGregor added 12 and Stanley 11. The only Golden Eagle to hit in double figures, Cam Starr posted a score of 13.

Gladwell said, "At Granger tomorrow, we're going to be playing an endowment game. That means we won't be able to watch sophomore and jayvee games to figure out how to do against Granger. Our varsity is going to be starting out cold."

Pioneer Boys Hop From Behind To End '09 With Win at Granger

By Dean  Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Dec. 31 endowment game at Granger, the Lehi Pioneer boys' basketball team hopped from behind to unhorse the Granger Lancers, AKA the Horsies, 54-49.

Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "In the four quarter, our kids picked up the intensity. We made some defensive adjustments that worked, and we did a much better job of guarding the [Deng] Deng kid."

Deng turned out to be Granger's biggest gun during the course of the New Year's Eve game. The few spectators, who had turned out for the game, saw him constantly give Lehi hits inside the key and outside the perimeter. He hit a three-pointer that opened the afternoon's scoring. As soon as Pioneer Zach Stanley hit a trey to tie game at three, Deng broke the tie. Willie Walker and Jordan "Mr." McGregor's combined scoring eventually permitted Lehi to row ahead 12-10. However, two Austin Scott foul shots opened a 7-5 scoring run for the Lancers. They finished the first quarter with a 17-15 lead.

For the second period, Walker sank two straight field goals to tip the Pioneers ahead 19-17. A Deng trey put Granger back ahead 20-19 and sparked a 14-2 scoring run that created a 31-21 advantage for the Lancers. Their 10-point lead could have broke Lehi's spirit at that point. However, the Pioneers rowed within 31-25 as the first half's final three minutes wound down.

In the third period, Bakata Justin and Andy Vaovava joined Deng in battling Walker and Scott Henderson for rebounds. The Lancers held Lehi to seven points in the third quarter as Granger created leads as wide as 43-32. 

In the fourth quarter, a McGregor bucket and a two Josh Scott fouls shots prodded Lehi to go on an 8-0 scoring run. It revived the Pioneers' spirit as they finally contained Deng. Lehi still had to deal with other veteran Lancers like Austin Scott, who had a great afternoon in both rebounding and foul shooting. A McGregor three-pointer put the Pioneers ahead 47-45. After Deng had tied the game at 47, a Zach Stanley trey broke the deadlock for Lehi. Deng still remained a threat to Lehi's comeback efforts. In the final 1 1/2 minutes, two Deng foul shots put Granger within 50-49. Walker put a shot back in, and Josh Scott swished in two foul shots to clutch the win for Lehi.

Pioneer Girls End Preseason Play With Heartbreaking Loss at Home Against LP Loners Jan. 2

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a final preseason girls' basketball game for both teams this winter, the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, dried up the Lehi Pioneers 67-57 in afternoon action at Lehi Jan. 2.

Lone Peak Coach Keith Flood said, "It's good to get a win at the end of preseason. It will give us momentum as we begin tough region play at Brighton this Tuesday. Whitney Stevens had a great day inside and outside the key. She went six for nine in shooting threes. Marquelle Funk in pulling down boards and putting shots back in."

Lehi Coach Troy Gifford said, "We weren't boxing out today like we should have. That's what hurt us inside the paint."

For the first four minutes of the game, the Loners dominated both inside and outside the perimeter. The combined scoring of Stevens and Funk produced a 10-2 lead. Even though a Katie Rogers bucket did tie the game at two, Lehi didn't become really hot until a Gabby Grantham jump shot set off a 9-2 scoring run for the Pioneers in the final two minutes of the quarter. Aided by a Chelz Atoa shot, Pioneer Jackie Cattani guided Lehi ahead 11-10. However, Mikayala "Mik" McChesney hit a shot just before the buzzer to put the Knights back out in front 12-11.

The second quarter opened with Rogers hitting a go-ahead trey for Lehi. Shots from Grantham and Briar Sands created an 18-13 lead for the Pioneers. However, Stevens' incredible accuracy outside the perimeter produced two unanswered three-pointers that put the Loners back out in front 19-18. The game stayed a seesaw fight until a Funk trey gave Lone Peak a 22-21 lead. Stevens' shooting and Whitney Johnson's rebounding permitted the Loners to stay narrowly ahead for the rest of the quarter. Foul shots from Sands and Rogers positioned Lehi within 34-31 at the end of the first half.

At the start of the second half, a Megan Hansen bucket sparked the Loners into pulling away from Lehi. When a Mikail Burningham trey gave Lone Peak a 47-36 lead, the Lehites looked as though the Loners would dry them up in a hurry. Sands produced a three-point play and sank a another foul shot soon afterwards to keep Lehi's hopes from collapsing. Rogers hit two free throws that put Lehi within 47-42 at the end of the third quarter.

In the final period, Johnson, Stevens, McChesney, and Funk paid frequent trips to the foul line. The four Loners' combined foul shooting produced a 59-47 lead for their team. Even though the Pioneers did manage to reduce the point spread back to single digits, they couldn't overtake L

Lone Peak. The Pioneers' effort received a hard blow when Cattani got hurt while battling for rebound. The closest the Pioneers could get was 63-57 when Aerin Ogden hit two foul shots in the final 30 seconds. A McChesney bucket put the final score at 67-57. 

Stevens led Lone Peak with 22 points while Funk added another 12. Katie Rogers led Lehi with 14 points while Sands added 13 and Cattani 11.

Momma Bears

Timp Sports Weekly

December 29, 2009

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at the Lehi Pioneer girls' thrilling home game against the Bear River Lady Bears, AKA the Momma Bears. The game was a classic case of a team coming back from a huge road loss to win a nail biter at home. Let's get to that story.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Lehi Pioneer Girls' Hoop Team Redeems Self In Close Win Against Bear River Momma Bears

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

After experiencing a 30-point loss in a girls' basketball game at Judge Memorial a week before, questions abounded as to whether the Lehi Pioneers would be able to hop back to win a game at home before taking time off for the Holidays. Well, Lehi did prove it could do that when it posted a 39-36 at home over the Bear River Lady Bears, AKA the Momma Bears, Dec. 22.

Lehi Coach Troy Gifford said, "I was proud of my girls. I was down two starters in this game. Brooke Barnes and Jackie Cattoni were out for tonight's game. Brooke was hurt and Jackie was out of state for a family get-together back East. We changed our staring line-up. Gabby Grantham got into a good groove at point guard. Though she didn't hit in double-figures, she did a good job of showing leadership on the floor."

Even though the game opened with Momma Bear Kelli Smart getting the opening tipoff, Bear River lost the ball on a bad pass. Lehi's Katie Rogers capitalized on that turnover. She hit two foul shots that sent the Pioneers rowing out to an 8-2 lead through shots from Aerin Ogden and Briar Sands.

The Momma Bears didn't let the first quarter end in complete Lehi domination. Bear River's Jessica Olsen hit a three-pointer and an inside shot to cut the lead to 8-7. Before the Momma Bears could sneak ahead, Sands sank a three-f00t shot to send Lehi with a 10-7 lead into the next quarter.

It opened with a Sands bucket sparking an 8-0 scoring run for the Pioneers. With Rogers sinking two buckets to fuel that rally for Lehi, the Pioneers soon commanded an 18-7 lead. Bear River called a time-out in hopes of making adjustments to keep Lehi from flooding the Momma Bears out of the gym. Late in the second quarter, two Ogden buckets helped to swell the Pioneer advantage to 24-10. Lehi held the Momma Bears to four points in the second quarter.

The Pioneers maintained their double-digit lead all through the third quarter. Two Anau Faleano buckets stretched the Pioneer lead to 28-12, but after a Rogers bucket had put the score at 30-14, Karah Jeppson hit an inside shot that opened a comeback for the Momma Bears. With each team scoring only six points in the third quarter, the Momma Bear comeback picked up steam in the final period. 

"We and Judge went into our game as two undefeated teams. We stayed with them until the third quarter, and the game went downhill for us." Gifford said, "Tonight, Aerin Ogden came up with some big rebounds for us, especially in the second half. Faleano played much better in the second half than she did in the first. Sadie Johnson proved to be a force to be reckoned with on the floor."

It opened with Jeppson sinking an inside shot. Olsen and Jeppson led the Momma Bears in outscoring the Pioneers 9-2 in the final period's first three minutes. When two Jeppsen foul shots had put Bear River within 32-27, the game's outcome was no longer predictable. Lehi had to rely on Rogers foul shots and Faleano buckets in order to stay narrowly ahead. After two Sands foul shots had put the score at 39-33 in the last seven seconds, Lehi finally had the game put away. Still, Momma Bear Shayla Buxton hit a trey just before the final buzzer to remind the Pioneers what could have easily happened to them, had there been a couple of more minutes left on the clock.

"We wanted to shut down No. 32 [Buxton]," Gifford said. "Whitney Cook and Chelz Ato did a job of keeping No. 32 from doing much doing. She scored only five points during the night."

Rogers led Lehi with 11 points while Sands added another eight. Olsen led the Momma Bears with 18 points while Jeppsen added another eight.

AF Hoops

Timp Sports Weekly

December 22, 2009

Publisher's Message

While last week's issue focused mainly on Lehi sports, we're going to look this week at the Awesome American Fork Cavemen and Cavewomen's wins in preseason basketball at home. We will also look at the Lehi Pioneer wrestling team's home win over the Timpanogos Timberwolves, AKA the T-Pups.

Let's get to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Awesome AF Cavemen Edge Out Timpview Millionaires 60-57 in Exhibition Game

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Awesome American Fork Cavemen improved their winning streak at 4-0 by outlasting the Timpview Thunderbirds, AKA the Millionaires, 60-57 in a non-league, boys' basketball game at American Fork December 15.

The last minute of the game went down as one of the longest moments of the contest. Two Josh Warner foul shots tipped the Millionaires within 58-57. The Cavemen then sought to run down the clock until Timpview would not have enough time to pull down a defensive board that would enable the Millionaires to be able to force an overtime or win on a three-point shot. However, a Timpview player made a fatal mistake of fouling Marcel Davis at the 0:03 mark. The Caveman guard went to the foul line and hit both of his free throws. Timpview thereupon took a gamble on a 20-foot shot. It dropped shot of the hoop as the buzzer sounded.

During the course the game, the Millionaires, led by Ky Raymond and Elis Robison, secured a 17-11 lead in the first quarter. However, in the second period, the Cavemen made an awesome comeback as they outscored Timpview 20-11 through shots launched by Ben Beddes, Ty Flinders, Marcel Davis, and Chase Hansen. American Fork outscored the Millionaires 14-8 to take a 45-31 lead into the final quarter. In the last period, Timpview outscored American Fork 21-15.

"To pull off the comeback, we were just trusting each other," Beddes said. "We knew what to do. We were watching opportunities. Marcel Davis handled the pressure well in those last seconds of the game when he hit those two free throws."

American Fork Coach Doug Meacham said, "I thought we played well defensively, and we attacked their 1-3-1 zone press the whole. We got some real big rebounds from Ben and Marcel. Our game was to attack their zone press. Every we drove into the paint, we managed to get a rebound or a basket."

Flinders led American Fork with 19 points while Davis and Hansen each added another 17. Raymond led the Millionaires with 14  points while Robison contributed another 10.

Awesome Cavewomen Break 2-Game Losing Streak By Taking Down Macho SF Lady Dons

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Awesome American Fork Cavewomen's basketball team broke its two-game losing streak Dec. 17 by winning 55-42 over the Macho Spanish Fork Lady Dons at home.

After having posted a 6-0 record at the start their preseason, the Cavewomen fell into a slump when they lost to the Springville Red Devils, AKA the Helltown Hellions, and the Skyline Eagles, alias the Blue Tweeties. Spanish Fork's manly girl cagers came really close to causing American Fork suffer its third straight loss.

In the first quarter, Spanish Fork's Brynne Nielsen got the tipoff. Cavewoman Laini Kalumbi stole from her and fed the ball to Grace Farnsworth for a short shot that opened the game's scoring. American Fork's 2-0 lead quickly became painted over by a 6-0 scoring run sparked by a Hayleigh Emerine bucket. American Fork's efforts to regain its first-quarter lead proved frustrating. Through her boarding and scoring, Erin Redd led Lady Dons in a successful effort to stay ahead for the entire period. Kalumbi led American Fork within 6-5, but that turned out to be the closest the Cavewomen could get to pulling ahead. After Makenzie Moea'i had put American Fork within 10-8, a Jen Huntsman bucket left the Dons with a 12-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.

In response to an Emerine bucket at the second quarter, Amy Krommenhoek scored five straight points to open an American Fork comeback. Krommenhoek's shooting spree put the Cavewomen within 14-13. A Kalumbi bucket put American Fork ahead 15-14. A Redd free throw tied the game at 15, but a Moea'i jumper broke the tie. The Macho Lady Dons pulled back out in front 19-17, and Nielsen hit a trey. It was not enough to break the Cavewomen's spirit. Seconds before halftime, a Krommenhoek trey put Americcan Fork within 24-22.

The third quarter opened with Farnsworth hitting a go-ahead three-pointer for the Cavewomen. Even though Spanish Fork did slip back out front 28-25, Moea'i scored on an offensive rebound, and Krommenhoek hit a trey that sent American Fork on a 10-0 scoring run that broke Spanish Fork's hold on the momentum. Besides beating Dons to some crucial rebounds, Shelby Carson nailed shots that helped the Cavewomen maintain a tight hold on the led By the end of the third quarter, American Fork led 43-34.

Spanish Fork's efforts to contain American Fork proved vain in the fourth period. Krommenhoek and Kalumbi led a successful attempt to keep American Fork ahead all through the last period. Both Cavewomen came up with steals and swished foul shots that soon gave their team a 51-40 lead. Free throws by Krommenhoek and Farnsworth put the game ahead in the final minute.

American Fork Coach Corey Clayton said, "For the third period, we switched our defense from man to zone. We played man in the first half, but Spanish stayed ahead of us for much of the time. We were able to switch well to zone. That helped to shut Erin Redd down. She's their go-to girl. She pretty runs the floor. They know where to get the ball to her. Amy Krommenhoek was missing shots in the first half, but she came hot in the third period. She got some good looks. Shelby Carson pulled down some key defensive rebounds for us in the third period."

While Redd led the Macho Lady Dons with 19 points, Kalumbi led American Fork with 17 points. Among American Fork's other high scorers, Krommenhoek posted 14 oints, Farnsworth 11, and  Carson 10.

Lehi Wrestlers Stick Timpanogos T-Pups In 45 Minutes

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

At a Region Seven wrestling dual meet at Lehi Dec. 16, it took the Lehi Pioneers only 45 minutes to win 60-24 over the Timpanogos Timbewolves, AKA the T-Pups.

Lehi Coach Dan "Mr. Nice" Rice said "They [Lehi] wrestled had. They pinned when they needed to."

The T-Pups did well at onset of the meet. Taking a 5-1 lead over Pioneer Riley "The Swedish Stud" Anderson, Timpanogos' Jacob "The Full Moon" Smith pinned him with just one minute left in their 160 weight class match. In the 171 weight class showdown, T-Pup Tanner "The Naughty Pup" Preswich pinned Braxton "The Slick" Southwick 49 seconds into their bout.

The T-Pups' 12-0 couldn't survive a strong Lehi comeback. A deluge of Pioneer falls began with Taylor "Il Toro" Savio sticking T-Pup Tagen "The Pack Leader" Herrick in the first period of their 189 weight class match. Lehi's Garrett "The Tricky" Bolles pinned Timpanogos' Sam "Huff 'n' Puff" Ahmu halfway through the first period of the 289 weight class match.

Lehi's 103-pounder, Logan "The North Briton Laddie" Passey toyed with Gabe "The Wild Dane" Olsen for a little while, then stuck him.

In the 119 weight class match, Timpanogos' Tyler "Duke Howler" Reese broke the string of Lehi wins by pinning Steve "Sir Doom" DuBose in the second period. Their match had begun on a promising note for Sir Doom when he scored a takedown to secure the first lead. However, Duke Howler wrestled back to score the fall.

Dallin "The Purple Stallion" Rice of Lehi pinned Hayden "Swift Paws" Knudsen, a 125-pound T-Pup, in the first 30 seconds. Lehi's Koy "Squeeze Toy" Ash pinned Brian "Senor Lobo" Meza at the end of the first period of the 130 weight class match.

The 140 weight class match saw Pioneer Justin "The Throttle" Cottle take a 4-0 lead over T-Pup Zach "The Wicked Wolf" Peck. From there, The Throttle went on to pin The Wicked Wolf.

Lehi's streak of wins suffered another interruption when T-Pup D.J. "The Widowmaker" Argyle pinned Logan "The Hoppin' Hound" Brown.

 The evening ended with Lehi's Trevor "The Handsome" Hansen sticking Jake "Superpup" Beveridge.

Lone Peak-Lehi Basketball

Timp Sports Weekly

December 14, 2009

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at Lehi wrestling and two Lehi boys' basketball stories. One of those stories will deal with the theme of the decade-long rivalry between the Lehi Pioneers and the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners. Their rivalry is as fierce as the one between the Knights and the Awesome American Fork Cavemen. The Dec. 11 game between Lone Peak and Lehi showed how intense the rivalry could get at times. Let's get to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Lehi Pioneers Skin Kearns Kittens 63-37 in Exhibition Game December 8

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

After having exorcised the Springville Devils, AKA the Helltown Hellions, by three points on Dec. 7, the Lehi Pioneers rowed back into town Dec. 8 and skinned the Kearns Cougars, AKA the Kittens, 62-37 in boys' basketball.

The triumph improved Lehi's preseason record at 4-0. Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "Our inside kids did a great job with getting the close shots in for us. We had a tougher time at Springville last night. So tonight's game was a little easier for us. Our defense did a really good job in closing off their passing lanes in the third period, so we were able to keep them from rushing back."

With Lehi's Willie Walker sinking a layup to open the night's scoring, the Pioneers took swift control of the game. After Ryan Chistofferson had put the lead at 4-0, Morino Moore nailed a jumper to put the Kittens on the scoreboard. Kearns suddenly went cold in scoring. Walker and Jordan "Mr. " McGregor led Lehi on an 8-0 scoring run. A Dalton Noble shot opened a 9-4 scoring run that put the Cougars within 16-11 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Kearns kept Lehi from pulling farther ahead than 23-12. Two Moore foul shots sparked another rally for Kearns. Moore and Sammy Sweat moved the Cougars within 25-18. Moore wowed spectator with a layup that he made right behind him. That shot trimmed the lead to 25-18. Lehi's Cody Hauver answered that shot with a jumper made on a Walker assist. After Christofferson and Cougar Brady Sawsak had each swished two foul shots, Noble hit a three-point shot during the buzzer, cutting the lead to 29-23.

In the third period, McGregor hit an inside shot that stirred up an impressive display of firepower. At the same time, Lehi held the Kittens to six points during the entire third period. It ended with Lehi leading 45-27.

Lehi's Josh Scott opened the fourth quarter with scoring four straight unanswered points. Zach Stanley's foul shooting pushed the Pioneer lead past the 20-point mark. The Cougars couldn't do much in scoring on the floor. They had to settling for picking up the majority of their fourth-quarter points from the foul line.

When the game ended , Scott led Lehi with 15 points while Walker added 14, Christofferson 11, and McGregor eight. Noble led the Kittens with 10 points.

Lehi Grapplers Open Home Season With 56-18 Win Over Orem Tiggers

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneer wrestlers opened their home season with a 56-18 win over the Orem Tigers, AKA the Tiggers, Dec. 10.

Lehi Coach Dan "Mr. Nice" Rice said, "We have showed tonight to be good at 119, 125, 135, 189, and 215. Our 215 wrestler ran out of gas in his match tonight, though."

The Region Seven dual meet opened on a thrilling note with a 171 weight class match between Lehi's Braxton "The Slick" Southwick and Orem's Josh "The Blue Razor" Steele. Scoring a takedown first, The Blue Razor built up an 8-3 lead over The Slick. Southwick battled back to tie the match at 12 by the end of regulation. In the overtime phase, Southwick took Steele down to win 14-12.

The 189 weight class match saw Lehi's Taylor "Il Toro" Savio take Orem's Seth "Low Blow" Snow down and pin him within a minute. 

In the 215 weight class match, Lehi's Bubba "The St. George Dragon" Demke took a 2-0 lead over Orem's Trevor "Mr. Exterminator" Gruwell. The lead changed hands a few times during the match. Shortly before regulation time was to expire in the second period, Mr. Exterminator pinned the St. George Dragon.

Lehi's Garrett "The Tricky Stud" Bolles didn't let that fall go unanswered. In his 289 weight class match, he pinned Henry "The Orem Matador" Sanchez 75 seconds into the bout.

Lehi received a reminder that it was still going to lose matches in the dual meet. The 103 weight class match saw Orem's Jovani "The Yoyo" Tolayo pinned Lehi's Logan "The North Briton Laddie" Passy.

After the Pioneers had improved their lead at 21-12 on Andy "Baron Dandy" Tilley's forfeit win, Lehi's 119-pounder, Steve "Sir Doom" DuBose grappled in a tight match against Orem's Robert "Bad Boy Bobby" Salinas. Sir Doom won his match 6-4.

After Lehi's 130-pounder Koy "Squeeze Toy" Ash had overcome Vince "The Driller" Miller 10-1, Pioneer Tanner "The Earl of Destruction" Eastmond pinned Jacob "The Super Tigger" Simpson in their 135 weight class match. That pin set off a series of swift Lehi wins. Justin "The Throttle" Cottle, Logan "The Hoppin' Hound" Brown, and Trevor "The Handsome" Hansen each scored a pin for Lehi. The dual meet ended with Orem's 160-pounder, Taylor "Lord Mac" McNeil sticking Lehi's Colby "The Lightning Bolt" Massa.

Lone Peak Loners End Lehi Boy Hoopsters Winning Streak

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneer boys' basketball team knew that its latest winning streak would come to an end at some point this season. The Pioneers simply didn't want the ending to occur during their Dec. 11 game at home against the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners. However, in the game's last 10 seconds, a Nick Emery shot gave the Loners a 52-50 over Lehi.

The rivalry between the schools showed itself shortly before the opening tipped. The two balconies of the main gym became packed with students and other spectators. Dressed in white shirts, Lehi students "read" newspapers while the announcer shouted out names of the Knights' starters. Those kids then tore up their newspapers when they heard the names of their team's starters.

Lehi students cheered hysterically when Pioneer Ryan Chistofferson hit a three-pointer to open the game's scoring. Soon Knight Brody Berry stole the ball and got fouled. He hit a free throw that Lone Peak used as a base for a 6-0 scoring run. Two straight Emery treys put the Knights ahead 7-5. Zach Stanley hit a go-ahead trey for the Pioneers. A seesaw fight ensued. The first quarter ended with two Jordan McGregor foul shots putting Lehi ahead 11-9.

With Knight Chris Childs tying the game at 11 during the start of the second period, the Pioneers quickly found out that they would have serious problems with other Loners besides Emery. Shots from Childs and Tannon Pedersen enabled the Knights to swipe back the lead as soon as Lehi had secured it. The Knights led by as far as 26-22 in the period. Christofferson and Willie Walker's efforts inside the key kept the Pioneers close to the 5-A powerhouse. The half ended with a McGregor foul shot trimming the Loners' lead to 26-23.

With Pioneer Zach Stanley tying the game at 28 on a trey early in the third period, Josh Scott put Lehi ahead 30-28. The Pioneers led for the rest of the quarter, even though the Loners did tie the game at 35 and 38 on a Pedersen three-point play and an Emery three-pointer. At the end of the quarter, Walker sank a layup that gave Lehi a 46-43 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Emery became a bigger threat both inside and outside the perimeter. Emery's shooting made Lehi's hold on the lead slippery. After a Scott foul shot had improved Lehi's lead at 50-47 in the last minute, Emery hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 50. Under the immense pressure of the tied score, Lehi lost control of the ball. The turnover proved fall. At 0:07, Emery hit his go-ahead shot. Lehi gambled on a corner shot which flew over the hoop. 

Scott led Lehi with 12 points while Walker and Stanley each contributed 11 points.  Pedersen led Lone Peak with 22 points, and Emery added another 19.

Three-Zip

Timp Sports Weekly

December 8, 2009

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at three high school basketball teams that have managed to evade defeat during their first two weeks of play. They include both of the Lehi Pioneers' varsity basketball teams and the Awesome American Fork Cavemen. Let's get to the stories about those teams.

Dean Von Memmott

deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Lehi Pioneer Girls Win 69-68 Over Macho Spanish Fork Lady Dons

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

By winning 69-68 over the Spanish Fork Dons, AKA the Macho Lady Dons, Dec. 3, the Lehi Pioneer girls' basketball team finished last week with a best start in three years.  The one-point win improved the Pioneers' record at 3-0.

In talking about the strong unity that his players showed in the one-point win, Lehi Coach Troy Gifford said, "We haven't beaten Spanish Fork in two years. They came in here, thinking they were going to get us again. I'm proud of my girls showing much unity in playing against a tough team like Spanish. 

"Brooke Barnes and Jackie Cattoni shot some big threes that enabled us to come back in the second half after being down by almost 10 points. Briar Sands played an outstanding defense for us tonight. She came up with steals that enabled us to stay in the game. 

"Even though Erin Redd was their top shooter tonight, the Spanish Fork girl we wanted to guard the most was Brynine Nielsen. We held her to nine, and most of her points came on foul shots."

At the start of the game, Katie Rogers produced a three-point play to put the Pioneers onto the scoreboard first. Lehi's first lead didn't last long. Two Shea Johnson foul shots and a short, Nielsen jumper put the Macho Lady Dons ahead 4-3. A seesaw battle ensued and raged throughout the first quarter. Redd and Jen Huntsman provided a string of rebounds that kept the Dons from falling way behind in the game. Gabby Grantham and Cattoni frequently bothered Spanish Fork with steals and three-point shots. One Grantham trey put Lehi within 16-15 near the end of the quarter. An Redd bucket kept a Cattoni three-point goal from tipping Lehi ahead. Cattoni hit a trey during the buzzer to shave the lead to 18-17.

The second quarter opened with Redd sinking an inside shot that gave the Dons the momentum they needed to stay ahead clear till halftime. Redd's shooting proved to be so accurate that Lehi caught up only once in the quarter. During that one time Barnes hit trey cutting the lead to 27-25. Grantham sank an a bucket that tied the game at 27. Haleigh Emerine broke the tie, sparking another series of trades in the led.                                        

In the third quarter, Nielsen and Shae Johnson scorched Spanish Fork with a series of inside shots stretched the manly Lady Dons' lead out to as wide as 44-35. A Sands bucket ignited a 13-4  rally lead by Cattoni, Barnes, and Grantham. The third-period rally climaxed with a Rogers free throw tying the game at 48. Just before the quarter break, Grantham sank a bucket, which got canceled out by a Lehi foul.                                                                

At the start of the fourth quarter, Barnes hit a go-ahead three-pointer for Lehi. Spanish Fork didn't let the Pioneers hop too far ahead. The Macho Lady Dons stayed within two points of the Pioneers for much of the quarter.

The game's last three minutes went down as a frantic affair. Syd Butler and Redd's shooting tipped Spanish Fork ahead 60-58. A fierce seesaw fight began. Treys from Grantham and Spanish Fork's Kelly Hales kept holds on the lead slippery. When Sands put a shot back in to give Lehi a 66-63 lead in the final 39 seconds, the Pioneers looked as though they might be able to pull away. However, a Shae Johnson trey enabled Butler to tie the game at 68 before fouling out in the final 10 seconds. With only eight seconds left on the board, Cattoni hit a tie-breaking foul shot. The Pioneers followed it up with the blocking of a Spanish Fork shot.

Cattoni led Lehi with 21 points while Barnes added 18, Grantham 12, and Rogers 11. Redd led Spanish Fork with 15 points while Hales, Johnson, and Nielsen each contributed nine points.

Awesome AF Cavemen Overpower Timpanogos T-Pups 75-58 Dec. 4

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

By the way last week ended for the Awesome American Fork Cavemen's basketball team, they looked as though they would finally be enjoying a great season after experiencing two straight frustrating seasons. In opening their home season with a 75-58 win over the Timpanogos Timberwolves, AKA the T-Pups, Dec. 4, they put their young season record at 3-0.

The other two teams taken down by them were the Mountain View Bruins, AKA the Teddy Bears, and the Provo Bulldogs, alias the Bullpuppies.

Led by Jake Blackhurst and Austin Waddoups, the Cavemen dominated the first quarter. It ended with American Fork leading 22-9 over the T-Pups.

In the second quarter, Marcel Davis and Quincy Bair worked well in concert with each other to help the Cavemen maintain their double-digit lead. Davis often fed passes to Bair for shots. Meanwhile, Beddes and Blackhurst dominated the boards. American Fork kept T-Pup center Ryan Van Pelt from doing much damage inside during the second quarter, even though Timpanogos did answer American Fork point for point in the period. It ended with American Fork leading 40-26.

American Fork's hold on the tempo spilled over into the second half. After Beddes had opened it with a foul shot, Bair wowed Caveman fans with a dunk shot that put the lead at 43-28. Two straight buckets by Chris "Moby Dick" Melville stirred up a T-Pup comeback. A little while passed before the Cavemen realized that the T-Pups were howling back into the game. Brothers Ryan and Ty Hamilton sank shots that enabled Nielsen to reduce the Caveman led to single digits. Through producing a three-point play and sinking a foul shot, Brandon Porras enabled Van Pelt to put the T-Pups within 49-46. Beddes scored on an offensive rebound at the buzzer to go on a shooting spree that killed Timpanogos' comeback.

In the fourth quarter, Beddes scored six straight unanswered points to stretch the lead to 57-46. As the game turned into a rout, Davis stole the ball during one moment and passed it to Bair for a jumper. Sophomore Chase Hansen had a fine fourth quarter in scoring. The Cavemen shut down Van Pelt and Melville. Waddoups, Blackhurst, and Beddes had held well under pressure to sink foul shots to keep the lead in double figures.

At one point of the game, American Fork fans taunted T-Pup Tanner LeBaron, a former Caveman, shouting, "Shouldn't have transfered! Shouldn't have transferred!" LeBaron joined Melville and Van Pelt in fouling out.

American Fork Coach Doug Meacham said, "In the first half, we settled too much for threes. In the second half, we shot only five threes. I'm okay with us shooting threes, but I prefer us to get the ball inside to score. 

"We were more aggressive in tonight. We created a lot of chances for steals. We had about 22 steals. Our pressure forced them to lose the ball more frequently. Ben Beddes and Jake Blackhurst are our senior leaders, and they showed tonight why they're that."

Waddoups led American Fork with 14 points while Hansen, Beddes, and Blackhurst each contributed 12 points. Melville led the T-Pups with 22 points, and Van Pelt added another 11.

Lehi Pioneer Boys Open Home Season With 55-48 Win Against Juan Diego Dec. 1

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In boys' basketball action Dec. 1, the Lehi Pioneers opened their home season by washing away the Juan Diego Soaring Eagles, AKA the Screamin' Canaries, 55-48.

Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "It's great to get a win like this at home at the start of the season. We were up against a very athletic Juan Diego team that gave us a challenge with their zone.  Their No. 23 [Ajay Pizza] did very well inside for them. We had Jordan McGregor guard him much more in the second half. McGregor shut No. 23 down.

"Their zone was the first one we saw this year. We were patient and kept our composure as we handled their zone press to stay ahead. As this year goes on, we'll learn and show what we can do against a zone."

With Lehi's Will Walker getting the tipoff, a Josh Scott bucket sent Lehi hopping ahead 2-0. However, a Morgan Heslop trey put the Soaring Eagles ahead 3-2, and a seesaw fight followed. Two straight Zach Stanley treys put Lehi ahead 11-6. However, even Pizza attempted to get a rally going for the Soaring Eagles, Walker's control of the boards permitted Lehi to lead by as far as 19-10 during the first quarter. It ended with Pizza trimming the lead at 19-12.

Early in the second quarter, Jalin Ames and Pizza guided the Soaring Eagles within 19-17. Layups by McGregor and Rupp gave Lehi the momentum it needed to keep Juan Diego from catching up with it, even though a Heslop trey did cut the Pioneer lead to 26-23. A McGregor three-point left Lehi leading 29-23 at halftime.

Even though the third period opened with Scott sinking a layup, the Soaring Eagles refused to let themselves get flooded out of the game. Logan Mortensen swished in five straight points to send the Soaring Eagles flapping within 33-30. A Ryan Christofferson trey gave Lehi enough push to stay narrowly out in front, even though Juan Diego did pull within 36-33 on two Pizza foul shots.

Heslops, Mortensen, and Pizza's shooting prevented the Pioneers from securing a 10-point lead over the Soaring Eagles in the final quarter. Christofferson and Stanley warned up at the foul line in the final quarter to help the Pioneers lead by as far as 49-40. Walker became hot in the final period to keep the momentum in Lehi's hands.

Stanley led Lehi with 15 points while Walker added another 12 and Scott 10. Hitting four treys, Heslop tied Pizza as Juan Diego's leading scorers with 12 points each. Mortensen added another 11.