Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The American Fork High School girls basketball team earned four consecutive wins in the past two weeks including the Region 3 opener to improve their overall record to 10-3 and claim first place in the league.

Dec. 30: American Fork 64, Brighton 51

The Cavemen dominated the first and third quarters on the road, outpacing their hosts 38-22 in those two periods to secure a comfortable win.

Junior shooting guard Jalise Chatman sparked the effort with four triples and finished with 16 points. Senior power forward Brooke Grunander added 13 points, senior power forward Taylor Jensen scored 11 while senior wing Julia Fugal and junior point guard Morgan Felix provided nine points apiece.

“Brighton was a tough team and is coached really well,” said Coach Robert Harmon. “We had a hard time stopping their star player from attacking the rim, but the girls did a good job of playing unselfish ball and kept a balanced attack.

“Our players are really starting to understand the proper rotations and helping play team defense,” he continued. “Jalise had a really strong game for us and that gave our other girls some confidence to be more aggressive.”

Jan. 5: American Fork 67, Judge Memorial 41

After a close first period, the Cavemen clamped down defensively and continued steady offensive production to achieve a solid victory.

Four American Fork players posted double-figure scoring. Fugal netted 15 points, freshman small forward Maya Durrant added 12 points, Jensen got 11 points and Felix provided 10 points. Chatman boarded seven points and Grunander six.

“Judge is a really athletic team,” Harmon said. “When I first got this job, Judge was our very first game as a team during the summer at UVU and we got absolutely destroyed. So, this was a game the girls have been waiting for since summer to prove they aren’t the same team they were back then and they did that.

“We really struggled with their athleticism in the first half,” the coach said. “Then we settled down and started to just make the simple plays, and we were able to build and keep a lead throughout the game.”

Jan. 6: American Fork 52, Davis 42

The Cavemen and the Darts competed closely the entire evening, but a five-point scoring edge in the third quarter put American Fork in control and the team held on for the win. Fugal led the offense with 14 points followed by Felix with 13 and Chatman with 12.

“I don’t even know where to start talking about this one,” Harmon said. “I’m just so proud of these girls and the hard work they put in day after day. Davis is a Final 4-type of team. They play hard, they play fast and they play together.

“This was a game where it went back and forth the whole time,” he continued. “We got hit a couple of times and every time the girls responded.

“I’ve been preaching all year that if you just play with energy, effort and some confidence, good things are going to happen,” the coach said. “This game showed what they can accomplish when they just give all they have for 32 minutes.”

Jan. 9: American Fork 55, Lehi 51

The Cavemen and Pioneers battled back and forth all night and were tied for the final time at 50 points each with just 1:18 to play.

At that juncture, a Felix defensive board set up a Fugal triple to push American Fork back in front. Lehi added a free throw, and the spread was still two points with 13 seconds left. Chatman made a block to prevent a Pioneer score then iced the win with a pair of free throws.

Chatman scored nine of her 17 points in the fourth quarter to help lift her team to victory. Fugal added 15 points, Grunander contributed nine and Felix had eight points in the exciting contest.

“Oh my goodness, what a game,” Harmon said. “The beginning was a bit chaotic and it got us on our heels to start and we never really seemed to come out of it until the second half. Lehi is a very good and active team.

“We really struggled stopping their penetration and kicks and had to battle every possession just to stay in it, but these girls just keep finding ways to win,” the coach went on.

“When we needed it the most, players showed up. And we made free throws,” he said. “Free throws win games. We’ve stressed it all year, and each game keeps proving it. I’m so proud of the fight these girls show. They battle ‘til the last horn.”

The Cavemen will host Lone Peak on Tuesday (Jan. 13) as Region 3 play continues with the girls varsity playing at 6 p.m. followed by the boys at 7:30 p.m. They will visit Corner Canyon on Friday (Jan. 16) with the same start times.

OAKLEY JAMES

GRADE: 11

SPORT: Swimming

EVENTS: 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard backstroke, 500-yard freestyle, relays

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS: Currently ranked in the top 5 in 6A in multiple individual events.

COACH’S COMMENTS: Oakley is a great leader.  He can always be counted on to lead by example in and out of the classroom.  He spends hours each day in the weight room and pool to make himself a better swimmer.

– Coach Michael King

Sponsored by the Utah National Guard.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

It’s about halfway through the swimming competition period, and the picture of which individuals and relay teams might qualify for state events and a chance at medals is coming into focus.

The Caveman boys team has multiple medal contenders and state meet qualifiers at this point, but it will likely take an extraordinary effort to earn a trophy this year with the high level of competition in Class 6A.

The girls team is very small and relatively inexperienced this season and there’s no guarantee right now that anyone from this group will advance to the state meet, though there’s still plenty of time to earn a spot.

Following are some of the American Fork boys to watch for as competition ramps up for the culminating meets of the year:

• Junior Sam Petersen is a medal favorite in the 200-yard freestyle and a contender in the 500-yard freestyle events. He has also posted state-qualifying times in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard freestyle though he may forego one or both of these events to swim in the relays instead.
• Junior Noah Christensen is a potential medalist in the 200-yard individual medley and has also earned a spot in the 100-yard breaststroke. He’s a probable relay-squad member.
• Junior Oakley James is a medal contender in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke and has earned a state-level mark in the 500-yard freestyle. He’s likely to compete in the relays as well.
• Senior Zack Stevens has a state-qualifying time in the 100-yard breaststroke and is a probable relay competitor.
• Sophomore Conner Fellingham is a likely state entrant in the 100-yard breaststroke plus one or more relay events.
• Junior Luke Nelson is still working on individual qualifying but is a possible relay-squad member anyway.

The Cavemen are in position to compete for medals in all three relay events.

Beky Beaton / America Fork Citizen

Competing in the Platinum Division, the top bracket out of nine offered at the event, the American Fork High School boys basketball team dropped three games but finished on a winning note at The Classic at Damien Tournament. The pre-region record now stands at 7-6 overall.

Dec. 26: St. John Bosco (Bellflower CA) 56, American Fork 39

The Cavemen started slow against the nationally-ranked Braves and fell behind 15-29 at the half. The deficit was just three at one point, but American Fork couldn’t hold on.

Senior guard Bryce Mella led the effort with 12 points including a couple of treys plus nine rebounds for a near double-double. Senior guard Ashton Hucks added nine points and three boards.

Senior guard Sam Rutter scored seven points while senior forward Jax Clark had five points plus four rebounds and junior guard Jax Oyler garnered three boards.

Dec. 27: Roosevelt (Eastvale CA) 65, American Fork 61

The Cavemen competed well against the talented Mustangs in a back-and-forth contest. American Fork led at the end of the initial quarter 16-13 and had some opportunities at the end but just weren’t able to capitalize.

Mella netted 20 points. Hucks sank four triples and scored 17 points while Clark added 10 points and Oyler had seven.

Dec. 29: La Mirada (CA) 62, American Fork 46

The game against the Matadores was a similar story. The Cavemen had the lead at one point and were close most of the game but let it slip away down the stretch.

Clark sparked the offense with 14 points and five rebounds while Hucks again dropped in four treys for 12 points to go with six boards. Mella added nine points and senior guard Bridger Burnside posted five rebounds and four assists.

Dec. 30: American Fork 60, Clovis North (Fresno CA) 55

The Cavemen trailed the Broncos 27-37 at the half but mounted a terrific comeback to win the game with a 33-18 run after the break. They also helped their cause by converting 14-of-15 (93%) free throws in the contest.

Clark collected a double-double of 19 points with 12 rebounds to go with three assists and a block. Mella added 21 points with seven boards, three assists and one block.

Oyler contributed six points with three assists and Hucks also scored six points. Sophomore guard Dieter Tuitavuki tallied five points with five rebounds. Burnside made five assists.

“Overall, I felt it was a good test of adversity and that the boys really learned a lot, got closer together, and showed what they could really do in that last half of the Clovis game,” said Coach Ryan Cuff.

“We played amazing competition throughout the week and despite the record, I’m encouraged about the start of region. Our goals are all still the same,” the coach concluded

The Cavemen next play on Tuesday (Jan. 6), when they will host Davis for a non-league tune-up. Region 3 competition begins on Friday (Jan. 9) at Lehi, with the girls varsity game set for 5:15 p.m. followed by the boys varsity contest at 7 p.m.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

Heading into Saturday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl, the BYU football team was once again picked to lose to a lower-ranked opponent. And after the first half, it looked like the so-called “experts” might have gotten it right this time around.

Not.

Instead, for the sixth time in this epic 2025 season, the Cougars rallied from a deficit to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat.

Most impressively on this occasion, BYU did it by shutting out an accomplished senior quarterback who led a prolific offensive unit into his final collegiate game for the entire second half.

On the other side of the ball, BYU entered the field as a gridiron version of a M.A.S.H. unit. First-team All-Big 12 performers LJ Martin and Jack Kelly were on the sideline. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier limped out with a wonky wheel made even worse during the initial drive of the game.

In the first half, the Cougars failed to score when they were within inches of the goal line and later mishandled a kick return that quickly led to points for the opponents. Early in the third quarter, they were picked in the end zone.

After that however, BYU turned the tide. The Cougars blocked a field goal plus forced and recovered a fumble. They scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, with Bachmeier making an uncredited run for a two-point conversion, no doubt grimacing all the way as he absorbed contact and kept going.

And then finally, as the Yellow Jackets put themselves in position to win the game with a touchdown when there were only seconds left, BYU’s Evan Johnson – who had just given up the big fourth-down play that helped set up the TD try – leapt in front of their receiver to make the interception and save the thrilling victory for his team.

Even a Hollywood scriptwriter couldn’t have come up with anything more dramatic.

The fact of the matter is, there’s a long list of reasons why the Cougars should have lost this game and only one reason why they didn’t – they just refused.

There are all kinds of lessons that can be drawn from this, for athletes and sports programs but also for individuals and groups in the wider world. These ideas aren’t new, but this contest and this BYU season provided yet more anecdotal evidence that they are still true. Here’s a sampling:

• No one ever won a game (title, debate, war etc.) on paper. It doesn’t matter what the rankings, “experts” or anyone else says. If you want to prevail, you can if you do the work required for success, whatever the endeavor.
• When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Bachmeier’s perseverance despite a painful, limiting injury and calls getting missed inspired his teammates and could teach something to the spoiled-brat pros who sit out for a hangnail or flop hoping to get a call they don’t deserve.
• Human beings push themselves the hardest when they are playing for something bigger than themselves. Military leaders understand that when the bullets are flying, the survival of a unit depends on each member caring about the person next to him or her in the foxhole, and soldiers are trained accordingly. So are Coach Sitake’s football players.

The Cougars had a fantastic season and won this game because each man on the team, regardless of prominence or position, took it upon himself to try to give his best whenever called upon for the sake of his teammates and their common goals.

Such efforts don’t always work out as hoped, but they sure make the chances of success a whole lot higher.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The American Fork High School girls basketball team went 2-1 in their most recent contests as the non-region season is winding down. The Cavemen are 6-3 overall.

Dec. 12: West 62, American Fork 42

The Cavemen struggled to find the hoop in the first half on the road against the Panthers, falling behind 12-38 by the break. They outscored their hosts 30-24 in the final two quarters, but the early deficit proved too big to overcome.

Junior shooting guard Jalise Chatman led the effort with a near double-double of 13 points and nine rebounds to go with two assists, two steals and a block.

Senior power forward Brooke Grunander netted 10 points with seven boards. Junior point guard Morgan Felix contributed six points with three steals while freshman small forward Maya Durrant also added six points.

Senior wing Julia Fugal had a nice overall floor game with five points, six rebounds, four steals and a block.

Dec. 16: American Fork 55, Provo 46

The Cavemen and the Bulldogs battled through a close first half, which ended with host American Fork ahead 30-26. In the pivotal third quarter, the Cavemen extended the margin by five points and then hung on through the final period to get the win.

Chatman sparked the offense with 27 points plus seven rebounds, while Fugal scored 14 points with eight boards and three assists.

Durrant added five points with nine rebounds and a block, while Grunander supplied five points and five boards. Felix had a busy floor game with four rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks.  

“I’m so proud of the girls for being able to bounce back and respond after a tough loss at West,” said Coach Robert Harmon. “I’m constantly throwing new things at these girls, and I’ve been so impressed with their willingness to learn and grow as players.

“To see them progress each game is exciting to watch,” the coach added. “We had some players make some big strides and collectively help us move in the right direction.”

Dec. 19: American Fork 62, Farmington 46

The Cavemen fell behind early to the visiting Phoenix, who worked to a 12-8 margin after the initial period. However, American Fork turned up the offensive efficiency after that, taking a narrow 28-25 lead into the break and withstanding a late surge by the visitors to earn the win.

“What a game,” Harmon said. “The girls played so hard. That felt like a state-tournament type of game. We started off slow and just couldn’t take care of the ball. Their pressure got to us early and we had a lot of turnovers, but we settled down and started to play ‘our’ game.

“Credit to the girls for sticking to it and fighting and believing together,” the coach continued. “There was a moment in the second half where Farmington got it back down to a four-point game and we could’ve crumbled. We could’ve hung our heads and said, ‘well we did good enough.’

“We talk a lot about the will to win and learning what it takes to win and they continue to show they are learning how to win,” Harmon said. “We’re learning to focus on just doing the next thing right and to not be satisfied with good enough.”

Chatman dialed it up on both ends of the court, netting 20 points with six rebounds and six steals. Felix got it going from long distance, canning four treys in five attempts and finishing with 18 points, three assists and four steals. The team helped the cause by converting 13-of-15 (87%) charity shots.

Grunander collected nine points and four boards. Durrant added five points with three rebounds and four steals while Fugal provided four points and nine boards.

The Cavemen visit Brighton on Tuesday (Dec. 30) for a 3:30 p.m. game. The American Fork girls are sharing a double-header with the boys at home against Davis on Jan. 6, with the girls varsity playing at 6 p.m. followed by the boys at 7:30 p.m.

COUGAR WILSON

GRADE: 12

SPORT: Wrestling

WEIGHT CLASS: 126 lbs

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS: Undefeated at the Juab duals, earning a 9-0 mark for the event on Dec. 12 and 13, which moved his season record to 18-1.

COACH’S COMMENTS: Cougar brings the attitude and effort EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Whether it is practice or a match, we are getting everything from him.

– Coach Cody Mortensen

Sponsored by the Utah National Guard.

Beky Beaton / America Fork Citizen

The American Fork High School boys basketball team had one close loss and two solid wins in the most recent week of action, improving their pre-region record to 6-3 overall.

Dec. 12: Richland (WA) 68, American Fork 64

Playing at home in the Ingersoll Classic, the Cavemen got off to a good start over the Bombers. They were up 19-12 at the end of the first quarter and 33-28 at the half. American Fork maintained a narrow lead until late in the final period.

“We led for almost the entire game and let one get away from us at the end,” said Coach Ryan Cuff. “We played a tough, talented team from Washington and had lots of opportunities to pull it out.

“I’m proud of the boys for their effort,” the coach said. “These losses sting, but they’ll learn and grow from it and it will help prepare us for the next contest. We were able to execute well for most of the game.”

The Cavemen had four players in double figures, led by junior guard Jax Oyler with 18 points plus four assists while senior forward Jax Clark posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds plus five assists.

Senior guard Bryce Mella added 15 points with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Senior guard Bridger Burnside netted 12 points with four boards. Senior guard Ashton Hucks added six points and six boards.

Dec. 13: American Fork 53, Summer Creek (Houston TX) 40

The next day, the Cavemen headed to the Holiday Hoopfest at Lehi High School to take on the Bulldogs in the middle of the slate. The teams were back-and-forth until partway through the third quarter, when American Fork went on a 10-2 run to take the lead for good.

A rebounding edge of 29-18 plus a high conversion rate of 62 percent inside the circle were among the keys to the victory.

Mella had a monster game with a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds along with four assists, two deflections and two blocked shots.

Burnside hit a couple of triples among his 10 points and also had three boards. Clark added nine points with three rebounds, three assists and a block while Hucks scored six with five boards and three assists. Oyler contributed four points and three steals.

“This was a good win,” Cuff said. “We played a complete defensive game against a talented Texas team. I was pleased with our team effort.”

Dec. 16: American Fork 62, Farmington 46

The Cavemen dueled even with the Phoenix through the initial period, but a one-point advantage at the end of the first quarter expanded to 12 points by the break and American Fork rolled on to a comfortable win from there.

This time it was Clark who took center stage, with 22 points off a conversion rate of 77 percent. Mella was perfect from short distance and at the line, finishing with 15 points plus eight rebounds and four assists.

Hucks added 13 points with four boards while Oyler made four assists and sophomore guard Dieter Tuitavuki collected three rebounds.

“This was a fun game,” the coach said. “The boys put together a great defensive effort. Ball movement was key to our offensive success along with unselfish play by our guys. Our team is coming together.”

The Cavemen will next travel to California to participate in The Classic at Damien Tournament from Dec. 26-30. American Fork has been assigned to the Platinum Division, the top bracket out of nine offered at the event. In addition to California schools, the division’s 16 teams include another Utah squad plus programs from Arizona, Idaho and Texas.

Beky Beaton / America Fork Citizen

The American Fork High School boys basketball team racked up three solid victories on consecutive days as they participated in the Corner Canyon Tournament last weekend.

Dec. 4: American Fork 57, Highland 48

The Cavemen narrowly outscored the talented Rams in three of four quarters to build the final margin. Both teams got off to a fast start, with American Fork leading 22-19 at the conclusion of the initial period.

The pace of the game slowed after that as the defenses stiffened, but the Cavemen still prevailed. Senior forward Jax Clark led the effort with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. Senior guard Bridger Burnside added 13 points including three triples.

Junior guard Jax Oyler scored nine with four boards, three assists and a couple of steals. Senior guard Ashton Hucks had eight points with a couple of treys while senior guard Bryce Mella garnered seven points and seven rebounds.

“We beat a tough and talented Highland team yesterday,” said Coach Ryan Cuff. “The key highlights for this game were all in the way our team played great defense.

“It took a united effort to keep a team that normally scores a lot of points under 50,” the coach added. “Our transition defense, transition offense, and systematic play helped control the tempo in a way that fell in our favor.”

Dec. 5: American Fork 60, Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch CO) 43

Ball control and defense after a hot start were the keys the next day as the Cavemen took on a solid program from Colorado in the second game of the tournament.

American Fork jumped out to a 19-6 advantage in the first quarter and rode that margin to victory even though the rest of the contest was much closer.

Mella sank a couple from long distance and finished with 20 points, four rebounds and a pair of steals. Clark posted a double-double of 16 points and 11 boards to go with five assists and two steals. Hucks provided nine points and eight rebounds and Oyler chipped in for six points and three assists.

Dec. 6: American Fork 55, Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch CO) 42

This event against another Colorado school was competitive for the distance but a 17-12 effort out of the gate and a 16-9 advantage in the third quarter gave the Cavemen enough ammunition for the win despite a puzzling struggle at the free-throw line.

American Fork used a lot of players in this game to battle the fatigue of a third contest in as many days, with nine scoring points and 12 collecting rebounds. The team also got a lift from 10 treys spread among seven players in the effort.

Clark led the way with 12 points, eight boards and a block, while sophomore guard Dieter Tuitavuki scored eight points with six rebounds. Hucks turned in a notable all-around outing with eight points, three boards, four assists and five steals.

Senior guard Logan Nicholson also had eight points along with three rebounds. Oyler provided five points with seven boards and seven assists.

“We beat a really good Colorado team,” Cuff said. “All of the players were tired, but we executed well, grounded ourselves in defense and focused on running our core offenses and defenses to good effect.”

The Cavemen will take on Richland (WA) Friday (Dec. 12) in the Ingersoll Classic at home at 7 p.m. On Saturday (Dec. 13), they will play Summer Creek (TX)  at 3:30 p.m. as part of the Holiday Hoopfest at Lehi High School.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The American Fork High School girls basketball team is rounding into form as the pre-region season continues, earning a pair of blowout victories and then a tough pull-it-out thriller in their early December contests.

Dec. 2: American Fork 75, Weber 47

The Cavemen started with confidence on the road and led 16-7 over the Wildcats after the first quarter. They outscored their hosts in each of the subsequent periods as well to record an impressive win.

Senior wing Julia Fugal was on fire, converting 67 percent of her shots for the night including three triples and finishing with 21 points, five rebounds and a blocked shot. Junior shooting guard Jalise Chatman added 12 points, five boards, six steals and a block in a great all-around outing.

Freshman small forward Maya Durrant scored nine points with six rebounds while junior guard Allison Brown also posted nine points and junior point guard Morgan Felix scored eight points with three assists and four steals. Sophomore shooting guard Ruby Dunford collected three boards.

“Our girls came out with something to prove tonight collectively,” said Coach Robert Harmon. “They accepted the challenge of playing in a tough environment and when things got hard, they rallied together as a team and fought together as a team.

“I was really proud of the intensity they came out with and how they just keep believing in the process even when the game had moments when it felt like the momentum could swing,” the coach said.

“Every player that touched that floor tonight did her job and we came out on top because of it and us playing and believing in each other,” Harmon concluded

Dec. 5: American Fork 77, Olympus 54

This Cavemen dominated in the first and third quarters and that was one key to another blowout victory. They combined to score 42 points and only gave up 16 in those two periods. The other was converting 15-of-28 (54%) of their three-point attempts. They also made 20 assists.

Fugal tallied a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds with seven assists and three steals for an outstanding evening for her. Chatman also had a great outing with 20 points, three boards, three assists and a block.

Felix contributed nine points with five assists and five steals while senior power forward Brooke Grunander added nine points with five rebounds and two blocks. Senior power forward Taylor Jensen made six points and Durrant had five.

Dec. 8: American Fork 38, Payson 36

The Cavemen took control early with a 12-2 advantage in the first period, but the homestanding Lions outscored the visitors in the final three quarters to make a big comeback but fell just short as American Fork held on for the win.

Chatman was the team leader with 13 points. Fugal scored eight and Durrant furnished five. The Cavemen visit West on Friday (Dec. 12) and are scheduled to host Provo on Tuesday (Dec. 16). Both games tip off at 7 p.m.