LEHI — Coming into Friday's rivalry matchup, the lines between history and expectation were well-drawn. In the 54th overall meeting, Lehi and American Fork fought under the lights, and by the end, the Pioneers had rewritten the narrative.
American Fork had come in with high expectations; the Cavemen were the only undefeated team left in region play, riding high off a dominant victory over Lone Peak.
Their defense — anchored by Dallin Afu — and playmakers like Kapono Manuela and Ty Holmstead gave them a reputation as a title contender. Lehi, by contrast, was bruised: two straight losses had put the Pioneers on edge, hungry for redemption.
Lehi rolled out a fresh face at quarterback in Wyatt Bingham, a transfer from Mountain Ridge, who made his first varsity start in the high-pressure environment.
In the end, Lehi secured a shortened 26-3 win, handing American Fork its second loss of the season and first in region play.
From the opening snap, Lehi answered forcefully. With 5:46 left in the first quarter, Lehi's dynamic playmaker Devaughn Eka exploded off the right side, racing 73 yards untouched for a touchdown — his 12th of the season. The Pioneers converted early energy into points and gave themselves belief.
Lehi's defense followed suit. The Cavemen, searching for answers, tried to push back, but the Pioneers' front line clogged running lanes and chased down backs aggressively.
Before the end of the first quarter, Eka broke free again, dodging tackle after tackle to find the end zone a second time. A blocked extra point added to the damage: Lehi had control.
American Fork answered, in part, when Brody Downs dropped the Lehi offense for an 8-yard loss on a sack, and later Jett Prestige drilled a 47-yard field goal to get points on the board at 13-3.
Then, with time winding in the half, Brody Hammond delivered under pressure when he booted a 47-yard field goal despite two timeouts to ice him. At the half, it was Lehi up 16-3.
Then the second half began with a dagger when Jackson Laddimore intercepted the Cavemen on the first drive, setting Lehi up in prime position. Less than a minute later, Eka hauled in his third touchdown of the night to take a 20-point lead.
American Fork tried to respond, but penalties fueled the Pioneers' advantage, and a violent hit left Manuela shaken and helped off the field. The Cavemen turned to junior Nate Childs, but the magic was gone.
Lehi's Jenkins racked up an interception — his first of the season — flipping the ball back to Lehi in the city of momentum.
Bingham, for his part, was everything Lehi hoped for in the game. He took hits, ran when needed, and trusted his teammates on both sides of the ball. He didn't dismantle defenses with slickness, he earned every yard.
Before the third quarter closed, Lehi added another when Hammond struck again from 31 yards, his second perfect boot of the night, pushing the lead to 26–3.
Early in the fourth, Lehi had snatched yet another pick (their third of the contest, and fourth on the season) for Crew Fabrizio, but a roughing-the-passer penalty rescued American Fork.
Then the skies opened, and rain struck the lights and stands. Lightning, too close for safety, forced a 30-minute weather delay. When conditions refused to improve, officials called the game.
