High school football: Dons' dandy defense dominates Cavemen

AMERICAN FORK — Spanish Fork ruined the homecoming celebration at American Fork as the Dons dominated the Cavemen in a 34-13 victory.

The Dons' defense turned American Fork's dangerous offense into a stagnant group that never really got going.

"American Fork is so explosive and we were really worried, so we spent some extra time going over everything in detail and our kids picked it up," Spanish Fork coach Matt Christensen said. "I think it showed in the way we flew to the ball. It was just a big victory."

Spanish Fork got things going early as it took the opening drive 80 yards in nine plays and slammed the Cavemen with a ground game they seemingly had no answers for. The drive was capped with a Richard Wilson touchdown after scooping up a fumble on the two-yard line to put his team on top 7-0.

"We did a good job because we were able to establish the run," Christensen said. "We had close to 200 yards rushing, and that was one of our goals to get our ground game going early."

On the ensuing drive, American Fork quarterback Jordan Lusk dropped back to pass and was picked off by Garrett Nielsen, who galloped 40 yards for another Spanish Fork touchdown.

American Fork fought back and scored minutes later when Lusk found Ethan Wright on an 11-yard touchdown pass to cut the Dons' lead to 14-7.

But early in the second quarter, Spanish Fork once again lulled the Cavemen to sleep with its running game before quarterback Breck Lewis threw a perfect fade route to Jordan Mattinson for a 15-yard touchdown.

With its own offense struggling, the only other score American Fork would muster up came with just under four minutes left in the second quarter when Evan Wright electrified the crowd with a 47-yard punt return to cut the lead at 21-13.

But Spanish Fork got a couple big runs from its gifted running back Trevor Randolph, and once the Dons were within striking distance. Lewis found Wilson for a 31-yard touchdown pass to go up 28-13 just before the half.

"The run opened it up for us," Christensen said. "So being able to establish that run it helped us open our play book."

The Dons would score once more near the end of the third quarter when Lewis found Wilson again, this time from 45 yards out.

Wilson finished with 4 receptions for 90 yards and scored three times, twice through the air and once on the ground. Lewis was 11-of-16 for 193 yards and threw for three touchdowns. While Randolph never reached the end zone, he was spectacular with 17 rushes for 141 yards on the ground.

After the game, it was all about everyone else for the senior running back.

"Everyone came fired up," Randolph said. "But the offensive line was really prepared and came to play from the first play."

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E-mail: ethomas@desnews.com

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