Lehi Froggie Homecoming Week

Timp Sports Weekly

October 1, 2013

Publisher's Message

This week's issue looks at the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, posting wins against the Lone Peak Loners' volleyball team and the Spanish Fork Dons' football team during the Croakers' recent Homecoming Week. Let's hop straight to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Lehi Froggies Defeat Spanish Fork Dons 45-13 in Homecoming Game

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a non-league football game played during Lehi's Homecoming Week, the Spanish Fork Dons, AKA the Gaytowners, tried to prove that they were as masculine as their town's girls, known very widely for being quite manly. However, still sore over having lost at home to the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings on a last-minute touchdown pass caught by Malik Overstreet, a Lehite who transferred to PG High, the Friday before, the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, washed away the Gaytowners 45-13.

The game opened with Don Bennett Bradford returning the kickoff to the Spanish Fork 20-yard. Don quarterback Jason "Sho Me Dee" Money attempted to get his squad's offense into the Lehi side of the 50-yard line. However, Deryke Terrell's nailing Taylor Noles at the Don 31-yard line slowed Spanish Fork to a halt.

Long carries by Caden Calton guided the Froggies to the Don 16-yard line. Unable to move the pigskin beyond that yard line, Lehi had Hayden Hunt kick a field goal.

The score stayed at 3-0 until the early second quarter. Long passes from Money propelled Spanish Fork to the Lehi 1-yard. Noles scored a go-ahead touchdown for the Dons. They then picked up an extra point.

For a little while, the Dons looked as they would have a gay old time on Lehi's field. However, Spanish Fork found out quickly that the Froggies could be quite protective of their home marsh. After Froggie Spancer "Prince Ribbit" Blackham had returned a kickoff to the Don 42-yard line, Lehi presented a shocking drive spurred on by Calton's rushes and Chase Matua's catches of long passes. Midway through the period, Calton scored a touchdown on a four-yard carry. Though Hayden Hunt's attempted extra-point kick failed, the go-ahead TD still meant that the night was going to be something that the Dons would not feel gay about.

Don attempts to recover from Calton's first touchdown got stymied by Spanish Fork penalties of Whetzel's sacking Money for an eight-yard.

Lehi pulled far away from the Gaytowners in the half's final four minutes. Calton scored his second touchdown on a four-yard run, and quarterback Derek Beeston chipped in a two-point conversion during a keeper play. Despite a 30-yard carry by Money to the Don 48-yard line, Spanish Fork march collapsed on a fumble on the Lehi 41-yard line. The Froggies hopped quickly from there to the Don 36-yard zone. Taking a handoff from Beeston, Ryan Absher raced away for a touchdown.

For a while, he became the player that the Froggies picked to be their scorer. Absher made a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Froggie fans croaked excitedly as they watched Absher flip flop quickly 65 yards into the Don end zone. Calton scored on a one-yard touchdown soon afterwards.

Late in the quarter, Money passed six yards to Bradford for a meaningless touchdown. While Don fans excited for a little while, they quickly realized it wasn't something for them to feel gay about.

Lehi Froggie Spikers Survive Tight Battle With Lone Peak Loners Sept. 24
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Region Four volleyball match between the Lehi Pioneers (AKA the Froggies) and the Lone Peak Knights (AKA the Loners) didn't draw a huge crowd like the ones that would show up between the Loners and Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings. Nevertheless, the Froggie-Loner match, played at Leh, went down as a riveting -- correction, ribbiting contest that lasted for five games. The match ended with the Froggies defeating the Loners 26-24, 25-21. 20-25, 15-25, 20-18.

Game 1 opened with Brecken Bearson and Jaysa "What Dee" Funk guiding the Loners out to a 4-0 lead. Once a Makayla Houghton kill punt the Froggies on the scoreboard, they battled back. For a while, though, Calyn Barry and Emily Lewis delivered kills that kept the Loners narrowly ahead. However, they couldn't keep Houghton, Faitoto'a Faleao, and Courtney Walker under control. Those three Froggies' spiking soon put the Froggies ahead 24-23. Loner mistakes enabled Lehi to win Game 1 256-24.

In the second game, switches occurred frequently as Houghton, Faleao, Walker, and Reesie Tua guided Lehi in keeping Lewis and Funk from smacking the Froggies silly. Cydney White's serving allowed the Froggies to leap out to a 20-9 lead. Just as Lehi seemed certain of making short work of the Loners, Lone Peak suddenly showed it still had a lot of fight left in it. Capitalizing on Lehi errors, Makaila Jarema and Rylee Rogers, a "distant cousin" of comic strip character Buck Rogers, guided the Loners back within 24-21. A Cydney Lund ace won the game for the Froggies 25-21.

The third game also went down as a seesaw battle. However, this time, the Loners eventually grabbed control of the momentum. Natalee Gray, Carly Goff, Barry, and Funk held their own against Tua and fellow Froggie Rylin Roberts at the net. Lehi managed to stroke within 22-19, but the Froggies couldn't swim any closer to the Loners. A Lewis kill scored the game point for the Loners.

In the fourth game, the Loners quickly drained Lehi of any chance for avoiding a fifth game. For a little while, Lund and White's serving enabled Lehi to stay narrowly ahead. However, after a Funk kill had tied the game at 12, the game went downhill for Lehi. Barry, Lewis, Jarmea, and Rogers had a heyday at the net by hammering Lehi into submission. By the time the Loners got done with punching the Froggies black and blue, Lone Peak had posted a 25-15 win.

The final game went on as long as each of the first four matches. Jarema and Houghton's hits kept the lead switching hands frequently. Tua, Faleao, Walker, and Roberts kept Barry, Lewis, and Funk from dominating the net all throughout that game. It ended with a Lone Peak violation giving Lehi a 20-18 win.

Ferocious PG Viking-Lehi Froggie Rivalry

Timp Sports Weekly

September 25, 2012

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at one of the oldest sports rivalries in this state. No, we're not examining the latest Holy War, which thankfully ended in a 20-13 win which the University of Utah Utes posted at Lavelle Edwards Stadium, home of the BYU Cougars, AKA the Zoobies. The rivalry which we will be examining in this issue is the one between the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings and the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies. Like my Awesome American Fork Cavemen, the Pleasant Grovers have long called Lehi Swampville and its residents Webfooters. I simply call Lehi High kids Froggies, and they tease me about it every weekday afternoon when I row in to clean up their school. Anyway, in this  issue, we will look at a soccer contest, volleyball match, and a football game that were played between the Ferocious Vikings and the Froggies. We will also look volleyball matches that the Froggies and Vikings played against the Awesome American Fork Cavwomen and the Herimman Mustangs, AKA the Pretty Ponies. As they say in Lehi, let's stroke straight to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

Magnanovelist@gmail.com

Lehi Froggies Kick Ferocious PG Vikings Aside 1-0 in Sept. 19 Girls' Soccer Thriller

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pionners, AKA the Froggies, defeated the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings 1-0 in a Region Four girls' soccer game at Lehi High Sept. 19.

Both teams displayed defensive performances which made the game quite riveting -- correction, ribbiting. Nevertheless, the game's outcome got decided midway through the first half.

Lehi Coach Brett Bergholm said, "From 18 yards out, Rachel Rogers received a cross from Alisa Holmstead and kicked the ball straight over PG's goalie's head and into the net. PG continued making the game interesting with some great defensive and offensive plays. When we played PG under the lights at their place earlier this month, we beat them 3-1. Here, they caused us to miss shots that would have surely gone into the net."

Rogers said, "They were supposed to be not very good, but they gave us a very good challenge in both of the games that we played against them this month. They were quite physical today. They pushed us around a lot. That was what frustrated me the most about today's game. I sighed with relief when the game was over. Our goalie, Kirsten Josey, made some great saves for us today."

The Froggies also won the junior varsity game, played right afterwards, by a score of 1-0. Froggie Hannah Lutz scored that game's only goal on an 18-yard free kick. Lehi jayvee coach Suzy Whiting said, "Our jayvees played really good defense and passed around a lot."

Bergholm recalled, "In the jayvee game at PG, the Vikings built up a 3-0 lead in the first half. We came back in the second half and won the game 4-3."

Ferocious PG Vike Spikers Drain Lehi Froggies in 5-Game Volleyball Match in Sept. 12 Match
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings outlasted the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, in a five-game volleyball match played at Lehi Sept. 12. The defending state 5-A champs, the Ferocious Vikings pulled through the match by scores of 20-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-10.

The match went down as a contest as exciting as the matches that Ferocious Vikings had played against their arch rivals, the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, for state championship titles.

Game 1 of the Sept. 12 match went set the tone for the seesaw battle that raged all night between the Froggies and the Ferocious Vikings. Lehi hopped onto the scoreboard first. A niece of former American Fork Awesome Cavewoman sports legend The Beautiful Stephanie Trane, Ferocious Viking Brisa Winterton registered a kill that tied the game at 1. Before long, the Ferocious Vikings had rowed ahead 7-3. The Froggies refused to sink to defeat. Guided by Cydney Lund,  Courtney Walker, McKayla Houghton, and Rylan Roberts, Lehi jumped back into the game.

Madison "Avenue" Walford, Stacey Dahl, Rache "Hurricane" Gale, and Alexus Sharp worked well together in keeping the Ferocious Vikings ahead for most of Game 1. They enabled PG to have a lead as wide as 12-6. However, the Froggies proved to be too jump to be contained. Aided by Lund digs and Roberts' hitting, Houghton held her own against PG's ferocious line as she led the Froggies into eventually hopping ahead 17-16. Faitoto'a Falaeo registered kills that enable Lehi to stay ahead permanently in the game. A Houghton kill gave Lehi a 25-20 win in the game.

In the second game, Sydney White's serving helped the Froggies leap ahead 3-1. With Houghton and Walker controlling the net, the Froggies soon commanded a 7-3 advantage. Walford and Gale attempted to tip the momentum to Pleasant Grove's advantage. However, Faleao and teammate Reesie Tua joined Houghton in producing kills that produced a 14-6 lead for the Froggies. Sharp and Walford organized a comeback that capitalized on missed Lehi serves. Before long, the Ferocious Vikings finally pulled ahead 19-18. A Roberts kill tied the game at 19. The game went down as another seesaw battle. However Ferocious Viking mistakes permitted Lehi to win 25-23.

The Ferocious Vikings seemed done for. Nevertheless, they went into Game 3 determined to prolong the contest to a fifth game. Even though a Faleao hit gave the Froggies a 2-1 lead in the third game, a Gale hit sent the Ferocious Vikings rowing out in front 5-4. The game then to a 20-minute break, because of a controversy over player rotations. Once the matter was resolved, Pleasant Grove took control of the game, and they won it 25-23. Guided by Gale and Winterton, the Ferocious Vikings also won the fourth game by a score of 25-23.

"Our girls played looser in the third and fourth games, and they had great offensive passing," said Pleasant Grove Coach Alyce Wilson. "In the fifth game, we battled Lehi to a 10-10 draw, but we then scored the game's last five points."

Ferocious PG Vikings Narrowly Keep Unbeaten Record Intact in Ribbiting Football Thriller at Lehi Sept. 20
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

For almost a decade now, it has been a common assumption that the Lehi Pioneer football team is a doormat for every school it plays. AKA the Froggies, the Pioneers have debunked that assumption this year by hopping out on top of three of the five games that they have played so far this year. The Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings would have been the fourth team to have lost to the Froggies, had it not been some last-minute breaks that enabled Pleasant Grove to row from behind to win 37-34 to improve its unbeaten season record at 5-0.

Under other circumstances, the Pleasant Grove-Lehi game, played at Pioneer Stadium Sept. 20, would have been viewed by the news media as being too insignificant to be worth covering. However, because of the Froggies' surprising improvement in football this, Central Utah press organizations decided to send reporters to the contest. It proved to be worth their time. So sportswriters like the Salt Lake Tribune's Aaron "Mr. Soccer" Falk could hardly wait to write heart-stopping copy about the game. Though I am now just a citizen journalist, the kind of soul that full-time news media people look down on, I will present you my version of that riveting -- correction, ribbiting game.

The game opened with Froggie kickoff returner Austin Whetzel catching the ball in the Lehi end zone. Quarterbacked by Derek Beeston, the Froggies' first drive penetrated the Ferocious Vikings' territory. However, Pleasant Grove's defense stopped the Froggies' cold at the Viking 32-yard line.

Sophomore Malik Overstreet's catch of a 65-yard Jeremiah Evans pass propelled the Ferocious Vikings into Lehi's 10-yard zone. At 5;52, running back T.J. Wind took a handoff from quarterback Evans and moved like a tornado into the Froggie end zone. Lehi prevented kicker Cesar "Salad" Madrigal from booting in an extra point.

Lehi had Derek Hastings, Ryan Absher, and Caden Calton take turns with rushing the ball during the Froggies' second drive of the game. Although Lehi did dive deep into the Ferocious Vikings' territory, the Pleasant Grove defense still proved to be unbreakable. The first quarter ended with Ferocious Viking Micah Jones catching a long pass that put Pleasant Grove at the Lehi 11-yard line.

The Froggies' stubborn defense in the second quarter convinced the Ferocious Vikings to go a field goal. Madrigal's kick for it failed.

Despite Beeston getting gang-sacked for an eight-yard loss, long runs by Hastings and Absher moved the Froggies clear to the Pleasant Grove 26-yard line. Unable to move the ball beyond that point, the Froggies gambled on kicker Hayden Hunt to try for a 36-yard field goal. Hunt's kick for one succeeded.

With their narrow lead slashed to just three points, the Ferocious Vikings staged an aerial attack to stay out in front. Evans' long passes to Jacob Doman and Wind blew Pleasant Grove into the Froggie 10-yard zone. After linebacker Hunter Sowell sacked Evans at the Lehi 4-yard line for a one-yard loss, Wind took a handoff from his team's quarterback. Despite getting tackled at the 1-yard line, Wind had a tip of the ball land in the Froggie end zone for a touchdown. With a Madrigal extra-point kick improving Pleasant Grove's lead at 13-3, the Froggies appeared destined to get boiled in the second half. However, they demonstrated quickly that they weren't going to throw up their flippers and let the Ferocious Vikings wipe them out.

In the first half's closing seconds, Beeston lobbed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Whetzel. A Hunt extra-point kick put Lehi within 13-10.

Wind tried to be as devastating to Lehi as a typhoon. The third quarter, for example, opened with Wind making a 40-yard rush. Wind soon scored on a nine-yard touchdown play. With Madrigal's second straight successful extra-point kick improving the Ferocious Viking lead at 20-10, the Vikings looked forward to drying up Lehi in second half.

During the first Lehi drive of the second half, running back Adam Demke got injured. The game got stopped for 20 minutes. so the injured player could be carefully extracted from the field. Lehi's cheerleaders huddled together and said a prayer for Demke. Meanwhile, Lehi players shouted, "Demke's our brother. Let's get this game for him."

As Demke finally got wheeled away by stretcher to an awaiting ambulance, the crowd shouted, "Pray for Demke! Pray for Demke!"

Motivated by a new purpose, the Froggies waged a fierce offensive effort. It paid off with Absher catching a 37-yard touchdown pass from Beeston.

Pleasant Grove efforts for recapturing the momentum failed in the third period. When the Ferocious Vikings recovered their own fumble at a cost of 18 lost yards, a crucial march for them died out.

Beginning at their 25-yard line, the Froggies hopped fiercely into the Pleasant Grove 20-yard zone. Soon, Beeston connected a 17-yard touchdown pass to Whetzel to put Lehi ahead 22-20. Though the Pleasant Grove defense blocked Hunt's extra-point kick, the Froggies still had clear control of the moment.

Lehi prevented the Ferocious Vikings from picking up a fresh first down during their final march of the third quarter. It ended with Lehi moving the ball clear to the Ferocious Viking 7-yard line.

At 10:31 in the final quarter, Caden Calton scored touchdown on a one-yard carry. Beeston gambled on a try for a two-point conversion. The attempt failed.

Lehi came really close to scoring a safety when Evans recovered his own fumble at the Pleasant Grove 2-yard line at the cost of 18 lost yards. Just as the quarterback seemed destined to get sacked on the next play, he handed the ball to Wind, who then swooped 78 yards to the Lehi 24-yard line. Aided by Spencer Romney's catch of a 12-yard pass, Wind soon scored a touchdown on an eight-yard carry. Evans soon connected a pass to Taylor "Ro" Bott for a tying two-point conversion.

The tied score of 28-28 gave the impression that the game would soon flood into overtime. Lehi battled fiercely to sweep away that prospect. Despite Zac Dawe sacking Beeston for a 12-yard loss, a passing interference penalty called against Pleasant Grove enabled the Froggies to invade Pleasant Grove's 20-yard zone. At 5:39, Beeston passed 16 yards to Absher for a go-ahead touchdown. Although the Ferocious Viking defense prevent Hunt from kicking in an extra point, Froggie fans croaked with relief at the expectation that the game would go into overtime. That expectation grew stronger when Evans threw an incomplete pass during a fourth down play in the final two minutes of regulation.

The game suddenly took a shocking turn for Lehi. On a first-down play, Beeston got gang-sacked at the Lehi 4-yard line at a cost of 16 lost yards. Lehi's attempts to get out of the deep hole proved fatal. After Beetston tossed an incomplete pass, three Ferocious Vikings nailed him in the end zone for a safety. It tipped the momentum to Pleasant Grove's way.

Romney returned a kickoff to the Lehi 36-yard line. Doman's catch of a 25-yard pass put Lehi in a fatal corner. With 27 seconds left on the clock, Evans passed to Overstreet for a go-ahead touchdown, which Madrigal frosted with an extra-point kick.

Aided by a 16-yard carry by Calton, Whetzel caught a 45-yard pass that gave Lehi hope. On the game's last play, Absher rushed the ball clear to the Pleasant Grove 11-yard line, where he got tackled out of bounds.

With a relieved look, Pleasant Grove Coach Les Hamilton, no relation to actor George Hamilton, said, "Overstreet made the catch of his career when he received that touchdown pass in the game's 30 seconds. He's just a sophomore, but he played like a longtime veteran tonight. T.J. [Wind] was possessed tonight. He made those long runs that helped to save us. Jeremiah Evans found the right guys to connect for the big plays tonight. We were luck to come out of this alive. We made a lot of mistakes and hurt ourselves with big penalties. Lehi was ready for us. Offensively and defensively, they were gritty. We're going home tonight with a lot of respect for them."

On my way out of Pioneer Stadium, an old Lehi man told me, "Write in the paper that Lehi's coach [Dave Hastings] cost us the game."

That old man may not  believe it, but Dave Hastings was not the party responsible for the game's final outcome. Overstreet was the guilty culprit, and count on him being proud of that.

Ferocious PG Vike Spikers Scuttle Awesome AF Cavewomen in 3-Game Match Sept. 17
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings showed in a road match at American Fork Sept. 17 that their win at Lehi had not left them emotionally drained. The Ferocious Vikings scuttled the Awesome Cavewomen 25-19, 25-12, 25-11.

Pleasant Grove Coach Alyce Wilson said, "Lehi taught us what to do in matches, so we could do much better in winning quicker."

Athough Kailey Buckner, Hannah Lynde, and Kassidy Roberts guided the Awesome Cavewomen in maintaining a close fight against the Ferocious Vikings in the first game, Pleasant Grove's Rachel "Hurricane" Gale, Madison "Avenue" Walford, and Brisa Winterton (a niece of American Fork sports legend Tony Trane) guided their team in posting a 25-19 win in Game 1.

In the next two games, the Ferocious Vikings massacred the Awesome Cavewomen. Gale and Walford  guided Pleasant Grove in destroying the host team. In the third game, for instance, Pleasant Grove built up a 21-7 lead. After a Bailey Nixon kill had put them on the edge of being doomed, the Awesome Cavewomen made a short comeback guided by Roberts and Maddy "Colonel" Sanders. American Fork got within 24-11, but a hitting error ended the match.

Gale lead Pleasant Grove with 16 kills. For American Fork, Lynde produced 15 kills and Roberts 12 digs.

Lehi Froggies Gild Herriman Pretty Ponies in 3-Game Volleyball Match on Sept. 17
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

AKA the Froggies, the Lehi Pioneers opened Region Four volleyball play at home by gilding the Herriman Mustangs, AKA the Pretty Ponies, in a three-game match Sept. 17.

In fixing the Pretty Ponies by scores of 25-20, 25-15. 25-19, the Froggies demonstrated that they could truthfully croak about the fact that they had a lot of returning veterans from last year still on staff.

The match opened with a McKayla Houghton kill putting the Froggies on the scoreboard first. The Pretty Ponies tied Game 1's score at one, two,  five, 13, and 14. Pretty Ponies Sadie "Fish" Pond, Oakley "Squint" Swint, and Elaine Asaasa provided the Froggies a strong challenge at the net, keeping the first game a close affair.

For a spell, Faitoto'a Faleao, Courtney Walker, and Houghton provided Lehi with the gas for staying narrowly ahead of the Pretty Ponies. However, Herriman eventually pulled ahead 15-14, giving the impression that the Froggies might have to play at least four games instead of three against Herriman. Lehi tied it at 15, and then the Froggies stroked ahead 16-15.

A Swint block tied the game at 16, but Lehi leaped back out in front 17-16. The Froggies never let the Pretty Ponies catch up with them again in the game, even though Herriman stayed close during that round's final minutes. A Faleao kill give Lehi a 25-20 win in the game.

The Pretty Ponies galloped ahead 1-0 in the second game, but Lehi immediately turned the game into a seesaw fight. Once the Froggies had pulled ahead 5-4 on a double block, they began leaping away from Herriman. Courtney Walker, Reesie Tua, Rylin Roberts, and Houghton joined Faleao in keeping Pond and Asaasa from tipping the tempo to the Pretty Ponies' favor. Ashley Robbins' serving lasted long enough to create a 20-10 lead for Lehi. The Froggies went on to win 25-15.

Pond's hitting and blocking enabled the Pretty Ponies to gallop out to an early 8-3 lead. Lehi fans' minds became filled with memories of their Froggies playing poorly in the third game of a recent home match against the Brighton Bengals, AKA the Bad Old Puddy Tats. Lehi had to play four games in that match to beat the Bad Old Puddy Tats.

A Faleao kill sparked a comeback for the Froggies. Capitalizing on some Herriman hitting errors, Lehi soon tied the game at eight on a Houghton kill.  The game then became a seesaw contest, which switches in the lead occur more quickly than you could say Ali Lamb Chop. Once a Walker kill put the Froggies back out in front 18-17, they built up a lead strong enough to keep the Pretty Ponies at bay for the rest of the game.

Lehi Coach Jaimie Ingersoll said, "We had some strong serving in all three games to enable us to our leads. Courtney Walker hit some great corner shots for us."

Houghton posted 13 hits for Lehi. Robbins served up four aces and made 43 assists while Cydney Lund made 16 digs for the Froggies.

Lehi Froggies' Win Over Pine View Kittens and Westlake Shocker Volleyball Action

Timp Sports Weekly

September 10, 2013

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at the 36-33 win that the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, had posted over the Pine View Panthers, AKA the Kittens, in a preseason football game played Sept. 6. We will also look at how the Westlake Thunder, AKA the Shockers, did at the Rocky Mountain Classic, hosted by the Froggies and the Lone Peak Loners, last weekend. We will also look at a brief account of the Salem Hills Skyhawks' huge win over the Stansbury Stallions, AKA the Ponies, at the Rocky Mountain Classic Sept. 7. As they say in Lehi, let's stroke straight to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Lehi Froggies Post 36-33 Win Over Pine View Kittens in Non-League Football Thriller Sept. 6

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

No can doubt that the Saint George-based Pine View Panthers, AKA the Kittens, went home disappointed Sept. 6 that they had failed to dry up the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, like the Dixie Flyers, AKA the Fly Boys, had done the week before. In the Sept. 6 non-league thriller, the Froggies defeated the Kittens 36-33 at Lehi's Pioneer Stadium.

After having been drained 50-20 by the Fly Boys, not to be confused with the Dixie University Partyin' Red Storm, Lehi wanted to redeem itself before hometown fans. However, the Kittens proved to be equally determined to soak up a win on Lehi's field.

With Derek Hastings as their main rusher, the Froggies began the game's first drive from the Lehi 25-yard line. Quarterbacked by Derek Beeston, the Froggie offense hopped clear into midfield position. However, strong resistance from the Kitten defense compelled those Croakers to punt.

A "distant cousin" of Duran Duran, a character in the 1968 film Barbarella, Triston "Duran" Duran returned the game's first punt to the Kitten 25-yard line. From there, quarterback Kody "Wild Willie" Wilstead guided the Kittens on their first successful march of the game. With Duran catching a 33-yard pass from Wilstead, the Kittens soon reached the Froggie 10-yard zone. Taking a handoff from Wilstead, Bladen Hosner rushed six yards into the end zone, and Ethan Baer, a "distant cousin" of former TV star Max Baer, kicked in an point.

The Froggies didn't let Hosner's first TD go unanswered. With Hastings and Caden Calton taking turns at rushing the ball, Lehi soon invaded the Kittens' 10-yard zone. This time, Pine View's defense couldn't stop the Foggies cold. Taking a handoff from Beeston, Calton curved around to the left to score a touchdown. A Hayden Hunt extra-point kick evened the game at seven.

The Froggie defense kept the Kittens from moving the ball into Lehi's end of the field. With Pine View having to punt, Calton broke the 7-7 tie on a 44-yard touchdown run. A Hunt extra-point kick left the Froggies with a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Wilstead fired a 28-yard touchdown pass to Hosner, but Lehi prevented the Kittens from picking up an extra point.

On a second-down play, Lehi fans croaked excitedly as they watched Calton race 65 yards into the Kitten end zone like a bullfrog being chased by a hungry alligator. Lehi scored a two-point conversion. However, the Froggies couldn't hop faraway from the Kittens.

With Colton Miller catching an 11-yard pass from Wilstead in midfield, the Kittens stormed deep into the Froggies' end of the field. Aided by Blake Ence's catch of a 49-yard, Wilstead pass, Hosner scored a touchdown, and a Baer exta-point kick trimmed Lehi's lead to 22-20.

Rushes by Hastings and Ryan Absher shoved the Froggies clear to the Kitten 1-yard line. Hugging the pigskin tightly, Calton barged his way through a wall of Kitten defensive linemen to score a touchdown, which Hunt coated with another extra point. Kitten Cason Prisbrey answered that Froggie TD with another one of his own on a eight-yard rush into the Lehi end zone at 1:51. Wilstead threw an incomplete pass during a two-point conversion try.

The Kittens finally pulled back out in front 32-29 on a Jack Bangerter touchdown in the third quarter. After a Baer extra-point kick had improved the Kitten lead at 33-29, the Pine View defense held Lehi scoreless until late in the fourth quarter when Beeston scored a touchdown on a keeper play. Hunt's extra-point kick concluded the game's scoring. 

Salem Hills Sky Tweeties Defeat Stansbury Stallions in 2-Game Match in Rocky Mountain Classic Sept. 7

By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Rock Mountain Classic volleyball match at Lehi Sept. 7, the Salem Hills Skyhawks, AKA the Sky Tweeties, gilded the Stansbury Stallions, AKA the Ponies, by scores of 25-11 and 25-13.

The Ponies didn't have a prayer against Salem Hills, the tournament's defending Bronze Division champ. Guided by Megan Treanor, Callie "Fornya" Peterson, Jane Nelson, and Nicole Smith, the Sky Tweeties dominated the net in both games of the match.

Madison "Avenue" Alvey did a great performance as a server for the Ponies in the second game. However, despite some great front-row performance by Pony Rachel "Comrade" Kirchoff,  Stansbury couldn't get any long rallies going.

When the Sky Tweeties got a 15-7 lead  in the first game, the Ponies fell apart. Smith's serving enabled the Sky Tweeties to take a 9-0 lead early in the second game, and they never looked back.

My attention on the match got interrupted by volleyball referee Wendy Weaver wanting to show me photos she had taken at the scene of an accident in which she had hit a bull elk while she and a companion were returning from a volleyball match in Manti. As she showed me the photos on her cellphone, I felt relieved that even though Wendy's car and the elk were now goners, she was at least still among the living. The terrible fates that the car and the elk had suffered pretty much epitomized what happened to the Ponies' efforts against the Sky Tweeties. Salem Hills is one team nobody should ever underestimate, especially later on this season.

Westlake Shockers Blaze Their Way to a 2nd-Place Finish in the Rocky Mountain Classic Sept. 6

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

With this autumn being the first season that the Westlake Thunder, AKA the Shockers, are playing as a 5-A volleyball team,  they have already proved that they can do well in their new classification.

They made that clear to the Davis Darts, AKA the Tarts, in a pool match at the Rocky Mountain Classic, a volleyball tournament co-hosted by Lehi and Lone Peak. In the pool match played in Lehi's smaller gym, the Shockers defeated the Tarts 25-18 and 25-19.

Even though a Kendall Sargent kill paced the Tarts out to a 5-2 lead in Game 1, the Shockers quickly proved that they had a lot of spark. Anela Hansen, Shianne Pace, and Kelsey LaPray sparked the Shockers into blazing back into the game. Quicker than you could Ali Lamb Chop, the Shockers bolted ahead 8-7. Game 1 became a seesaw battle as Tarts Lexie Turner and Kenzie Nicol attempted to tip the momentum back to Davis' favor. However, the traditional volleyball powerhouse couldn't keep the 5-A newbies contained. Kills by Hansen, Tessa Riffle, and Aviary Shields enabled the Shockers to stay ahead through the rest of the game.

The second game also went down as a seesaw battle as Hansen proved to be an equal to towering players like Johanna Purdy and Turner. Kills by Tianna Naylor enabled the Shockers to pull away from Davis and sweep the match in two games.

In the Bronze Division's quarterfinals the Stansbury Stallions, AKA the Ponies, played much better against the Shockers. than they did against the Salem Sky Hawks, AKA the Sky Tweeties. In the first game, for instance, Westlake took an early 6-2 lead, but the Ponies narrowed it to 6-4. Guided by Rachel "Comrade" Kirchoff and Madison "Avenue" Alvey, Stansbury stayed close to the Shockers for a while. However, Hansen and Naylor's combined hitting proved to be impossible for the Ponies to overcome. Westlake won Game 1 25-17. The Ponies fell apart in the second game like they did in their match against the Sky Tweeties earlier in the day. With Stansbury's offense acting erratic, the Shockers had no trouble in corralling the Ponies. Pace, Hansen, and Naylor pooled their efforts together to produce a 25-15 over Stansbury.

In the semifinals, the Shockers found the Delta Rabbits, AKA the Wabbits, to be as cunning as the Deltans' favorite cartoon hero, Bugs Bunny. Westlake blazed its way out to an early 5-0 lead. Just as the Wabbits appeared that they would the roasted, they hopped back into the first game. Under the leadership of Sidney "What's Up Doc?" Springer and Shaylee "Cottontail" LaFevre guided the Wabbits back within 9-7. Hansen and Riffle jumped forward to stave off successfully the Wabbits' comeback effort. AKA Wabbitville, Delta kept leaping after Westlake. The Wabbits eventually got within 24-22. A Hansen kill ended the game in a 25-22 win for the Shockers.

In the second game, Wabbitville built up a 6-2 lead over Westlake. Hansen, Riffle, Sheilds, and Naylor hammered the momentum into dropping to the Shockers' favor. Finally, a LaPray kill put the Shockers ahead 11-10. The Wabbits tried controlling Hansen, but she proved to be too much for them to control. Mahealam Stone registered some hits that helped to roast Wabbitville severely. A Shields block won the game 25-15 and moved the Shockers into the championship final against the Dixie Flyers, AKA the Flyeryettes.

Not to be confused with the Dixie University Partyin' Red Storm, the Flyerettes proved to be the Shockers' toughest challenge of the tournament's medal-round matches. Under the leadership of
Tali Stevenson, Allisi Fakahua, Brittney Feala, and Jocie Bundy, the Flyerettes built up a quick lead of 14-6. The Shockers seemed done for. However, Hansen, Pace, and LaPray made sure that Dixie didn't make short work of Westlake. The Shockers battled back to tie the game at 23 on a Hansen kill. A LaPray ace put Westlake ahead 24-23. A Naylor kill gave the Shockers a 25-23 win.

In the second game, the two teams battled to tied scores of two, five, and six. A Feala kill sent the Flyerettes out an 13-6 lead. This time, Dixie proved to be tougher at the net. Brianna Duke joined in Fakahua, Bundy, and Stevenson in maintaining strong Flyerette control of the net. Dixie's lead swelled as wide as 24-8. Westlake rallied back within 24-12, but couldn't get any closer to Dixie.

In the third game, Pace's serving enabled the Shockers to blast back to tie the game at six after having let the Flyerettes take an early 4-2 lead. Westlake soon pulled ahead 8-7, but the Shockers couldn't keep control of the tempo. Feala and Stevenson's hitting sent the Flyerettes zooming ahead 9-8. Dixie never looked back. The Flyerettes won the third game 15-11.

Westlake Coach Wayne said, "Our players behaved more united in this tournament than they had done in prior matches this season. We've been working on unity quite hard all season. We stayed united in some real close matches at this tournament."

The Shockers are going to be returning their attention to Region Four play. They have opened it with a match at Lone Peak on September 4. The Shockers lost the four-game affair to the Lone Peak Loners.

Lehi Froggie Volleyball and AF Grass Relays

Timp Sports Weekly

September 3, 2013

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, outlasting the Fremont Silverwolves, AKA the Silverpups, in a five-game volleyball match played at Lehi Aug. 29. We also look at how four northern Utah County schools' cross country teams did at the 17th Annual American Fork Grass Relays. As they say in Lehi, let's swim straight to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Lehi Froggies Survive Ribbiting 5-Match Against Fremont Silverpups Aug. 29

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a non-league volleyball action at Lehi Aug. 29, the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, survived a five-game match against the Fremont Silverwolves, AKA the Silverpups, by scores of 25-22, 25-17, 24-26, 13-25, 15-10.

There could be no doubt that the game turned out to be more riveting -- correction, ribbiting than expected. During the match's first two games, the Froggies capitalized on the Silverpups' problem service errors to hop all over them. However, when Fremont defeated Lehi in the third game, the Froggies realized how extremely hungry for a victory the Silverpups were. Lehi Coach Jamie Ingersoll said, "In the fifth game, we managed to keep the ball in the court, so we could control the tempo all the way through. We played consistent in that game. In the third game, we let them get that early big lead, and we paid for it with having to play five games instead of three."

The first game opened with the Silverpups howling out to a 2-0 lead. Froggie Reesie Tua dumped a shot into Silverpup hole, turning the game into a nail-biting contest. Jessica Quayle, Mandi "Ms. Baad" Lamb, and Kenzie Burrows guided the Silverpups in staying ahead for a little while. Carly Ituma, Cydney Lund, Faitoto'a Faleao, and Rylin Roberts pooled their efforts together to pace the Froggies into leaping past the Silverpups 8-7. Taking a turn at serving, Ituma guided the Froggies into stroking far ahead of Fremont. Lehi  led by as far as 15-9. Lamb, Amanda Wayment, and Whitney Wray battled fiercely late in the first to prove that their Silverpups were still far from being fixed. After Lamb had chopped the Froggie lead down 23-22 on a kill, Makayala Houghton delivered hits that produced a 25-22 win for Lehi.

Ituma's hitting guided the Froggies out to an early 3-1 lead in the second game. Silverpups raced back to take a 4-3 advantage. Frequent service errors made it impossible for them to keep a tight hold on the momentum. As it kept slipping from the Silverpups' paws, the Froggies got an outstanding front-row performance from Houghton. Her hitting enabled the Froggies to stay several points ahead of Fremont despite strong efforts from Wayment, Burrows, Lamb, and Quayle. Houghton's hitting netted the Froggies a 25-17 in Game 2.

By the way the first two games had turned out, the Froggies, on paper, should have had no problem with swishing the Silverpups away in the third game. Even though it opened with Froggie Brynn Christensen registering a kill to give her team a 1-0 lead, Lehi came out flat. Aided by a Burrows ace, the Silverpups set their paws on a 4-1 lead quicker than you could say Ali Lamb Chop. A "distant cousin" of famed British actor Anthony "Tony" Quayle, Jessica Quayle held her own against Houghton, Ituma, and Faleao at the net. Quayle's hitting helped the Silverpups to stay ahead the entire game. In their attempts to catch up with Fremont, the Froggies frequently shot themselves in the fin through committing errors at very critical moments. Lehi finally did tie the game at 24-24. Wray delivered two straight kills that gave the Silverpups a 26-24 win.

The fourth game opened with Lamb registered a kill. Aided by Wayment, Burrows, and Wray, Lamb chopped Lehi to pieces in the game by a score of 25-13.

Despite the bruising loss in Game 4, Lehi put on the kind of performance that save the Froggies from getting dried up by Fremont. Tua, Houghton, Lund, Roberts, Sydney Wright, and Courtney Walker worked together to guide Lehi to a 15-10 win over the Silverpups.

Awesome AF Cavemen Win Varsity Boys' Title at AF Grass Relays Aug. 31

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Awesome American Fork Cavemen won the varsity boys' title at the 17th Annual American Fork Grass Relays, held behind the American Fork High School Aug. 31.

Unlike the cross country meets at which American Fork will be competing this fall, the one last Saturday involved having varsity runners each taking a turn at carrying a baton twice around a one-mile course. Each of the 20 schools competing at the meet field a team of five carriers.

The current state 5-A champs, the Awesome Cavemen showed why they were still a team of highly experienced runners. During the varsity boys' race, American Fork's No. 1 runner, Connor McMillan, built up a wide distance between himself and all of the other guys running in his turn of the race. Despite having to leap over hay bale barricades, McMillan didn't lose ground to his pursuers. With him finishing his turn of the race in first-place, he enabled his relay team's four other runners to stay way ahead of other baton carriers. The other four Awesome Caveman varsity racers included Zac "Zebra" Jacklin, Tyler "Tinker" Bell, Nate Tracy, and Caleb Thompson.

In the overall varsity boys' finishes, McMillan took first and Jacklin fourth. Lone Peak's Jacob Warner took ninth in those overall finishes.

American Fork boys' coach Timo Mostert said, "Dean, there are two kinds of runners: those who race and those who want to race. My guys wanted to race today."

The Awesome Cavemen weren't the only northern Utah County boys' cross country team that proved something at the Grass Relays. The Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, proved something, too. Loner Coach Steve Ravelli said, "The varsity boys did much better than many people thought they would do. Our guys beat a nationally ranked team. Like American Fork, Riverton is nationally ranked, but we still beat the Silverwolves. We finished second in the varsity boys' relay."

Among the other three schools to finish in the varsity boys' relay's top five, Bingham took third, Riverton fourth, and Orem fifth.

The Loner runners in the varsity boys' relay included Warner, Jacob Harmer, Mikey Rossi, Jon Cahoon, and Marcor Peterson.

The Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings and Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, also fielded teams for the varsity boys and girls' relays. Pleasant Grove's varsity boys' quintet consisted of Zach Slater, Justin Coutts, Ethan Mitchell, Spence Palmer, and Tanner Nelson. The Froggies' varsity boys' quintet comprised of Connor Arnell, Austin Hinckley, Mikey Hinckley, Tom "Cat" Heaps, and Brady "Bunch" Taylor. Pleasant Grove finished 21st in the varsity boys' relay, and it saw Lehi take 22nd.

The Awesome American Fork Cavewomen finished fifth in the varsity girls' relay, which Bingham won. AKA the Pickers, the Bingham Miners took firm control of that race. The best American Fork could do was move from a seventh-place position to a fourth-place spot. The Awesome Cavewomen's varsity girls' relay consisted of Maddie Bench, Sophie Baird, Lexie Green, Diane Leach, and Makayla Stepps. American Fork head coach Bruno Hunziker said, "They've finished fifth in our grass relays practically every year, except that one time when they won first a few years ago. Today showed what they will need to work on, so they can get better as the season progresses.

Lehi took ninth in the varsity girls' relay. The Froggie girls' relay team consisted of Kenzie Draper, Nicole Rich, Emily Anderson, Maddy Kauffman, and Shariss Bevan.  

The Ferocious Vikings and Loners also fielded teams for the varsity girls' relay. The Ferocious Viking girls' team comprised of Annie Henninger, Aspen "Grove" Lucas, Melissa Reid, Faith Olsen, and Michaela Tanner. The Loners' varsity girls' quintet consisted of Emily Morrin, Monica Gividen, Amelia Southwick, and Jessica Smith. Lone Peak finished 10th in the varsity girls' race while  Pleasant Grove took 28th.

The meet opened with four races involving junior varsity runners. American Fork dominated the top 10 finishes in all of those races. 

A "distant cousin" of MASH character Corporal Clinger, Awesome Caveman Casey Clinger won the boys' 9th-10th grade division race. Among the other Awesome Cavemen to finish high in that race, McKay Johns took second, Joe Simmons sixth, and Hagen Hammer seventh. Loner Adam Jensen finished fourth.

In the girls' 9th-10th grade division race, Hannah Kendrick took first, Sophie Stewart second, Katie Bradshaw third, and Sammy Hollingsworth sixth. Loner Amanda Erickson took fifth in that race. Coach Ravelli said, "Amanda Erickson was the biggest surprise of the day with her fifth-place in the freshman-sophomore race. She ran well enough to have a shot at becoming our No. 3 runner on varsity."

Hunziker said, "Hannah Kendrick and Sophie Stewart are ninth graders, and they showed their race today why they deserved a chance at getting placed on varsity."

During the girls' junior-senior jayvee race, Awesome Cavewoman Nikki "Slicky" Smith finished first while teammate Amber "This is Your Night" Bardin took 10th.

American Fork practically swept the top 10 finishes of the boys' junior-senior jayvee race. During it, Awesome Caveman Dan Bentley won first while Spence Herzog took second, Jace Jenson third, Jacob Chase fourth, Luke "Use the Force" Gunther fifth, Connor Hoopes seventh, and Ashton Jensen eighth.

AF Girls' Soccer Win Over Bingham, Lehi Volleyball Season Opener, Lehi Froggie Football Win, and AF Volleyball

Timp Sports Weekly

August 27, 2013

Publisher's Message

With high school fall sports now underway, we will look at stories about the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen's wins in soccer and volleyball last week. We will also take a look at the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, washing away the Brighton Bengals (AKA the Bad Old Puddy Tats) in volleyball and the Murray Spartans (AKA the Spear Boys) in football. As they say Lehi, let's stroke straight to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Awesome AF Cavewomen Kick Bingham Pickers Aside 2-0 in Girls' Soccer Game Aug. 19

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

After having dropped their first two girls' soccer games of the season, the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen finally picked up win Aug. 19 when they kicked aside the Bingham Miners, AKA the Pickers, 2-0 in a preseason game at South Jordan Middle School.

"We have beaten Bingham before, but this is the first time that we have won at their place," said American Fork Coach Margie Stringam. "We played very good defense against them. Kenzie Jorgensen did really good in the goalie position. We applied today what we had learned from our loss at home to Hillcrest last Thursday, and unlike in that last game, we made sure today that once we got on the board we stayed ahead all the way. Bingham has a lot of seniors. So I told my girls to come out playing really hard against them."

Sydney "The Sly Sloth" Olsen, Caitlyn "The Mark" Stainbrook and Marly Olsen led frequent Picker penetrations deep into American Fork territory. However, the Pickers encountered much resistance from Jorgensen, Jenna Shepherd, and Audrey Searle, the daughter of former American Fork girls' soccer star Ali "Lamb Chop" Searle. 

Fans saw many nail-biting moments involving Awesome Cavewoman Lizzy Newman and Benson battling for the ball. More often than not, Newman would manage to dribble past Benson.

Ten minutes into the game, Awesome Cavewoman Brooklyn Voglesberg scored the first goal from the top of the Picker penalty box. The game then grounded down into a classic goal-keeping duel between Jorgensen and Bingham's Ashlee "Duchess" Palmer.

The game got so intense that a referee ejected an American Fork dad from the field. However, the two teams' players and coaches managed to keep their cool, so none of them got shown the door like that one father had been.

The game's second goal occurred in the final two minutes of regulation play. Receiving a corner kick from comic strip character Beetle Bailey's "distant cousin" Marissa Bailey, Shepherd scored the goal.

Lehi Froggies Leap Past Bad Old Brighton Puddy Tats in 4-Game Volleyball Aug. 22
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a non-league volleyball match at Lehi Aug. 22, the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, leaped past the Brighton Bengals, AKA the Bad Old Puddy Tats, in a four-game match by scores of 18-25, 25-13, 25-16, 25-18.

Game 1 gave the illusion that the Bad Old Puddy Tats would rip the Froggies apart in three games. Yes, the opening game did go down as an unhappy -- correction, unhoppy experience for Lehi. Even though the Froggies, led by Faitoto Falaeo and McKayla Houghton, did hop back to the tie game at eight, they couldn't pull ahead of those Bad Old Puddy Tats. Jenna "Orange Bear" Markey, Shannon "Don't Worry, Be Happy" McPherron, Nana "The Sea" Mariner, and Montana "Poison" Ivey dominated the net all the way through the opening round. Nevertheless, the Froggies kept battling back, pulling within one point thrice. However, the Froggies had jumped within 19-17, the Bad Old Puddy Tats proceeded to pull away.

In the second game, Brighton and Lehi battled to a 2-2 draw. Suddenly, the Froggies capitalized on some Bad Old Puddy Tat violations and took control of the moment. Even though the Bad Old Puddy Tats tied the game at six, Froggie Ashley "The Adventuress" Robbins registered a kill that stirred up momentum for Lehi. Despite the Bad Old Puddy Tats tying the game at eight, they couldn't pull ahead this time. A Faleao kill sent Lehi hopping ahead. Soon, the Froggies commanded a 14-7 lead. Despite desperate efforts from Dani "Miss Meow" Barton and Orange Bear Markey, the Bad Old Puddy Tats couldn't claw their way back into the game. Once a Robbins ace put the Froggie lead at 21-11, doom had become inevitable for Brighton. With a Reesie Tua kill winning the game for Lehi, the Bad Old Puddy Tats couldn't help but groan, "Thutherin' Thucatsh!"

The third game opened with a Tua kill sending the Froggies stroking out to a 4-0 lead. Barton and Markey guided an effort that enabled the Bad Old Puddy Tats to tie the game at five. However, some key Faleao hits sent Lehi ahead 9-6. Houghton and Rylin Roberts, a niece of Mountain View Teddy Bear sports legend Josh Roberts, guided the Froggies in keeping ahead of the Bad Old Puddy through the rest of the game. Tua's hitting late in the third game enabled the Froggies to clutch the round.

Even though the Bad Old Puddy Tats got their paws on a 1-0 lead in the fourth game, Tua, Roberts, and Houghton combined their efforts to produce a 9-3 lead for Lehi. Markey and Barton guided their Bad Old Puddy Tats back to take a 12-11 lead on a Kassidy "Butch" Siddoway kill. However, Lehi tied the game at 12 on a double block, and Roberts' hitting earned the Froggies a 14-12 lead. Though Brighton tied the game at 14, Courtney Walker registered a kill that gave Lehi momentum to pull ahead. Sydney White's serving tightened the Froggies' hold on the momentum, and a bad Brighton bump gave them the match point. As Brighton's arch rivals, the Alta Tweeties, would say, those poor Bad Old Puddy Tats didn't know what got them.

Lehi Coach Jamie Ingersoll said, "We couldn't build big momentums in the first game. In the second and third game, we had some big serving runs. In the fourth game, we mainly went through the motions."

Houghton posted 11 kills and Roberts added another 10. Robbins served up six aces while Digger Lund came up with 24 digs.

Lehi Froggies Open Football Season With 60-20 Win Over Murray Spear Boys Aug. 23
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, opened their football season with a 60-20 win at home over the Murray Spartans, AKA the Spear Boys, in preseason action Aug. 23.

The game gave the Froggies' much frustrated fans hope about them hopping all the way to a state 5-A title this November. While we wait to see whether Lehi can swim away with that accomplishment, I will have you know that the Froggies are going to be spending this Labor Day weekend in Saint George, playing the Dixie Flyers, not to be confused with the Dixie University Partyin' Red Storm.

Lehi Coach Dave Hastings said, "I think we played really good defense, especially when they got into the red zone in the game's early minutes. When they fumbled the ball on our 1-yard line, that gave us a real big break."

The game opened with Froggie Ryan Absher returning the ball to the Lehi 28-yard line. Guided by quarterback Derek Beeston, the Froggie offense stroke all the way to the Murray 45-yard line. The Spear Boy defense stopped the Froggies there. Soon, Murray running back Mason Burnett rushed the ball clear to the Froggie 13-yard line. Teammate Taylor Liston, an "extremely distant cousin" of famed boxer Sonny Liston, then carried the ball to the Lehi 1-yard line. The Froggies suddenly appeared destined to get stomped like they had been in nine of their games last year. However, Murray fumbled away the ball, and Froggie Daeton Taylor recovered it on the 5-yard line. The turnover led to Froggie Caden Calton scoring a touchdown. Lehi tried for a two-point conversion, but failed to score one.

Lehi's 6-0 lead couldn't last long. During an 80-yard march from the Spear Boy 20-yard line, quarterback Riley Richmond connected a six-yard pass to Burnett for a tying touchdown. Cordell 'Winkie" Martindale kicked a PAT to put the Spear Boys ahead 7-6.

During the first quarter's final two minutes, Beeston fired a 24-yard pass to running back Spence Blackham. That big pass soon led Lehi to getting inside the Spear Boys' 10-yard zone. On a fourth-down play, Absher caught a 19-yard touchdown pass. Though Lehi failed to score another two-point conversion, the Froggies commenced turning the game into a contest that they would croak proudly about for weeks to come.

Early in the second quarter, Froggie Colton Sampson sacked Richmond for a five-yard loss, prompting Murray to punt to the Froggie 37-yard line. A 38-yard pass from Beeston to Austin Wetzel and a Murray personal foul put the Froggies inside the Spear Boys' 10-yard zone. Taking a handoff from Beeston,  Derek Hastings scored touchdown on a five-yard carry. Hayden Hunt kicked in an extra point for the Froggies. While attempting to recovering from that Froggie TD, Murray funmbled away the ball on the Froggie 19-yard line. Though Maxs Tapi sacked Beeston for a five-yard loss, Lehi recovered quickly in time for Calton to score his second touchdown during a nine-yard carry. On a 95-yard kickoff return, Spear Boy Mitch Rasmussen scored a touchdown, but the Froggies didn't let Murray score an extra point.

In the third quarter. the Froggies drenched Murray in a scoring rally. Early that quarter, Wetzel returned a punt 50 yards into the Murray end zone. Beeston's long passes to Dyreke Terrell and Ryan Absher resulted in Hastings scoring a TD on a 12-yard run. Froggie fans then croaked excitedly as they watched Absher picked off pass and race the interception 15 yards into the Murray end zone. Absher's Colton topped it with a 36-yard touchdown rush. Rasmussen gave Murray fans something to cheer about when he caught a  28-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Drew Cash. That play turned out to be the last successful Murray drive of the game.

The Spear Boys didn't let the Froggies trample them in the final quarter, but Murray couldn't recover from the third quarter. At 3:03 in the last quarter, Brandon Kopinksy recovered a Murray fumble in the Spartan end zone for Lehi's final touchdown.

Awesome AF Cavespikers Defeat South Summit Mountain Kitties and Bonneville Barnacles Skyline Volleyball Tournament
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

On Aug. 24, the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen finished their final day of the Skyline Volleyball Invitational by defeating the South Summit Wildcats (AKA Mountain Kitties) and the Bonneville Lakers (AKA the Barnacles).

The South Summit match opened with a Shalae Steinbridge ace putting the Mountain Kitties on the board first. Before long, the Mountain Kitties commanded a 3-1 lead. Cassidy "Butch" Roberts, Whitney "Herman" Hess, and Maddie "Colonel" Sanders guided an Awesome Cavewoman comeback effort. After American Fork had tied the game at six, Sanders swatted a kill that put the Awesome Cavewomen ahead 7-6. South Summit tied the game at eight, but American Fork pulled back out in front again. Jensen Meyers, Lexie "Locked" Hatch, and Jamie "How Do You Do" McNeil paced the Mountain Kitties in keeping close to the Awesome Cavewomen. However, American Fork never let South Summit slip ahead of it again. A Hess ace won gave American Fork a 23-17 win in the first game.

The second game opened with the Awesome Cavewomen rolling ahead 8-1 on Sanders and Roberts' hitting. Great front-row efforts from Kylee Buckner, Afton Law, Tristan Tusinga, Jessie Akin, Abby Ensign, and Ohanna Lenz helped American Fork build up a 20-10 lead. The Awesome Cavewomen cruised to a 25-13 win, sweeping their match against the Mountain Kitties.

American Fork had to go three games in its match against the Barnacles. Bonneville dominated the Awesome Cavewomen. A niece of BYU football legend Junior "Puncher" Filiaga, Sam Filiaga guided the Barnacles out to an early 5-1. Hess, Whitehead, and Sanders stirred up a comeback try that enabled the Awesome Cavemen slip ahead 10-9, but a Taylor Anderson kill tipped the momentum back to the Barnacles' favor. Courtney Porter, Ellie "Mae" Jensen, and Bailey Balaich registered kills that kept Bonneville narrowly ahead the rest of the game. When an Anderson kill gave the Barnacles a 25-23 win in Game 1, the Awesome Cavewomen looked as though they would be sunk quickly like ships.

Despite a Filiaga kill giving Bonneville an early 1-0 lead, Kills by Law and Sanders sent American Fork ahead 3-1. Sanders' hitting enabled the Awesome Cavewomen to stay narrowly ahead. Strong serving helped American Fork to keep the Barnacles at bay, even though Bonneville did cruise within 15-13. An Ensign kill powered American Fork to pull away at that point. A Law kill gave the Awesme Cavewomen a 25-18 win.

In the third game, the two teams battled to an 8-8 tie. A Sanders kill broke that deadlock. The Barnacles pulled within 10-9 and 11-10, but a Tusinga kill staved them off, and American Fork went on to win 15-11.

Awesome AF Cavewomen's Loss to the Hillcrest Puppies in Girls' Soccer

Timp Sports Weekly

August 20, 2013

 Publisher's Message

This week's issue deals with the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen's preseason soccer campaign with a particular attention on their  2-1 loss at home to the Hillcrest Huskies, AKA the Puppies, on August 15. Let's get to the story of that exciting game.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Awesome AF Cavewomen Suffer a 2-1 Loss to the Hillcrest Puppies in Preseason Overtime Thriller

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In opening their girls' preseason soccer schedule last week, the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen  got defeated 2-1 by the Hillcrest Huskies, AKA the Puppies, in an overtime thriller played on American Fork High's softball field Aug. 15.

The Awesome Cavewomen has had a long history of getting clobbered by the Puppies in girls' soccer. However, in the latest game, American Fork kept playing well enough to have a strong chance, even in the overtime portion, of pulling out a win.

Puppy Rosa Cortez initiated the first deep attack of the game. Hillcrest moved the ball really deep for a chance to get a good shot selection. However, Awesome Cavewoman goalie Kenzie "Take Off For the Great White North" Jorgenson picked off a Puppy shot.

The twin sister of Awesome Caveman baseball player Dallin Searle and the daughter of American Fork girls' soccer legend Ali "Lamp Chop" Searle, Audrey Searle initiated a strong Awesome Cavewoman attack up through the Puppy center. Defender Amy Cyr guided a strong Puppy effort that delayed American Fork from scoring the first game's first goal.

Ten minutes into the game, Awesome Cavewoman Anna Stevenson kicked in the afternoon's first goal. In fact, it was American Fork's very first goal of the season. (The Jordan Beetdiggers, AKA the Plowgirls, had defeated American Fork 2-0 Aug. 13.) Stevenson's successful shot created the impression that the Awesome Cavewomen would finally score their first win over the Puppies for the first time in the history of the two teams' 21-year rivalry.

The Puppies didn't let American Fork enjoy its 1-0 lead for long. After Cyr had rebuffed one Awesome Cavewoman attack, Puppy Makayle Hill, a "distant cousin" of Fox cartoon character Hank Hill, delivered a kick that sent the ball deep into American Fork's territory. Soon, fellow Puppy Jenna Hansen kicked in a goal on an angle shot.

The game then grounded down in a deadlock that saw great defensive efforts by both the Awesome Cavewomen and the Puppies. Awesome Cavewomen Laken Flinders, Taylor "T.J." Thompson, and Tin Lizzie Newman stepped forward to come up with some thrilling steals from quick-moving Puppies like Emily "Flaming" Sorge, Halah "Chaka" Kanh, Sadie "Hawkins" McLachlan, and Karra "Pretty Face" Gourley. Puppy goalie Nicole "The Foal" Jessen gave Cyr strong backup clear into the game's overtime portion.

Early in the overtime, the Awesome Cavewomen had some great shot selections. However, none of them could get any kicks to fly past Jessen.

When the Puppies took control of the ball, they put a quick end to the game. From the top of American Fork's penalty box, Skye "Pilot" Jefferies booted in a successful shot.

While the Puppies howled joyfully about their thrilling win, the Awesome Cavewomen slowly cleared the field for a post-game meeting with their head coach, Margie Stringam, wore a defected look. It was why I did not bother interviewing her after the game.

I did talk to the Puppies' head coach, Megan Beckstead, though. Wearing a tiny, diamond stud on her nose, Beckstead said, "They [the Puppies] played really hard until the final shot in overtime. They never gave."

The Final Two Rounds of the UBAL 17-Under Age Division Playoffs

Timp Sports Weekly

August 6, 2013

Publisher's Message

As a very biased sports journalist, I must sadly report that my Awesome American Fork Cavemen fell a round short of winning this year's Utah Baseball Academy League's 17-under age division state pennant. That honor went to their arch rivals, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings. So as they celebrate their first state baseball title in years, I will present two stories about last week's final two rounds of the UBAL's 17-under age division playoffs. The first account will deal with Pleasant Grove sinking my Awesome Cavemen in a nine-inning semifinal. The second account touches on how the Ferocious Vikings buried the Bingham Miners, AKA the Pickers, 11-1 in the championship game. Let's get to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Ferocious PG Vikings Defeat Awesome AF Cavemen 6-5 in 9-Inning Semifinal July 29

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Awesome American Fork Cavemen's dreams of a summer state baseball pennant sank in a nine-inning Utah Baseball Academy League semifinal played on the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings' home field July 29. With the 17-under age division state title on the line, the Ferocious Vikings defeated the Awesome Cavemen 6-5.

By the way the first inning went it, the game promised that American Fork would have its hands full, but the Awesome Cavemen would still take home a close victory, despite aggressive hitting from the Ferocious Vikings.

The game opened with Awesome Caveman Emmett Green singling into center. After the Ferocious Vikings had pinched Green in a fielder's choice play at second, pitcher Jade Smoot walked Austin Pitcher. Koy "Squeeze Toy" Dibb doubed in Kody "Coco" Hall and Pitcher. A nephew of American Fork wrestling legend John "Superstud" Bartholomew, Andy Bartholomew smacked a standup double that drove Dibb in. A Logan Flinder sacrifice groundout scored Bartholomew, but through intercepting a Riley Winter fly ball, center fielder Zach Peterson shut down the Awesome Cavemen's rally.

Peterson followed up that interception through doubling in Ben Eldredge during the bottom of the first. After pitcher Craig Brailsford struck out Easton Walker, Smoot doubled in Peterson. A grandson of Pleasant Grove wrestling coaching legend Daryl "The Anchor" Henry, Payton Henry hit into a double play that stopped Pleasant Grove.

With Smoot not letting any Awesome Cavemen get on base in the top of the second, the Ferocious Vikings came out blasting with hits in the bottom of that inning. Its lower half opened with Brody "Blackie" Blackhurst and Chase Merrell whacking singles deep into the outfield. Soon a Chanzt Cook sacrifice groundout scored Blackhurst. Brailsford grounded out Matt "Bub" Wilde, and Green caught a Brandon Coombs fly ball, preserving American Fork's 4-3 lead.

Smoot frustrated the Awesome Cavemen's attempts to widen their lead during the third and fourth innings. In the third, for example, Pitcher singled off Smoot, but the chucker put him out at second a few minutes later, ruining American Fork's best chance for getting a run that inning. In the fourth, Smoot retired two batters while third baseman Wilde grounded out Bartholomew to keep the score at 4-3.

Finally in the fifth's top half, Green doubled into left to spur American Fork into loading the bases on one out. Green scored a run, but Pleasant Grove socked the Awesome Cavemen with a double play. Third baseman Flinders turned up a double play himself to end the fifth with American Fork still leading 5-3.

In the sixth, Bartholomew singled into center one out, giving American Fork hopes of scoring more insurance runs. Pleasant Grove kept him chain on base, however.

Doubles from Walker and Smoot gave the Awesome Cavemen big worries in the bottom of the sixth. Those worries came true, for a Payton Henry sacrifice groundout scored Walker while a Merrill single brought Smoot for a tying run.

In the top of the seventh, Smoot posted two strikeouts, and shortstop Walker snared a Hall fly to keep American Fork scoreless. With Cook getting beaned by a Hall pitch in the bottom of the seventh, the Awesome Cavemen seemed done for. Suddenly, reliever Hall got Cook out in a fielder's choice play at second. Soon, Coombs hit into a double play that forced the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, Pitcher hit an infield single, but he got stuck at second, costing American Fork another golden opportunity. Reliever Hagan "Speedster" Holmstead held the Ferocious Vikings scoreless in the bottom of the eighth while posting two strikeouts.

On two outs in the top of the ninth, Green hit an infield single. He then tried stealing second, but a throw from catching Henry to second baseman Ben Eldredge put the Awesome Caveman out.

The ninth's lower half opened with Smoot singling into center, and a Henry, left-field double moved him to third. Blackhurst singled him in for the winning run.

"The game with AF was a baseball classic," said Ferocious Viking Coach Darren "That's Bush League" Henry.

Ferocious PG Vikings Defeat Bingham Pickers 11-1 for UBAL State Pennant

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Publisher

Although still the defending state 5-A baseball champs, the Bingham Miners, AKA the Pickers, got served a reminder July 30 how easily they could come out losing in a championship game. In the Utah Baseball Academy League's 17-under age state championship game at Pleasant Grove that day, they got hammered 11-1 by the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings.

During the game's five innings, Picker fans looked on with horror as Ferocious Viking pitcher Brandon Coombs held Bingham to four hits and one run throughout the entire contest. Who would have thought that Coombs would have pulled off such a feat with a team known for having produced baseball legends like George Sluga and Brian "Axel" Hardy, who had wisely rejected a pro baseball contract in favor of a BYU baseball scholarship? Coombs' incredible feat earned Pleasant Grove its first state baseball championship title in a generation.

During the top of the first, Picker Cody "Frying Pan" Kitchen tripled off Coombs, and Kyle "Sunflower" Fleischman singled him. After catcher Payton Henry lobbed a throw to second baseman Zach Peterson to put Fleischman, Coombs struck out Ty Zupon and then grounded out Sean "Senator" Keating.

In the bottom of the first, pitcher Kitchen beaned Ferocious Viking leadoff batter Ben Eldredge. Suddenly Peterson flew out to first baseman Keating, who then tagged Eldredge to complete an unassisted double play. Pleasant Grove quickly recovered from it. Also beaned by a Kitchen pitch, Easton Walker got moved to third on a Jaden Smoot double. Henry doubled in Walker and Smoot. Kitchen struck out Brody "Blackie" Blackhurst.

The next inning opened with Kitchen striking out Colin "Gordy" Gordon. The pitcher then grounded out Connor Goff and Nick Plaga, a grandson of prep baseball legend Gene Plaga, who had coached the West High Panthers, AKA the Black Kittens, a generation ago. The second inning pretty much summed up how the rest of the game went for Picker hitters. The Ferocious Vikings practically plugged up all possible holes for Bingham batters to hit into. Zupon did single off Coombs at the start of the fourth, but that Picker got stuck on base. In the fifth's top half, Brayden "Fiddle" Diddle singled on one out, but got  put out at second. Diddle's single turned out to be the last Bingham hit for the game. Meanwhile, Coombs posted five strikeouts in the game.

Despite Coombs slugging a second-inning single, Pleasant Grove's lead stayed at 2-1 until the bottom of the fourth. With it opening on a Blackhurst single hit into center, one-run doubles from Chase Merrell and Chantz Cook unleashed a three-run rally for Pleasant Grove. After Matt "Bub" Wilde singled in Coombs, Bingham shut down the rally, but the Ferocious Vikings stayed aggressive.

In the fifth's lower half, Henry singled off reliever Plaga to score Walker, setting off another scoring rally. During it, Blackhust doubled in Smoot to give Pleasant Grove more momentum. One-run singles from Chase Merrell and Chantz Cook drove Bingham into a corner that it could not escape from. With bases loaded, Logan Bullock hit a two-run double that ended the game.

 Ferocious Viking Coach  Darren "That's Bush League" Henry said, "That was the best Coombs has thrown for us this year. We were going to have a guy relieve him in the top of the sixth, but the game got over before we could send in our reliever. Coombs pretty much kept Bingham in check after the first inning. We hit the ball very well. We had 11 hits in today's game. Though Bingham is the defending state champion, today's game shows that for them to win region and state next year, they're going to have to get through us."