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LEHI — American Fork suddenly found itself trailing 21-16 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter after Lehi had scored the last of its three unanswered touchdowns to take the lead Friday night.
With momentum on the host Pioneers' side during Lehi's homecoming game, the Cavemen needed a response. So they turned to wide receiver Coleson Worley, who had only played 10 plays all season coming into the night due to a sprained MCL he suffered just a week before the start of the season.
On one of the first plays of the fourth quarter, American Fork quarterback Tanner Smith lofted the ball deep down the sideline to his left and the ball came down slightly behind Worley, who acrobatically adjusted his body and somehow came down with it while tapping at least one foot in bounds.
"That catch right there on the sideline singlehandedly got us down the field," American Fork head coach Aaron Behm said. "Having (Worley) back is a big deal."
The 43-yard completion, which the raucous home crowd greeted with disapproving boos because the side official eventually ruled it a catch, set the Cavemen up at the Pioneers' 16-yard line.
Worley immediately knew he had made a good catch.
"I was just hoping the ref knew it," he said. "I looked over at him and he was not sure so I was like, 'oh no.'"
Smith, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.
"To me, it looked almost like he caught it and then his foot went flying and hit the ground," he said. "I don't know, I was very skeptical on it. I saw the referee and I was like, 'I think he got it.' But that was amazing."
That catch right there on the sideline singlehandedly got us down the field. Having (Coleson Worley) back is a big deal.
–American Fork coach Aaron Behm
Worley plays with "The Fam" written on the lower visible portion of his back plate. He said it's something both he and his cousin, who Worley works with to prepare for difficult catches, wear.
"We're a family out here, we're all working out here — been working out here all summer for our whole childhood," Worley said.
And he was ecstatic that he could come up with one of the biggest plays of the night for his football "family."
Momentum seemingly swung back to American Fork, and two plays later Chase Stucki ran in from 4 yards out. Smith then connected with Stucki for a successful two-point conversion to put the Cavemen up 24-21.
"That first offensive drive after they took the lead — to go back right back up and answer was key," Behm said.
Lehi managed to get back into American Fork territory on its next drive, but defensive back Dylan Christensen cut inside of his wide receiver and leaped to intercept Pioneers quarterback Cammon Cooper's pass.
The Pioneers had chances to come back, and after their second safety allowed on a botched snap while punting, Lehi recovered a fumble lost by Worley, even though he said he believed he was down before the ball came out.
American Fork's secondary again came up big, and this time safety Josh Bailey read Cooper's throw and picked him off at the Cavemen's 48-yard line.
"Dylan and Josh — those guys pride themselves on their work in the secondary, and those two picks were huge," Behm said.
While Worley's spectacular grab changed the game, he was quick to applaud his teammates, specifically Bailey.
"That was huge," Worley said of Bailey's interception. "He saved me; I'm lucky. I'm going to go buy him a milkshake or a burger or something. He saved me."
The win moves the Cavemen to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in 5A Region 4.
"You look at the games we've won or lost, they've all been extremely close," Behm said. "It's just Region 4 football; it's the way it's going to go for the next couple of weeks."
Next week, American Fork heads to Highland to play undefeated Lone Peak. Smith said the team received an important boost of confidence with the 26-21 win at Lehi.
"We were kind of on a low, we weren't clicking, and I think we've got our rhythm and are starting to click now," he said. "We can only get better from here." Kyle Spencer is a freelance journalist residing in Orem. You can find him on Twitter @kyledspencer or reach him by email at kspence04@gmail.com.
