It’s a dream. It’s what we’ve been working for. We’ve put all the hours in — it’s just what we came here to do. – American Fork's Taylor Moeaki
TAYLORSVILLE — The American Fork girls basketball team had been knocking quite loudly over the last three years, but on Saturday just decided to bust the door down itself — taking the 5A state championship with a 50-46 win over Viewmont.
The win marked the end of a bevy of near-misses and frustrations, but most importantly, a lot of hard work and determination put forth by the Cavemen to finally come out on top.
“It’s a dream,” said tournament MVP Taylor Moeaki surrounded by media amidst the postgame celebration. “It’s what we’ve been working for. We’ve put all the hours in — it’s just what we came here to do.”
Moeaki was just a freshman the last time the Cavemen played in a state championship. They were then routed by Fremont back in 2014 before losing heartbreakers in the state semifinals the next two seasons, to Fremont and then to Sky View, respectively.
All of those heart-wrenching losses worked to galvanize American Fork, with each player stating definitively that it was part of the process and necessary to achieve Saturday's result.
“It’s necessary to have that drive,” Moeaki said. “Now that Viewmont has been here — that’s a team to watch out for next season.”
As for Moeaki, she did what she's done all year on Saturday — maintain a steady presence at the point while causing opposing defenses all sorts of headaches with her ability to hit outside shots and drive to the hoop. The 5-foot-7 senior asserted herself immediately — scoring six of her team's first 11 points while getting the Cavemen off to a huge early lead of 21-4 with just a minute gone in the second quarter.
Just as the Cavemen were seemingly poised to run away with the championship, the Vikings proved to have different plans. An 8-2 run to close the half cut the lead to 29-16 — making a comeback well within reason after the break.
Out of the half, Viewmont continued its momentum — using an 11-0 run toward the end of the third quarter to cut the lead clear down to 31-29.
Such a squandering of the lead would lead many teams to push some sort of panic button or at least call a timeout to refocus. But American Fork isn't that team — not with everything it's already endured and worked for over the last four years.
“I didn’t even call a timeout or say anything to them,” said American Fork Corey Clayton. “I mean, the way we play — teams make runs and it’s OK. I knew we’d make a counter with a run of our own. So I wasn’t stressed.”
Clayton's instincts proved correct. A 12-0 run toward the end of the third quarter and into the fourth suddenly put the Cavemen back on top and in full command with a 45-31 lead.
A big key to American Fork's resurgence was sharp-shooter Paige Farnsworth. The 5-foot-10 senior squared up to hit two consecutive 3-point baskets — one to close the third quarter scoring and the other to lead off the fourth.
"I was just so happy to be able to help my team in that situation," Farnsworth said. "My teammates do such a great job of finding me open, and all the credit goes to them."
As for Clayton, he wasn't surprised at all at Farnsworth's 3-pointers, stating, "I'm shocked when she misses shots, honestly."
Viewmont tried earnestly at a comeback attempt, but in the end, ran out of gas. Leading the way for the Vikings were Megan Carr and Mercedes Staples, who each scored 12 while Victoria Page added 10.
Moeaki led all scorers with 21 points while Farnsworth and Addison Holmstead each added nine — all on 3-point buckets.
“I’m really happy for them because they’ve worked hard their whole lives — certainly the last four years to get back to this game,” Clayton said of his team's championship. “They’ve had some heartbreak along the way, and that’s what you need to be resilient and just determined. I think they came into today’s game with their minds already made up as to how this was going to end.”