The Cavemen earned a high enough seed this season to make the cut for the 6A state tournament and will begin the playoffs in the best-of-three Super Regionals tomorrow and Friday (May 14-15). Here’s how the team is positioned.

American Fork

Season record: 5-7 Region 3 (3rd), 11-15 overall

Final RPI ranking: 13 in 6A

MaxPreps ranking: 13 in 6A, 56 statewide

Next contest: May 14

Prospects: The Cavemen will visit No. 4 Copper Hills (19-6) in the Super Regional round starting tomorrow at 4 p.m. They will return on Friday for a 1 p.m. game followed immediately by a tiebreaker if necessary. The next game will be Tuesday (May 19) at 3 p.m. at the Valley Complex in Taylorsville for whichever team prevails. The opponent will be either No. 5 Davis (22-6) or No. 12 Farmington (10-16).

Rob Shelton / America Fork Citizen

American Fork’s varsity softball team played some of its most competitive softball of the season to close out the regular-season schedule, including four straight wins to end the year, before honoring three seniors at the final home game and collecting postseason awards.

The Cavemen head into state tournament play on May 14 and 15 with momentum on their side. They will take the confidence of a four-game winning streak and the experience of a full, competitive region schedule.

April 14: Lehi 19, American Fork 2

Lehi came out swinging and put 10 runs on the board in the first inning before American Fork could settle in, but the Cavemen showed grit from the opening at-bat.

Andi Gardner set the tone at the top of the lineup going 2-for-2, and Sydney Adamson and Sarah Jensen came up with clutch RBI singles in the first to put American Fork on the board quickly. Mazie Walters competed hard in the circle against a Lehi lineup that collected 16 hits on the day.

It was a tough early exit, but Gardner’s presence and the timely hitting from Adamson and Jensen gave the home fans something to cheer.

April 16: Lone Peak 17, American Fork 12

This one had everything. American Fork jumped ahead by five runs and traded haymakers with Lone Peak through all seven innings in a loss, but this was not a game the Cavemen gave away quietly.

Nataanii Fielding homered to left field in the first to score two, and Adamson followed in the second with a three-run blast. Gardner was spectacular, going 5-for-5 at the plate. Jensen and Adamson each drove in three runs.

American Fork collected 16 hits and led for much of the game before Lone Peak’s seven-run seventh inning proved to be too much to overcome. Mazie Walters struck out 10 batters. On another day, this is a Caveman win.

April 17: Bingham 8, American Fork 0

Bingham’s Lily Gritton was sharp in the circle all afternoon, and American Fork couldn’t solve her. Fielding made two catches in center field to limit the early damage, and Miah Walters and Eleni Lisonbee each singled in the second inning to keep the offense working.

The Cavemen couldn’t get a run across, but they continued competing through all six innings without surrendering mentally, the kind of character that defines a team headed for tournament play.

April 17: Copper Hills 13, American Fork 7

Fielding went 3-for-3 with a double and two singles and drove in two runs to lead a Cavemen offense that collected 12 hits against a solid Copper Hills squad. Adamson and Jensen each also drove in two runs and Lacie Fleming added two hits.

Lisonbee opened the game in the circle and kept American Fork in it through the early innings. The Cavemen showed their offensive depth against one of the better pitchers they’d face all season.

April 18: American Fork 9, Layton 0

Mazie Walters delivered one of the best performances of her career, a complete-game shutout against Layton, allowing just six hits while the Cavemen’s offense came alive for 14 hits and nine runs.

The twin sister battery was at its best: Miah Walters homered to left field in the sixth inning, a three-run shot that blew the game open, and finished 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Gardner doubled, Jensen doubled twice and Fleming added two hits of her own. Mazie Walters made 10 plays in the field without an error. The win was a complete team effort.

April 20: Skyridge 4, American Fork 2

American Fork gave Skyridge everything it could handle. Mazie Walters pitched six strong innings, struck out six and held a dangerous Skyridge lineup to four runs. Gardner launched a solo home run to center in the fifth and Fielding answered with another solo shot in the seventh.

The Cavemen never stopped competing. Fielding, Jensen and Maize Walters each collected two hits. American Fork committed no errors. Baker struck out 11 for Skyridge, and on that day, that made the difference.

April 23: Lehi 10, American Fork 2

Adamson gave the Cavemen a jolt right out of the gate with a two-run homer to center field in the first, and Jensen went 2-for-3 to lead the offense. Mazie Walters threw all seven innings and struck out one against a Lehi lineup that produced 12 hits.

The Cavemen kept competing through the final out. Jensen and Adamson’s production in the early innings showed exactly the kind of clutch hitting this offense is capable of on any given night.

April 27: Skyridge 19, American Fork 7

American Fork turned in one of its more explosive offensive performances of the season with 11 hits, a Keaton Routson homer, a three-run Adamson blast and seven total runs, but Skyridge’s grand slams proved to be too much.

Gardner went 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot and Fleming and Jensen each added multiple hits. Adamson drove in three runs from the three-hole.

The Cavemen turned a double play in the first inning. Center fielder Fielding caught a pop fly and threw to first baseman Fleming for the second out.  The Cavemen kept battling even while trailing by double digits. That competitive DNA would pay off in the weeks ahead.

April 30: American Fork 17, Corner Canyon 1

Mazie Walters threw an immaculate inning in the second, striking out the side on nine pitches, and finished the game with 12 strikeouts over five innings while the offense piled up 23 hits.

Jensen went 4-for-5, Adamson drove in four runs and went 3-for-5, and Routson, Lisonbee, Fielding, Fleming, Gardner and Mazie Walters each had multiple hits. American Fork scored six runs in the fourth and six more in the fifth. The Cavemen were dominant from start to finish.

May 4: American Fork 8, Lone Peak 6

American Fork built a 7-run lead and held on as Lone Peak made a late charge in the win. Jensen was sensational, going 4-for-4 with a triple, two doubles and a single. The Cavemen rattled off five runs in the third inning with Jensen driving in two on a single.

Maize Walters started and struck out six, and Lisonbee closed it out. Kassidy Naylor added three hits and two stolen bases. American Fork turned a double play when left fielder Routson caught a line drive and threw to third baseman Adamson for the second out to help preserve the victory.

May 5: American Fork 3, Lone Peak 2

Mazie Walters was superb, posting eight strikeouts over seven full innings against a Lone Peak team that had just pushed the Cavemen to the limit the day before.

Fleming came up with the biggest moment of the game, driving in two runs and delivering in the clutch to give American Fork the lead for good. Adamson went 2-for-3 to lead the team in hits.

The Cavemen turned a double play when right fielder Karissa Shelton caught a pop fly and threw to Jensen on second base for the second out. This victory gave the team back-to-back wins over Lone Peak heading into the final week of the regular season.

May 7: American Fork 12, Corner Canyon 2

The Cavemen saved their best for last. On Senior Night, with Lacie Fleming, Miah Walters and Mazie Walters honored before the game, American Fork went out and delivered a 12-2 victory that sent the three seniors out in style.

Jensen went 3-for-3 with three doubles and drove in two runs. Mazie Walters allowed just three hits and struck out six over six innings. Lisonbee tripled, Shelton walked and drew a run-scoring play in the fourth inning to extend the lead.

The Cavemen committed no errors and Lisonbee handled the most chances in the field with six. It was a perfect sendoff for the senior leaders.

End-of-season awards

The coaching staff announced the following postseason awards to recognize the players who made the biggest impact throughout the season:

Most Improved Player: Karissa Shelton. Shelton grew steadily throughout the season, earning the respect of coaches and teammates alike with her effort and development on both sides of the ball.

Hardest-Working Player: Nataanii Fielding. One of the most consistent contributors on the roster, Fielding brought work ethic and energy to every practice and every game from the first pitch of the season to the last.

Offensive Player of the Year: Sarah Jensen. Jensen put together one of the finest offensive seasons in the program, consistently driving in runs from the middle of the lineup and delivering in the biggest moments.

Defensive Player of the Year: Miah Walters. The senior catcher was the anchor of the Cavemen defense all season, calling games, controlling the running game and providing leadership behind the plate that her teammates and coaches leaned on.

Most Valuable Player: Sydney Adamson. Adamson was a force in the lineup and at third base throughout the year, delivering clutch hits, home runs and steady defense that made her the heart of this team.

Photos by Jim Ballard.

Megan Wallgren / American Fork Citizen

The postseason run came to an end for the No. 14 American Fork boys volleyball team in a high-intensity match with No. 11 Riverton in the UHSAA 6A Boys Volleyball State Championships consolation bracket on May 6 at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.

American Fork pushed the Silverwolves through three tightly-contested game before falling 2 sets to 1. The loss dropped the Cavemen to 8-21 on the season, but the team showed grit and resilience throughout the best-of-three matchup.

Riverton grabbed the momentum early in the opening set, building a commanding 20-12 advantage. American Fork fought back with aggressive net play and capitalized on several Silverwolf mistakes. Mounting a late comeback, the Cavemen pulled within one point at 23-24 before Riverton closed out the game 25-23.

American Fork carried that momentum into the second set. Brigham Loser, Smith Littlefield, and Ryan Feveryear helped spark the Cavemen as the two teams traded leads throughout the game.

With the score tied 22-22 late, American Fork finished strong to secure the 25-22 victory and force a decisive third set.

Game 3 proved to be another battle, with the score tied seven different times. Riverton used a strong finish to pull away late for the 25-21 win.

After the match, Coach Tyler Degener praised his team’s ability to work together and keep fighting despite adversity.

“We talked in the huddle about things that weren’t going our way today, and the fact that everyone was able to bounce back and work together as a team, it just says a lot,” Degener said.

“It says a lot about these boys’ characters and how much they care about each other, and they want what’s best for each other, and they’re willing to fight. I think we played the best that we have all season tonight, and that was good,” he continued.

Degener was proud of the team’s improvement and said the experience gained in the state tournament will generate positive momentum for the returning players as they head into next season.

“I think these underclassmen and even these juniors know the expectation for next year, and they know what it takes, even just in our region. We have a tough region. We play good teams all year long to prepare us for this tournament,” he said.

The coach also singled out Feveryear for his leadership and effort during the season.

“Ryan Feveryear definitely needs a shout-out,” Degener said. “He’s a basketball player, and he’s new to volleyball, and he’s just eager to learn, and he’s a really good teammate on and off the court.

“I knew I could count on him to bring these guys together and bring a positive momentum toward our team. He and all of the seniors will be missed for sure,” the coach concluded.

Lone Peak 3, American Fork 0: Earlier in the day in the first round, the Cavemen fell to a familiar Region 3 foe, the No. 3 Knights. Lone Peak dominated the first set, but American Fork responded well in the second game, earning multiple ties and holding a narrow lead at times until the score reached 14-all.

After that, the Knights slowly pulled away. In Game 3, the points went back-and-forth in the early going again and the Cavemen stayed in touch until late in the round. Lone Peak eventually prevailed  25-12, 25-17, 25-19.

Beky Beaton contributed to this report.

Here’s how each American Fork lacrosse team is positioned entering the state tournaments.

Girls

Season record: 0-8 Region 3 (5th), 5-13 overall

Final RPI ranking: 14 in 6A

MaxPreps ranking: 14 in 6A, 45 statewide

Next contest: May 14

Prospects: With a bye in the first round, the Cavemen will visit #3 Mountain Ridge (12-4) in the second round on Thursday at 4 p.m. or at a different time if the schools mutually decide to change it. The winner of that contest will take on the victor of #6 Syracuse (13-4) and #11 Lehi (10-8) on Saturday (May 16) at the home of the higher seed. The default start time is 4 p.m. but this may be adjusted as the schools agree. American Fork bowed to the Pioneers in both Region 3 contests this season, but this will be their first opportunity to play the Sentinels or the Titans.

Boys

Season record: 0-4 Region 3 (5th), 8-10 overall

Final RPI ranking: 16 in 6A

MaxPreps ranking: 14 in 6A, 47 statewide

Next contest: May 14

Prospects: The Cavemen will visit #3 Farmington (14-3) in the second round of the state tournament Thursday at 4 p.m. or whenever the schools agree. The winner of that game will take on the victor of #6 Weber (13-5) and #11 Lone Peak (6-10) in the second round on Saturday (May 16) at 1 p.m. on the home field of the higher seed. American Fork did not play the Phoenix or the Warriors this year but lost to the Knights during the region season.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The defending state champion American Fork boys tennis team won all of its matches on the first day at the 6A state tournament at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Thursday (May 7). The semifinals and finals will be played tomorrow (May 9) at the same venue.

Lone Peak also advanced an entrant in every bracket and Skyridge moved forward in four of the five positions to set up what promises to be another epic showdown for the gold trophy.

Caveman Braeden Johnson remains the top seed at No. 1 Singles and moved on after sweeping No. 17 Mountain Ridge and beating No. 9 Weber.

In No. 2 Singles, Camden Johnson got the No. 1 nod and eliminated No. 16 Mountain Ridge and No. 8 Westlake to reach the semifinals.

Matt Davis at No. 3 Singles also occupies the projected top spot and moved forward after besting No. 16 Copper Hills and No. 9 Syracuse.

In No. 1 Doubles, the duo of Sam Fairbanks and Sam Karras prevailed over No. 14 Mountain Ridge and No. 7 Bingham to get their spot.

The pairing of Phillip Steed and Drew Jacobsmeyer are ranked No. 3 and they retired No. 14 Copper Hills and No. 6 Bingham on their path to the semifinals.

Check back later for further updates and more photos.

Photos by Sam Penrod.

Here’s how the baseball team is positioned entering the state tournament.

American Fork

Season record: 13-3 Region 3 (1st), 17-8 overall

Final RPI ranking: 1 in 6A

MaxPreps ranking: 1 in 6A, 1 statewide

Next contest: May 13

Prospects: The defending state champion Cavemen look like the favorite for a 6A title repeat by all measures coming into the state tournament. As the top team in Bracket 1, they will host #16 Farmington (8-17) in the Super Regionals best-of-3 series on May 13 and 14. The first game is scheduled for Wednesday at 4 p.m. The next one is set for 1 p.m. on Thursday, with a tiebreaker to follow if necessary. American Fork did not play the Phoenix this year. The series winner will take on whoever advances from #8 Layton (18-6) versus #9 Jordan (13-12) at 4:30 p.m. when the tournament moves to BYU on May 18. The Cavemen never saw the Lancers but had the series edge 2-1 over the Beetdiggers in Region 3 play this season.

Here’s how the American Fork boys soccer team is positioned entering the 6A state tournament.

American Fork

Season record: 3-5 Region 3 (3rd), 6-8 overall

Final RPI ranking: 14 in 6A

MaxPreps ranking: 15 in 6A, 50 statewide

Next contest: May 12

Prospects: The two-time defending state champion Cavemen earned a bye in the first round and will visit No. 3 Farmington (12-3) in the second round of the 6A state tournament on Tuesday (May 12). The default time is 4 p.m. but the schools may agree to change that. If American Fork wins, the Cavemen will advance to the quarterfinals and host whoever prevails between #11 Copper Hills (9-8) at #6 Westlake (11-5) on Thursday (May 14) at 4 p.m. American Fork did not play the Phoenix or the Thunder this year but lost to the Grizzlies by a one-goal margin back in early March.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

After returning from the spring holiday, the American Fork boys volleyball team posted an identical 1-3 result in the second round of Region 3 play. They Cavemen finished in fourth place in the league with a 2-6 record and ended the regular season with a 9-19 overall mark.

Following is a summary of post-break April results. Statistical information for this team is unavailable.

• April 16: Lehi 3, American Fork 0 – The Cavemen played a spirited first set with the top-ranked Pioneers, but the firepower of the visitors proved to be a bit too much as Lehi prevailed 25-21, 25-14, 25-9.
• April 21: Corner Canyon 3, American Fork 0 – The Cavemen competed and got stronger as the match went on against the Chargers on the road. They played particularly well in the third set, but the host school was still able to secure the sweep 25-16, 25-18, 25-22.
• April 23: Lone Peak 3, American Fork 0 – The Cavemen challenged the region co-champs in the first set on their court. However, the home squad went on to pick up the win 25-22, 25-13, 25-18.
• April 24-25: Cavemen go 3-2 in tourney – In the two-day Skyline Tournament,American Fork won all three matches on the first day in the shortened best-of-three format. The Cavemen topped Highland 25-17, 26-24, then beat Judge Memorial 25-9, 25-18 and finally bested Taylorsville in the nightcap 25-20, 25-8. Playing in the full format on the second day, American Fork engaged in an exciting back-and-forth battle with Copper Hills. The Grizzlies won the first and fourth games, but the Cavemen prevailed in the second and third sets to bring on a tiebreaker fifth game. Copper Hills pulled out the narrowest possible victory 25-23, 11-25, 19-25, 25-19, 15-13. In their final match of the event, American Fork fell in straight sets to a highly-ranked Bingham team.
• April 28: American Fork 3, Skyridge 0 – The Cavemen claimed a sweep at home on Senior Night, earning a 25-16, 25-22, 25-18 victory over the scrappy Falcons to secure their spot in the final region standings.

The Cavemen are seeded No. 14 in the 6A RPI playoff rankings and earned a bye to advance to the second round of the 6A state tournament at Utah Valley University’s UCCU Center on Wednesday (May 6), where they will face No. 3 Lone Peak (21-6) with a scheduled match time of 5 p.m. on Court 3.

Photos by Matt Paepke.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The returning state champion American Fork boys tennis team won the Region 3 tournament, hosted by Corner Canyon High School in Draper on April 23 and 24.

During the hotly-contested league season, American Fork earned a 30-12 record in individual matches and a combined 68.93 seeding points to get the No. 1 spot for the region tournament.

Lone Peak had a 33-9 mark but was second with 65.86 points, while Skyridge had a 22-20 record and 62.19 points for the third seed.

No. 5 Corner Canyon earned a narrow win over No. 4 Lehi to advance to face the Cavemen in the first match for American Fork. The Cavemen prevailed 5-2, sweeping the singles matches and also winning in Third Doubles.

The region allows an extra entrant in both singles and doubles to provide additional experience, but the state competition is limited to three singles players and two doubles pairs.

American Fork’s four singles players lost five games combined and won 48 as they dominated the Chargers in these matches. Braeden Johnson at No. 1 and Matt Davis at No. 3 both swept their opponents 6-0, 6-0, while Camden Johnson won 6-0, 6-2 and Anson Gifford completed the set 6-1, 6-2.

In the First Doubles bracket, Sam Fairbanks and Drew Jacobsmeyer bowed 3-6, 1-6. In the hard-fought No. 2 Doubles match, Phil Steed and Cade Egbert came out on the short end as Corner Canyon prevailed 5-7, 7-6(1), 6-2. Broxton Barron and Jackson Ricks ended on top in the No. 3 slot 6-2, 6-3.

In the final match, the Cavemen faced No. 3 Skyridge, which upset No. 2 Lone Peak on the first day to grab a spot in the championship tilt. American Fork won the first three singles bouts but then needed to garner a victory at No. 3 Doubles to earn the region title.

Braeden Johnson prevailed over Mack Mandelaris 6-1, 6-2 in the No. 1 Singles bout while Camden Johnson retired Crew Mandelaris 6-0, 6-1 at Second Singles in a double battle of brothers. Davis topped Cam Higginbotham 6-1, 6-0 in No. 3 Singles.

Skyridge started their string of victories at Fourth Singles when Sam Droubay beat Gifford 6-4, 6-0. In No. 1 Doubles, Michael Sperry and JJ Lewis took out Fairbanks and Jacobsmeyer 6-3, 3-6, 4-6. Ben Schmidt and Jace Peck got the 6-3,7-5 win over Steed and Egbert at Second Doubles.

However, Barron and Ricks triumphed 6-4, 6-1 over Walker Johnson and Parker Swope in the No. 3 Doubles bracket to finish the event and capture the crown for the Cavemen.

American Fork is now preparing for the 6A state tournament. Seedings will be posted tomorrow morning (Apr. 30). The first round will be played at Brighton High School on Saturday (May 2).

The competition will then move to Liberty Park in Salt Lake City, where the second and quarterfinal rounds will be contested next Thursday (May 7) and the semifinals and finals will be played next Saturday (May 9).

Photos by Sam Penrod.

Here’s how the American Fork boys volleyball team is positioned entering the third sanctioned state tournament for this sport.

American Fork

Season record: 2-6 Region 3 (4th), 10-18 overall

Final RPI ranking: 14 in 6A

MaxPreps ranking: 12 in 6A, 40 statewide

Next contest: May 6

Prospects: The Cavemen earned a bye to advance to the second round of the 6A state tournament at Utah Valley University’s UCCU Center on Wednesday, where they will face No. 3 Lone Peak (21-6) with a scheduled match time of 5 p.m. on Court 3. American Fork lost to the Knights both meetings in Region 3 play.