Despite graduating all five athletes from last season’s winning lineup, American Fork still prevails for 10th time in 11 years at 5x2-mile relay in Utah; Springville is fourth different girls champion in as many years, with Boyden and Jensen producing fastest individual efforts

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It doesn’t seem to matter what the turnover is year after year at American Fork UT, the results continue to turn out the same for the Cavemen.

Despite graduating six of its top seven from last year – including all five athletes who prevailed last season in the boys varsity race at the Westlake Grass Relays – American Fork still managed another convincing win in the meet’s 24th edition Saturday at Westlake High, securing its 10th victory at the meet in the past 11 years.

Ashton Hysell, Ben McBride, Nathan Hess, Samuel Nelson and Kooper Dibb combined to run 55 minutes, 32 seconds in the 5x2-mile relay, lifting the Cavemen to a third win in four years since the annual event moved from American Fork to Westlake in 2016.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

The course consists of a primarily flat grass layout and 14 hay bales. Athletes from each school run twice around the mile loop before passing the baton, with the anchor leg for each team running through the finish chute.

Springville UT secured its first title in the girls varsity race in meet history, with AnnaBeth Templeman, Madison Galbraith, Sarah Galbraith, Lydia Templeman and Heidi Sumsion combining to clock 65:54.6.

Springville became the fourth different winner in as many years and the ninth girls program in meet history to capture the championship. Lone Peak UT and Maple Mountain UT, the past two girls varsity winners, didn’t attend this year’s meet.

Woods Cross UT junior Carlee Hansen ran the fastest opening girls split at 12:45.3, but the Wildcats didn’t field a complete relay lineup.

The top girls time of the day belonged to Alta UT senior Morgan Jensen, who clocked 12:41.2 on the anchor leg for the Hawks to help them move up four places and finish 12th overall. Jensen hadn’t competed at the Grass Relays since 2016, improving 27 seconds from her performance as a freshman.

Skyline UT senior Thomas Boyden ran 10:14.4 on the leadoff leg, the fastest split by any male athlete in the varsity race. Despite Boyden providing the Eagles with a 33-second advantage on the opening leg, Skyline placed fourth overall in 56:33.3.

Timpanogos UT edged Skyridge UT by a 56:08.5 to 56:09 margin for second place. After Creed Thompson moved into second for Skyridge with less than 800 meters remaining, Isaac Berlin produced a thrilling surge for Timpanogos in the final 100 meters to edge Thompson at the finish line.

Thompson ran the second-fastest split overall in the boys race at 10:44.3, followed by Hysell and Herriman’s Seth Robertson, both timed at 10:46.5 on the opening leg, as eight athletes ran under 11 minutes.

Westlake was second in the girls race at 67:37.8, followed by American Fork (67:46.9) and Herriman (68:28.7).

Westlake junior Emma Heslop, a transfer from FEAST Home School in San Antonio, Texas, anchored the Thunder in 12:57.5, the third-fastest split overall. Herriman sophomore Addi Bruening led off in 12:57.8, the fourth-fastest split in the race, as only four female athletes ran under 13 minutes.

American Fork’s success wasn’t limited to only the boys varsity race, as Nathan Jaster – a transfer from Weddington NC – prevailed in the sophomore race in 11:02.9 and Dylan Rawlings won the JV race in 11:04.8. Those times were the third- and fourth-fastest for American Fork, including the relay, and would have ranked 10th and 11th overall, including all boys races.

Springville also achieved success in earlier competitions, with Bethany Blakey winning the girls junior/senior race in 13:25.1 and teammate Lydia Felix second in 13:27.1 Laurissa Blakey won the freshman/sophomore race for the Red Devils in 13:34.3.

Martin Galvez of Timpanogos won the freshman boys race in 11:53.