Believe

I was going through some old emails, and found this one that my brother had sent to my boys.  Thanks Ty for believing in them and for always being there for them.  You are their strength, they will be champions because of the role you play in there lives.  Thank you!

March 13, 2010
This was just the other night when number One Weber lost the Big Sky Championship.  Thought it was pretty cool story and some awesome playing by somebody who just needed someone else to believe in him.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Even-better-than-Montana-hero-s-42-point-game-H?urn=ncaab,227403

Had his future wife not finagled a tryout for him at a local junior college four years ago, Montana's Anthony Johnson never would have been in position to lead the Grizzlies to an improbable NCAA tournament berth on Wednesday night.
In fact, he probably wouldn't be playing basketball at all.
Johnson was washing dishes at a seafood restaurant trying to earn money to buy a car in 2005 when he started dating a college point guard who saw untapped basketball potential in him that others didn't. Shaunte Nance-Johnson eventually decided to transfer to a school in the Tacoma, Wash., area so that she could be closer to Johnson, only choosing Yakima Valley Community College after persuading the men's basketball coach to give her boyfriend a chance as well.
"It was hard for me to see that potential in Anthony and not see him put him it to work," Nance-Johnson recalled. "I had seen Anthony play pick-up games at the YMCA, and this kid was dunking like crazy. I was like, 'Dude, I know you can play with these college guys. I've seen them play and they're not as aggressive, they're not as athletic and they're not as talented.'"
The bargain Nance brokered revived Johnson's basketball career and put him on a path toward blossoming into easily the most jaw-dropping story of March so far. The 6-foot-3 senior scored 34 of his Big Sky tournament record 42 points in the second half of Wednesday's 66-65 victory in the title game, singlehandedly willing Montana back from a 20-point halftime deficit to stun top-seeded Weber State.
"To do it on the main stage in front of the country and to get a win of that magnitude, it's just crazy," Johnson said by phone on Thursday from the team bus on the way back to Missoula. "Right after high school. I was done. I had no more opportunities to play and to come from that and now I'm going to the Big Dance, it's remarkable to think about. It's been quite a journey."
Although Johnson averaged a team-high 18.9 points per game for Montana this season, he'd never had a superhuman night like this before. On Wednesday, Johnson was simply unstoppable in the second half, beating two and three Weber State defenders by getting to the rim, pulling up for mid-range jumpers or sticking an occasional contested 3-pointer.
To better understand what Johnson accomplished Wednesday, consider this for a moment:
• He scored Montana's final 21 points of the night.
• He shot 11 of 15 in the second half and 14 of 14 from the free throw line.
• He buried the go-ahead shot with 10 seconds to go, weaving through defenders until he found a sliver of light at the elbow and sinking a pull-up jumper to win it. 
"We were going to get it to A.J.," Montana coach Wayne Tinkle told reporters after the game. "We're going to ride him."
Maybe the best part of Johnson's story is that he got the chance to return the favor his wife once did for him.
When Division I scholarship offers began pouring in for Johnson after he blossomed into an elite scorer at Yakima Valley, he told coaches that he'd only consider their school on one condition: They find a spot for his wife on the women's team.
"I was heavily recruited out of my junior college and so was she, but nobody would take a chance on both of us," Johnson recalled. "I told them if you don't accept both of us, you don't get me, and instantly I'm getting hang-ups. Nobody really wanted the baggage, but Montana was different."

Johnson and his wife took a joint recruiting visit to Montana two years ago, both leaving Missoula with scholarship offers. Shaunte Nance-Johnson now averages 21 minutes a game off the bench for the Grizzlies women's team, which plays in the Big Sky semifinals on Friday night and stands two wins away from also qualifying for the NCAA tournament.

"It felt good for me to to return that favor to her because she really put her neck on the line for me when she could have lost the opportunity to play," Johnson said. "It has been a fairytale. It's worked out so well for the both of us."

Boys’ basketball: Knights beat American Fork with fourth-quarter run

Highland • The teams entered the final period tied at 34-34, but from there, it was no contest. Lone Peak made it clear that it is still the defending champion.

After three quarters of close play, the hometown Knights (12-2) secured a 55-40 win over American Fork (11-2) with a tremendous fourth-quarter effort in a rematch of last year’s Class 5A title game.

It was a much-anticipated contest — the parking lot was full and the stands were packed nearly an hour before tipoff. The hype overshadows the fact that the Knights have won the rivalry game the past 12 times they’ve played the Cavemen. But the latest installment in the series was certainly hard fought.

"AF played us tough — I mean, it was hard, and that’s a good team," said junior guard Nick Emery, who finished with a game-high 20 points. "We knew right from the start it was going to be a battle the whole game."

It was definitely a battle of stars — only one bench player scored between the two teams — and Lone Peak’s shined the brightest at the finish. T.J. Haws scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, and Emery scored seven. And the team, which struggled with free throws early, shot 11-of-13 in the final period from the line.

But it was also tenacious defense that won the game for the Knights. After getting abused by American Fork’s frontcourt, Lone Peak switched into a zone that befuddled the Cavemen. It led to a 17-1 run that left the Knights safely ahead as the clock wound down.

"We had to try some different things to get them off balance," Lone Peak coach Quincy Lewis said. "In the first half, we acted like we were in fifth grade playing Junior Jazz, just running around. Then we played smarter and got what we wanted."

In the first quarter, it appeared American Fork had the upper hand. With the post rotation, led by Zac Hunter, the Cavemen found a steady stream of scoring. And Quincy Bair and Marcel Davis made Lone Peak pay with some outside shots.

American Fork’s hot streak coincided with early struggles for Lone Peak’s offense. As Emery and Haws shot cold, Talon Shumway, Chase Hansen and Brody Berry helped carry the Knights through the first half.

But American Fork ground to a halt in the second half, as Bair and Davis were held to a combined single point. The Cavemen attempted to catch the Knights off-guard by stalling and waiting for holes in the zone, but it simply led to turnovers and missed buckets.

Davis was already thinking ahead to the next shot it will get at Lone Peak, Feb. 10 at home.

"It’s gonna be in the back of our heads until next time," Davis said. "We’re gonna work on attacking that zone and knocking down shots."

WARNER: Lone Peak continues mastery of A.F.

There will be a time in the future, maybe even as early as Feb. 10, the next time American Fork plays Lone Peak, when the Cavemen will finally end Lone Peak's domination, but that time is not yet.
Now now.
Lone Peak did it again. The Knights did what they always do when it comes to their rival - win.
Friday night's game was billed as the high school game of the year - an American Fork team that was 11-1 vs. a Lone Peak team that was 11-2 and ranked in the top 20 nationally.
Basketball fans filled Lone Peak's gym and most of them showed up early enough to watch Lone Peak's junior varsity team remain undefeated. Those who showed up at game time had no where to sit.
An announcement over the PA system was made. "No saving seats." Heck, finding an open seat on Friday night was as difficult as finding a $50 bill on the floor of a homeless shelter. Lone Peak's 2,400 seat gym was overflowing into standing room only.

It's hard to explain the reason for Lone Peak's dominance. Is it superior talent or luck? Maybe a combination of both, but whatever the reason, Lone Peak is having a great time.

Lone Peak 55, American Fork 40

HIGHLAND — Coach Quincy Lewis thought his team looked like fifth graders. Senior Brody Berry was a little nervous. T. J. Haws' shots weren't falling and Talon Shumway went to the bench in foul trouble.
For two quarters, it looked like the game the Lone Peak Knights had been dreaming about for weeks was going to turn into a nightmare.
"You just have to trust your teammates," said junior guard Nick Emery, who finished with a team-high 20 points in Lone Peak's 55-40 victory over American Fork Friday night in Highland. "They got in the passing lanes in the first half and that made it harder to run our offense. It was huge for us to go back East and play against those teams. That's AF. All the hype was there, but you have to get on that even keel. You gotta keep your composure all game; the next one is going in."
The Lone Peak gym was packed two hours before the varsity game tipped off. It was loud, raucous and the kind of hard-fought game that makes standing the whole game worthwhile.
It did not, however, begin well for Lone Peak. American Fork led the entire first quarter and the teams traded leads in the second half. The Cavemen owned a 23-21 lead at halftime.
"I thought they really executed well," said Lewis. "We had to try some different things just to get them off balance. We finally found something at the end of the third quarter."
The Knights looked frustrated and harried most of the first half, but still managed to keep the game within reach thanks to Emery.
"In the first half, we acted like we were in fifth grade, playing Junior Jazz, just running around," Lewis said, laughing. "We played smarter in the second half and got what we wanted."
Lewis said the fact the Knights, especially Emery and Haws, were able to hit 3-point shots throughout the game kept the game within reach even when the team struggled defensively. While his players missed some long-range shots, he said they are playmakers and that's what they're going to do.
In the third quarter, momentum swung in favor of the Knights. Haws hit the first three at 5:01, then center Chase Hansen hit a 3-pointer at 3:01 to put the Knights within two points of American Fork's lead. Caveman Austin Waddoups answered with a 3-pointer and Emery followed that with a 3-point shot. Then Haws hit a jumper to tie the game at 34-34 at the end of three quarters.
"Those are the kind of players that they are. Sometimes you're going to scratch your head and swallow a little bit when they miss, but they're going to make a few of those too."
At halftime the team calmly talked about what was working and what was not. Part of the problems was American Fork's fast-paced, high-flying game plan.
The Cavemen tried to slow the game down in the third quarter and Lewis said he thought that actually helped Lone Peak, which switched from zone in the first half to man in the third and then back to zone in the fourth quarter.
"I thought we were just a little bit tired at that time, and I think it did a couple of things for us," said Lewis. "It allowed us to catch our breath and our legs. It made us a little bit sharper on our rotations in the zone. They still got some shots, but they missed them. Sometimes it's that simple."
American Fork had balanced scoring with Zac Hunter, Waddoups and Quincy Bair each scoring eight points. Marcel Davis and Ryan Andrus added six points each.
Haws finished with 15 points, while Shumway had nine, Hansen seven and Berry four.
Berry said the energy the Cavemen played with in those first few minutes was worrisome.
"At the beginning, they were knocking everything down," he said. "I was thinking, 'Oh no. What's going on?' But it's a long game and we've been in that situation before. I knew we'd come back from it. I was still really nervous though. They're a good team."
Both players and coach appreciated the atmosphere the rivalry game offers.
"We look forward to this game," said Emery. "We work all season for these types of games … where everyone is going crazy. It's awesome."
Adds Berry, "It means a lot to go into region 3-0, but we just have to be ready when we go down there. It will be more packed and crazy."

Lone Peak Boys Baskteball 2011-2012 "Riding for the Brand"

The "Thank You" boxes that we did this year, for all the Lone Peak Boys Basketball Sponsors.

Thanks to both of my Brothers for the helping with this project.  Tyler had the boxes from his business www.Lettersleftbehind.com, and Stan stayed at Blue Sheep till midnight printing all the boxes for me.

Thank you so much. The "Thank You's turned out great and all the boys were able to get them to all the sponsors who have taken the ride once again this year with an amazing team and coach.

Inside the box we put, the Media Guide, the poster of the team, and this years theme and a copy of first article of the season.

This years theme for the Lone Peak Boys Basketball Team is "Riding for the Brand".

RIDING FOR THE BRAND

The term "riding for the brand" was an expression of loyalty to a man's employer or the particular outfit he rode for.  It was considered a compliment of the highest order in an almost feudal society.  If a man did not like a ranch or the way they conducted their affairs he was free to quit, and many did, but if eh stayed on he gave loyalty and expected it.

A man was rarely judge by his past, only by his actions.  Many a man who came west left things behind him he would rather forget, so it was not the custom to ask questions.  Much was forgiven if a man had courage and integrity and if he did his job.  If a man gave less than his best, somebody always had to take up the slack, and he was not admired.

Louis L. Amour

Best-Selling cowboy western author

Lone Peak gears up for 5A title defense

Neil K. Warner
There is no sense in trying to compare schedules.
Does Lone Peak have the toughest non-region schedule of any team in Utah prep basketball history?
It is tougher than Provo's non-region schedule in 1998 when the Bulldogs played the top two ranked teams in the nation?
More difficult than the one Timpview had when the T'Birds participated in the Slam Dunk at the Beach tournament and took on Dwight Howard's team?
Who's to say? But it is safe to say that Lone Peak's schedule will be brutally challenging.
Why make it so tough?
Just winning the Region 4 title will take all the experience against good teams the Lone Peak can get.
As the Knights prepare to tip off another season, Lone Peak will play at least six teams from out of state and could play as many as eight of its 11 non-region games against top teams from around the country.
Lone Peak coach Qunicy Lewis believes this year's schedule will pay off when it comes time to defend the team's 5A state title.
"Our guys need to get challenged. We need to have them ready," Lewis said. "They are some really good teams and those kind of things (tough non-region games) get you ready."
You can't argue with Lewis' philosophy. He has turned Lone Peak's program into the elite 5A program in the state. In his eight seasons as head coach, Lewis has a 161-31 record and has won four state titles.
There is no reason to think Lone Peak won't continue its domination. The Knights return four starters back from last year's state championship team that went 24-1.
Nick Emery, the reigning Utah Valley Player of the Year, is poised to have a monster junior season. He averaged 21.7 points per game last year and looks like how Chase Hansen played on the football field - in a league of his own.
"Honestly after having watched him, he's a better player than he was last year," Lewis said. "He's stronger and he's improved his dribbling skills. He can play the point or the two for us. I think he'll have a great year."
What makes Lone Peak so feared is the supporting cast that the Knights use to surround Emery. T.J. Haws, a 6-4, sophomore, is capable of taking over a game by himself. He averaged 13.8 points per game last year.
The Knights also return Talon Shumway, a 6-3, junior, who was named MVP of state championship game after he scored 19 points.
"He can play the two or three. He's strong and athletic and he can handle a four man defensively," Lewis said. "He makes it very difficult for a four man to guard him."
Lone Peak will use Hansen (6-4) in the post. The Valley Player of the Year in football will give Lone Peak the toughness it needs inside.
With all of the talent on this team it's easy to be overlooked and perhaps the most unsung player on the team is senior guard Brody Berry, who is a three-year starter. In last year's state championship game, Berry scored 10 points, had nine assists and seven rebounds and five steals. He does it all for Lone Peak.
In addition to those players mentioned, Lone Peak has several other players who figure to make an impact. Conner Toolson, a 6-2, junior, will give the Knights some additional shooting. Zach Frampton, a sophomore, could get some time on the court for his defense.
Adding to the depth of the team's frontline will be Cameron Gibbons (6-5), Mason Squires (6-3) and Josh Buck (6-4).
Lone Peak had hoped to have Eric Mika, a 6-7, junior, eligible. He lives in Lone Peak boundary, but had been playing at Waterford. His appeal to transfer to Lone Peak was shot down so he will have to spend the season being groomed for next year at the junior varsity level.
As for this season, when Lone Peak does play in Utah, the Knights will be worth the price of admission. Lone Peak had a 26-4 record in the summer, but didn't lose a game to a Utah team. The Knights open the season on Dec. 9 against Cottonwood and begin the season ranked No. 25 in the nation by ESPN.
"The level of play to win the 5A title this year have to be better than it was last year," Lewis said. "American Fork and West Jordan and us are all better teams," Lewis said. "I think we're definitely motivated to do well. This is a close-knit group. I can honestly say they're not concerted with who gets the credit.
They just want to win."

Shooting With Uncle Cole - The highlight of Christmas Break!

The kids out at Cole pit, ready to shoot.

Cole giving lessons on how to use their guns, with Cam and Jade.

Cole helping Hollie, Cole making her feel silly.

Braxton enjoying the moment with Cole

Jade and Cam getting the target ready for the little ones.

Beautiful Jade is all smiles, we love her so muich

Bronson is a pretty good shot!

Jade helping Miriah load the Bebe Gun

Todd Helping Britton get the hang of it, pretty big gun for a little man.

Cam helping Hollie get the angle just right

2011 Utah Valley Preps Year in Review

Lone Peak made 2 of the top 10 Utah County high school sports stories of 2011.

1. Lone Peak earns perfect season on way to 5A football title
The Knights found a way to meet every challenge with a deep, athletic team which loved to play together, and it showed. They tied the state record for most wins in a season with a 14-0 performance by rallying around their quarterback, University of Utah commit Chase Hansen, who was later named Mr. Football and the Gatorade Utah Player of the Year. It was not only the school's first title in this sport, but also the first 5A football championship for a Valley program since 1994 and only the second ever in the classification.

4. Knights earn 5A boys basketball championship
Lone Peak earned its fourth gold trophy in seven seasons under coach Quincy Lewis with an epic victory over Fremont in the state tournament semifinals, along with having to top a very talented American Fork squad three times, including in the title contest. The Knights did it with just one senior starter.

One of the best victories in Lone Peak boys basketball history.

It was, quite simply, one of the best victories in Lone Peak boys basketball history.
The Knights endured through an epic battle with Whitney Young to defeat the tall, athletic team from Chicago 72-67 in double overtime Friday night in the semifinals of the Beach Ball Classic at Myrtle Beach, So. Car.
The spectacular play and effort of both teams earned them a standing ovation at the conclusion of a contest which showcased the very best in high school basketball, from sheer talent to determination to sportsmanship.
Lone Peak's stars made their marks, with Nick Emery dropping in 29 points and TJ Haws netting 26. Both added seven rebounds and had multiple steals, but the entire team filled up the stat sheet.
Six players scored, seven had rebounds and five combined for 11 steals in the balanced effort necessary to prevail against a quality opponent.
Brody Berry had five points with three boards, three assists, four steals and a block. Talon Shumway scored five with six rebounds, three assists and a block.
Chase Hansen had an inside-out trey at a critical moment, adding six boards and an unflappable interior presence. Conner Toolson and Josh Buck both provided solid, important minutes off the bench.
The whole team played unrelenting defense the entire contest. The 6-foot-11, 280-lb. center, top-ranked sophomore Jahlil Okafor, did score 28 with 14 rebounds, but he never got anything easy and the rest of his team was contained very well.
"Chase is just a warrior," said Knight coach Quincy Lewis. "He went up against their guy, who's not only big but he can play. He had some good numbers, but without Chase's efforts, it would have been much more.
"Our guys also did a great job helping on him," the coach continued. "Whenever he got the ball, there were two guys right on him and three within a couple of feet. They did a great job overall.
"Especially with the foul trouble, our reserves were critical," he said. "Josh came in and took a charge and boxed out their big guys.
"Conner made the shot to give us the lead back in that second overtime, and then he outjumped their guys to get a rebound," Lewis said. "He really has to have some confidence to go and do those things, and that says a lot about him."
It took Lone Peak some time to warm up offensively, except for TJ Haws. He went 5-for-6 from beyond the arc and was perfect at the foul line for 18 of his team's 28 first-half points.
"TJ got us off to a great start," the coach said. "Nick did not have his best shooting night, but he played a great game and he was there when we absolutely had to have him."
Neither squad ever enjoyed an advantage of more than a handful of points in this back-and-forth gem, which featured 15 lead changes and nine ties. Every time one team would start to pull away, the other would come up with some spectacular play to keep it close.
It appeared the Knights had the game won in regulation when they were up 56-50 with 53 seconds remaining, but the Dolphins came up with a 4-point play and hit another tough shot with three seconds left to force overtime.
Emery hit a long trey and sank a foul shot in the final 30 seconds of the first extra period to keep Lone Peak even.
With two starters from each team fouled out of the game, the Knights made enough free throws down the stretch to secure the win and punch their tickets to the title contest.
"That was two tired teams out there," Lewis said. "They had to make some great plays to get to overtime, and they should get all the credit for that. We just outlasted them. Our toughness and our heart was remarkable. We're excited for tomorrow."
The Knights (7-1) will play Milton (8-4) of Georgia for the tournament championship on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time.

The Eagles have made three straight trips to their state's 5A title game and won it in 2010. They start four players listed at 6-foot-5 or taller.

Lone Peak Wins 2OT Thriller

Lone Peak advanced to the championship game of the 31st Annual Beach Ball Classic with a trhrilling 72-67 double overtime victory over Whitney Young.

The game was more like an old fashioned heavyweight boxing match with both teams throwing haymakers. The game featured nine ties, 15 lead changes and neither team led by more than seven points at any time.

With the game winding to what appeared to be the end in regulation, Lone Peak (8-1; Highland, UT) held a 56-50 lead with just 53 seconds remaining. As a big portion of the near capacity crowd made their way toward the exits, Gabriel Snider nailed a long distance 3-pointer and was fouled on the play by Chase Hansen to make it a four-point swing for Whitney Young (6-3; Chicago, IL). The uncommon four pointer fit with the back and forth play of the rest of the contest, closed the gap to 56-54, and stopped the mass exodus of fans as everyone retured to watch the final seconds unfold.

Lone Peak's Talon Shumway missed the front end of a one-and-one with 30 seconds remaining in regulation. Jordan Smith grabbed the rebound for Whitney Young and raced down the court only to have his jumper in the lane blocked by Brody Berry. Whitney Young kept posession as the block went out of bounds. Smith misfired on a jumper from the wing but Jahlil Okafor grabbed the rebound and layed it through the nets with just four seconds on the clock to tie the score at 56-56. Following a timeout to set the final play in regulation, Lone Peak's Nick Emery raced down the right side of the court and put up a 29-foot 3-pointer that hit the back of the rim and bounced away to send the game to overtime.

In the first extra session, Whitney Young scored the first four points of the period to open a 60-56 lead with 38 seconds remaining. Emery then hit two free throws and a 3-point basket after a steal by Berry to grab the lead for Lone Peak at 61-60 with 20 seconds remaining. Following a layup by Okafor that gave Whitney Young a 62-61 lead with 12 seconds remaining, Emery was fouled as he drove down the court and went to the line with just nine seconds remaining. Emery, who hit 10-of-12 free throws for the game, made the first but missed his second shot to leave the game tied once against at 62-62. Whitney Young's trey attempt at the buzzer by Keith Langston missed the mark to send the game to the second overtime.

Emery opened the scoring in the second OT with a pair of freebies before the Dolphins' Okafor hit a turnaround jumper in the lane to again knot the score at 64-64. It was all Lone Peak the rest of the way as the Knights scored six unanswered to match their largest lead at 70-64 with just 17 seconds remaining. Whitney Young connected on just 1-of-4 from the field and turned the ball over twice in the final 1:55.

Emery led all scorers with 29 points while teammate T.J. Haws added 26 points for Lone Peak. Whitney Young was led by Okafor's 28 points and 14 rebounds.

Knights edge Toros in GWS hoops finale

Gut-check time.
After self-destructing against Orem Friday night in the Great Western Shootout, the Lone Peak boys basketball team faced another daunting challenge from Mesa Mountain View, the defending Arizona 5A champion, in Saturday's final round.
Trailing by as many as seven early in the fourth quarter, the Knights fought their way back into it with tight-fisted defense and clutch baskets, eventually pulling out a 41-39 victory.
It was a tough battle in the trenches all the way. The game was characterized by long possessions on both ends of the court as the teams worked the ball around the outside trying to find a little opening to take a shot.
"They ran a triangle-and-two on us," said Lone Peak coach Quincy Lewis. "We've practiced against that, but sometimes it feels a little different in a game.
"It took us a little longer than I hoped to be as aggressive as we needed to be to attack that," the coach continued. "However, the real story of this win is our defense."
One of the challenges of playing the Toros was their interior length, with 6-foot-6 Camyn Boone and 6-8 Payton Dastrup inside. Those two accounted for nearly half of Mountain View's points, but they'd scored much more in the earlier games.
"Talon Shumway, Chase Hansen, and Josh Buck in the first half, just shut those guys down," Lewis said. "In addition, our guards did an exceptional job of pressuring the ball."
That was a critical component of the comeback run. The Knights forced a pair of turnovers on 5-second calls, made five steals and caused several other disruptions in the fourth quarter which helped turn the tide in their favor.
"I thought in that last period, our kids finally showed the toughness and heart that won us a championship last year," the coach added. "Unlike last night, we demonstrated the poise it takes to be a champion. We beat a good team."
Nick Emery had a game-high 15 points, while Brody Berry sank three critical 3-pointers to help Lone Peak keep pace. The third of those was followed by another long bomb from Shumway to draw the team within one point of the leader with 3:10 to play.
TJ Haws had just one field goal but it proved to be the game-winner. He also had six rebounds and four steals.
The Knights (3-1) will visit Skyline (4-1) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before heading east to play in the Beach Ball Classic national invitational tournament Dec. 28-31 in Myrtle Beach, So. Car.

Named to the Elite 11

Elite 11
Brody Berry, 6-2 170 Sr. DB/WR, Lone Peak
Tireless player was a key to the Knight run. Topped 5A with eight picks, also had 62 tackles, 12 deflections and caused a fumble, plus was the punter and kickoff man.

GREAT WESTERN SHOOTOUT: Knights pound Angels

* Lone Peak 84, Denver East (Colo.) 58: The Knights made it a clean sweep for the Utah teams as they demolished the No. 1 squad from Colorado in the final game of the evening.
In particular, the retooling football players were much more on their hoops game tonight than in last Friday's season opener. Chase Hansen was really good down low on both ends, accounting for eight points and nine rebounds.
Brody Berry scored nine with five assists and Talon Shumway tallied 12 points and five boards with minutes limited by foul trouble. Both had solid all-around floor games. Reserve Conner Toolson added 11 points off the bench, including three treys.
Of course, Lone Peak also got good production from its super guard line. Nick Emery didn't shoot especially well for him, but still contributed a game-high 23 points, including a trio of long bombs. He also had six rebounds.
TJ Haws did a great job of running the floor and ended up adding 17 points and seven boards.
"We'll take that one," said Knight coach Quincy Lewis. "This shows the kind of talent we have. Everybody's a scorer on this team and goes after the ball defensively.
"We still have lots of things to work on, but when we play this way, it makes us very, very hard to contain," he concluded.
Lone Peak 84
Denver East 58
Denver East (58)
Cardoza 5, Thompson 6, Whitaker 2, Carey 20, Dunn-Rhodes 1, Collier 9, Harrell 3, Robinson 9, Davis 3. Totals 18 12-26 58.
Lone Peak (84)
Emery 23, Toolson 11, Haws 17, Berry 9, Hansen 8, Shumway 12, Squires 2 Gibbons 2. Totals 26 17-22 84.

Lone Peak nabs top spot in first KSL Coaches' Poll

The Lone Peak Knights are once again the team to beat in 5A according to the first KSL Coaches' Poll of the season. They are picked to defend their state title and bring back several talented players from last year's team.


Junior guard Nick Emery leads the way for the Knights. The younger brother of former BYU guard Jackson Emery has also committed to play at BYU. Emery averaged 21 points per game last season and scored 30 or more points in a game four times. He's not the only talented player on the Knights roster. Sophomore T.J. Haws started as a freshman and averaged 14 points per game. Talon Shumway is extremely athletic and plays above the rim while having the ability to shoot the 3. Brody Berry brings speed and energy to the backcourt while Chase Hansen provides a physical presence inside.




The Knights are loaded with talent but repeating as champions won't be easy. There are other teams in the state that have the talent to challenge Lone Peak. American Fork is ranked 2nd in the poll. They return forward Quincy Bair and point guard Marcel Davis. Both have signed letters of intent to play for Stew Morrill at Utah State. The Cavemen also return guard Austin Waddoups who will provide perimeter scoring.

FOOTBALL POY: Hansen set example for teammates to follow

Once in a very long while, the right people and circumstances come together to produce a sports season so amazing it seems almost magical.
That's what the Lone Peak football team experienced this year, earning a perfect 14-0 mark to tie the state record, along with securing the 5A championship and a national ranking in the top 75.
No one personified this achievement more than Knight quarterback Chase Hansen.
A superlative player in his own right, he rallied his teammates both on and off the field to help them live the ultimate high school dream together, and for this, he's been selected as the Daily Herald Valley Player of the Year for football.
"It's what he did when the coaches weren't watching that probably made the difference," said senior Brody Berry, a teammate of Hansen's in both football and basketball.
In other venues, Berry said Hansen's personality is quite different from the fierce competitor he became when he donned his uniform and pads. "He's never mad. He is fun-loving, always smiling - just a big teddy, really."
Berry described how Hansen organized what amounted to pickup games for the skill players, both before and during the season. "We'd get together and run our plays," he said. "Besides that, we hung out a lot and became really close friends.

"He always kept us in line," Berry continued. "He never wanted us doing anything that was even questionable. He always wanted us on the straight and narrow. He carried himself like a leader off the field too, and we all responded to that."
As for on the field, Berry said Hansen earned everyone's respect. "He practiced and played so hard, we all wanted to help him out. He wouldn't settle for second; he wanted to be first, and he made us all want it too."
That may be the best way to describe the electricity and energy between the players that even strangers could observe along the sidelines, as well as on the gridiron.
"When he was out there, everyone elevated their games," confirmed Lone Peak head coach Tony McGeary. "He inspired everyone to be better because they knew he had their backs.
"One of the most endearing things about him is he has no ego," the coach continued. "He showed every guy true friendship. They knew he genuinely cared for them, and he rolled right with them whatever the situation was."
McGeary described Hansen as "Tebow-esque" in his approach to football.
"He has such passion for the sport, and he plays it with authority," the coach said. "He has a huge heart when he plays. But as good of a player as he is, he's every bit as good of a person. He's well-rounded and grounded."
As for Hansen himself, he's quick to deflect the credit for his success to others.
"I had the best teammates in the world," he said. "We had the best O-line in the state; they proved that against Fremont and their huge defensive front.
"I had the best receivers too, in Zac, Connor, Talon, Micah and the rest," he went on. "I would just do something little, and they would turn it into a big play. Our defense always seemed to step up at key moments along the way as well.
"We were out there to enjoy the game," Hansen said. "No matter what happened, we tried to play the game the same way. We had each other's backs. If something bad happened on one side of the ball, the other side would pick them up.
"The excitement of every moment was our motivation," Hansen said. "There was never a doubt that we could reach our goal. Someone stepped up every single time we needed something to happen."
What they learned together was the importance of preparation, Hansen said. "In football, as in life, it's the little things that end up making the difference," he explained.
"That little extra effort in practice comes into play so many times, especially when the game is on the line," he said. "We knew we were prepared, and we'd committed to each other to leave it all out there - so we did."
When Hansen walked into the field house at Lone Peak with his teammates following the state title game after they rolled into town with a police car and fire truck escort, the crowd broke into chants of "golden child" - a phrase last intimately connected with former Knight and BYU great Jackson Emery.
Somehow, it just fit.
"He's like Captain America - unbelievable," Berry said. "He's the best athlete I've ever played with, and winning with him is the best experience I've ever had."
It's a sure bet the rest of his teammates would say exactly the same thing.

Preparation and inspiration helped Knights win football crown

Braxton is 95

As the Lone Peak football team got ready for last Friday's title contest, Knight coach Tony McGeary wanted his troops to prepare and play like it was just another game.
They kept the practice week routine as close as they could to what the team had done all year. They had a dinner the night before, as is customary.
But that's where the similarities ended, at least for a couple of hours.
The evening included a highlight film from the season, right up through the semifinal victory that put the team in position to make school and state history.
McGeary didn't take up much of the time. His message was pretty straightforward: "We've got to get it done tomorrow; that's the bottom line."
Then he introduced a keynote speaker that no one else in the room knew.
His name was Maynard Barker. He and his son Brit, described by McGeary as one of his best friends, had flown out that day from Hilton Head, So. Car., McGeary's home town, just to attend the championship game.
Barker was McGeary's coach starting when he was 9 years old and he also worked with him in high school. He said, "Pound for pound, I'd put Tony up against anybody."
To illustrate the point, Maynard told what he called his own South Carolina "Deliverance" story.
His team was playing the defending state champions. "We had 15 players, they had 55," the coach said. The chain gang on the sideline was chewing tobacco and definitely gave the impression they thought the game would be a slaughter.
McGeary's team started with the ball at the 35. He broke off a 65-yard touchdown run which was called back on a backfield-in-motion penalty flagged at the 50-yard line - a little "home cooking," the coach called it.
So, the team backed up five yards and tried the same play again. This time, McGeary still scored, on a 70-yard run. Suddenly, everybody there realized this was going to be a game.
The little team that could won 18-6. They later lost to the same team again in the title game 6-0.
"The point is, you may only have one chance at this," Maynard said. "Be there tomorrow. Do your best. No one can ask more of you than that."
The group also heard from some assistant coaches, three of last year's captains, and then finally, running back Conner Humphrey's father.
"Twenty-six years ago tomorrow, I stood on that field as a state champion," he said. His West team "limped" into the playoffs as a fourth seed but ended up beating powerful Ben Lomond 19-6.
He described the emotions of the day, then told how, 20 years later, he ran into the quarterback from that team, and they relived the memories together for 3½ hours.
He told the players that doing it together and the relationships they have is what will endure, and to keep that in mind when they played.
Except for the earlier time, the game-day routine was also followed closely. On the buses going up, even the reserves were quiet and thoughtful.
Warmups drills were businesslike and precise. In the locker room for the final few minutes before kickoff, the coaches ran through assignments and quickly reviewed the main points of preparation.
Then it was time to take the field, and take it they did.
Coaching success: McGeary is 41-9 (.820) in his fourth season as a head coach. He won seven games his first year, nine his second and 11 last year. Under his direction, the Knights have advanced from the first round in his first season, to the quarterfinals in his second and to the semifinals last year. McGeary became the first coach to win a state championship in his first attempt since Ryan Higgs captured the 1A title at North Sevier in 2008.
Peak performance: Knight quarterback Chase Hansen also moved himself into the records lists with his contributions in the title contest. He moved into second place in total individual offense with 475 yards, and tied for second place in total touchdowns responsible for with five. His net rushing of 233 yards places him fifth all-time in championship games, and his team now ranks sixth in total offense with 522 yards.
Winning changes own records: Lone Peak completed its first undefeated season. The Knights' previous best start was in 2006 when they won their first seven games. With 14 victories, they've blitzed their previous most wins in a season, 11 in 2002 and 2010. The football team has now posted its second consecutive double-digit win season and the fourth in school history.
Top state mark matched: Lone Peak and Logan joined an exclusive club with their victories on Friday, bumping to five the number of schools that have won a state-record 14 games in a season. Bingham (2006), Hunter (2003) and Juan Diego (2008) are the others.
History made by unbeatens: Since Lone Peak, Logan and Hurricane all came through unscathed, they joined Duchesne in making 2011 the first year that four teams have celebrated undefeated championship seasons. There have been three unbeaten teams three times before, most recently in 2001 when Millard, Monticello and Northridge pulled off the feat.
Stacking up the hardware: The football team claimed Lone Peak's 28th state title and the second this fall, since the girls tennis team won a championship as well. It's been a very strong start to the sports year for the Knights. Of the seven teams that compete during this season, five earned region trophies and all qualified for the playoffs. The boys golf team was second at state, while girls soccer tied for third, and volleyball and boys cross country were fourth in their respective playoffs.
A Berry good game: Versatile player Brody Berry was just about everywhere in this effort. He only had to punt once, but he averaged 58 yards on seven kickoffs. He had five tackles, made an interception, elevated for a critical deflection - during which he was injured, but he continued to play - and also blocked a PAT and a punt, picking up the ball after the latter and returning it 25 yards.
Extra points: Linebacker Kurtis Taufa was the team's leading tackler with 10, five of them solo. He had a 10-yard sack, three tackles for loss and forced a fumble. ... Linebacker Matt Gowdy added seven tackles and defensive back Andrew Schirmer six. ... Talon Shumway had four tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception. ... Linebacker Spencer Reinstein returned a pick 50 yards, and Josh Buck added another one for 21 yards.

Lone Peak completes Chase for 5A title

The quarterback draw.
A play that is simple yet effective for many teams.
For Lone Peak it's simply unstoppable.
Of course when you have a quarterback like Chase Hansen, pretty much any play is going to work. Hansen racked up 482 yards in total offense along with accounted for five touchdowns to help Lone Peak complete the season 14-0 and win the state 5A title with a 41-21 win over Fremont on Friday afternoon at Rice Eccles Stadium
After finishing second twice, once in 2002 and once in 2004, the Knights passed around the gold trophy and took turns kissing it while the Lone Peak fans shouted "We are Lone Peak."
"I can honestly say that we had the offense and defense in sync tonight. It was just unbelievable. I don't know what else to say," said Lone Peak coach Tony McGeary. "We ran him (Hansen) a little more than we wanted to tonight but we saw a crease where we could take advantage of their defense. Chase Hansen was the man. He just proved why he was the best quarterback in state tonight with the way he played."
Hansen, who signed with the University of Utah, plans on enrolling at Utah following the basketball season so he can be in Utes program for spring ball. Utah is lucky to have Hansen. He capped off one of the best seasons in prep football history with a dominating performance in the finals. He rushed for 233 yards and two touchdowns. He threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns.
His 484 yards of total offense fell just 12 yards short of a state record for a championship game that is held by BYU quarterback Riley Nelson when he played for Logan in 2004.
"I don't even know how to put this in words right now. I'm just overwhelmed right now. I'm sure it will hit me more later when we're celebrating," Hansen said. "I'm just a quarterback on a really good team, in a really good program. I'm extremely blessed and thankful I could play with my teammates. This memory will never leave me."
Hansen had plenty of help. Lone Peak's defense came up with four interceptions and a fumble recovery and Brody Berry sparked the special teams with a pair of blocked kicks.
Fremont came out of the locker room at the half determined to cut into Lone Peak's 28-13 lead. The Silverwolves got the ball to start the half, but when the Knights defense forced them to punt, Berry's eyes lit up. He had already blocked an extra point in the first half. This time he got a punt. He came around the left end to block the punt. He recovered not the Fremont 23.
"We have two coaches, the Harward brothers, who were telling me before the game that I could get one," Berry said. "I looked over at them and they said go for it. I'm so glad I got it. I wanted to return it but it wouldn't bounce up so I just dove on it."
On the first play from scrimmage Hansen found Connor Humphrey in the end zone to give Lone Peak a commanding 35-13 lead following Trevor Robb's PAT.
After both teams traded turnovers, Berry came up big again at the end of the third quarter when he stopped a Fremont drive at the Lone Peak 20 after intercepting a pass.
The Knights defense then came up big again. When Fremont moved the ball into the Red Zone, Spencer Reinstein picked off a pass at the 10 and returned it all the way to the Fremont 38.
Talon Shumway put Fremont away when he scored on a 4-yard run that gave Lone Peak a 42-13 lead with 5:07 left in the game.
"We felt like our conditioning would take over in the second half," McGeary said. "Give Fremont all the credit in the world. They prepared all week for us and played us tough, but it was just our night."
The first half was wildly entertaining. After Hansen opened the game's scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Fremont countered with a 98-yard kickoff return by Jordan Preator to tie the game.
Hansen put Lone Peak back on top with a 3-yard run less than a minute into the second quarter.
Then came a pivotal sequence that was a key to the first half. Hansen was hit and coughed up the ball right before he hit the ground. Fremont recovered at the Lone Peak 45, but before the Silverwolves could take advantage of the turnover, the Knights got the ball back.
Fremont called an option play. Shumway knows that play well. He anticipated the pitch and intercepted the ball. He was tackled at the Fremont 45.
Hansen wasted no time making up for his mistake. He threw a perfect pass to Micah Hannemann in the end zone from 34-yards out to give Lone Peak a 21-7 lead.
Fremont tried to keep it close. Nick Vigil took a pitch out 55 yards for a touchdown. Berry then blocked that extra point. to keep the score at 21-13.
Hansen brought the Knights right back on their next possession. He broke off a quarterback draw up the middle and turned down the sideline. He used a de-cleating block from Berry to carry the ball to the Fremont eight.
Hansen then found a wide open Hannemann from 8-yards out to give Lone Peak a 28-13 lead with 5:25 left in the half.
It proved to be all the Knights needed. Fremont scored a touchdown in the final minute of the game that did little from quieting Lone Peak's fan base that had stock in what proved to be a perfect season.
Berry summed up the celebration this way: "This is amazing. It's like I'm on the top of the world right now. All my dreams have come true so far. It feels so good."
Fremont 7 6 0 8 - 21

Player of the Week of: 10/2/2011 - 10/8/2011

#14 Brody Berry

Made many key tackles and an interception, along with great hang time on his punts.

Britton going to Day Camp, Miriah cooking

Britton got to go to day camp twice this summer.

The first time it got rained out so they went to the park to eat their lunch

and the second time they went he had a great time.  Britton Loves His Friends!

These are the cookies Miriah and I were baking to take on the trip. We were making some without chocolate chips for dad.  This was the first patch that had come out the oven, I had two more pans without the chocolate chip, so I told Miriah she could stir in the chocolate chips into the cookies so we could bake the rest as normal cookies.  She was so happy since she had been waiting to stir them in, a little while later I came back into the kitchen to fill the pans up and Miriah had placed chocolate chips on the cookies that were baked and had been stiring them in.  She said, it was really hard with the spoon so she was using her finger on each chip.  She is so funny, she didn't want to have sad cookies so she was trying to stir the chips into the cookies like a face.  When we dumped the whole bag of chips in the cookies, she thought that was a lot easier to stir. 

Knights to appear in First 8 tournament at hoops Hall of Fame

Members of the Lone Peak boys basketball program have been invited to play in the First 8 Tournament held in conjunction with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame National Invitational next week in Springfield, Mass.
The IWC-Lone Peak club team was already entered in the 17-and-under portion of the Invitational as part of a field of about 75 teams in this NCAA-certified AAU event, according to tournament director Colin Tabb.
This is the eighth year for the Invitational. The First 8 tournament, which retains its original name but has now been expanded to 16 teams, is held on July 10, the day before the Invitational.
This season, the First 8 has been arranged as Super Pools, filtering into the National Invitational tournament.
All teams in the First 8 will play three pool-play games and then advance automatically to the Gold Bracket (the highest) for single elimination bracket-play with other qualifying teams from the National Invitational starting on the night of the 11th.
Participation in the First 8 is by invitation only, from the list of those already accepted into the national event.
As is usually the case on the AAU circuit, the IWC-LP team is one of the very few squads that represent a single institution.
"Wanting to compete as a high school team is very rare," Tabb said. "In AAU, we generally see only all-star teams, and some of them draw from a wide area.
"Once they sent their roster over, we could see this was a really good team," the director continued. "Obviously the program has a great track record, so we did a little more research into the players.
"When we evaluate our selections for the First 8 tournament, we try to choose the teams with top players," Tabb said. "This is an important time for D-I coaches to see the athletes they want to see. We feel they have players who fall into this category."
Incoming junior Nick Emery and sophomore TJ Haws were both named to MaxPreps All-American teams for their class years in recent weeks. They also show up in various rankings and scout sites. Other members of the squad are also potential D-I prospects.
Last year, almost 150 college coaches attended this event. Tabb said most simply show up, but he's already heard from coaches at North Carolina, Duke, Arizona, U-Conn, the University of Washington, West Virginia, Syracuse, Cal-Davis, Xavier, Boston College and Villanova who are planning to be there.
In addition, Tabb said, selection factors considered included the team's overall competitiveness in the field, geographic reach, and a desire to provide the visitors with the best possible trip for the time spent.
The four Super Pools contain squads representing Canada, Maine, New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin and California, in addition to Utah. The overall 17U tournament has teams from a number of other states plus Belgium as well.
"Getting invited to the First 8 portion of the tournament was a little bit of a surprise, but we're looking forward to the challenge," said Lone Peak coach Quincy Lewis. "This is a really big deal for our guys.
"Those top AAU teams have the top players in the country at each position," he added. "If we can hang within 10-15 points of them, we'll be doing well." The pool IWC-LP is assigned to also has two New York teams and the Grassroots Canada squad.
The Hall of Fame event is part of a two-tournament swing for the squad, which starts Tuesday in Indianapolis at the Hoosier Shootout, another NCAA-certified event.
The field there has representatives from 14 states and Canada. IWC-LP's pool includes teams from Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee.
"It's a really good experience for our kids to go to other parts of the country and play some different competition," Lewis said. "Our primary goal is to have our kids pushed from a straight basketball standpoint, and we'll certainly get that from these appearances.
"We just feel like the state 5A teams this year will be as good or better than we've seen it before," he added. "With American Fork, West Jordan and others in the field, we're going to have to be battle-tested to compete in that company. We've got to be ready."
In addition, the coach said these trips provide a great team bonding experience and really enhance and establish the leadership and relationships among the players. As always, they will visit the local athletic and historical sites as well.
The players have worked very hard to earn the money to make the trip. They did roofing during spring break, staffed a couple of camps at the school and held a car wash and clothing drive to raise the necessary funds.

BYU Football Camp, AF Canyon

Britton and Nate went to the BYU Football camp this week they had a great time.  They are so funny together, they never seem to slow down, they go go go.

Thanks to Mindy for getting Britton a job so he could make money to go, he had a blast! 

They been asked if they were twins? 

Brody got sun burnt and Zain was kind enough to rub the aloe vera on him.

 We went for a ride up AF Canyon, it has been so nice that the snow is melting fast and water is rushing everywhere.  In part of the canyon it is coming out of the side of the mountain and running down the road.  Tible Fork was as full as we have seen it for a long time.  As you can see behind Hollie there is still a lot of snow.

Dad had to get a picture of us. 

I forgot to tell you a funny story about Miriah, last week we are on our way to Tyler Romney's church, all week I have talked about getting my graduation gifts done, and I made the comment that I wish we had lots of money so I could give all these boys money for their missions.  From the back seat Miriah says, "You didn't give me anything" I turned to look at her and said "for what" She replied, "I graduated", I said, "you did!", she said, "from pre-school" I said "you did, what would you like?"  She didn't know.  It was funny, she does not miss a thing. 

Britton is having a great summer, he loves life so much, he just does not want to read for his mom.

Friends are his whole life right now.

A cheesy smile from dad.  It was so beautiful up the canyon.

The water is over flowing. 

Rushing down the canyon. 

Hollie thought is was cold so she was wrapped up in a blanket as we walked around the lake. 

This is a story given in last weeks sacrament meeting on Faith.

 There was a young boy down at the lake, and a man asked him if he would take him across.  As the boy rowed across the lake the man notice that one of the ores had a "F" on it and the other had a "W".  He asked the boy why he had these letters on he ores.  The young man told him that they were reminders that Faith and Work go together.  If you only use the Faith ore you go in a circles.  You need to have Faith and then Work as hard as you can to go in a strait line to where you want to be.

We are so proud of you Brady, Keep working hard, Your Mission President must trust you and knows that you can do hard things.  I know it is hard to leave an area that you have grown to love.  You are our MAD Missionary, We love you so much!