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The American Fork cross country team poses for photos after the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork junior Daniel Simmons wins the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork junior Daniel Simmons (left) runs during the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork boys cross country runners accept the championship trophy after the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork junior Daniel Simmons runs around a turn during the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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The starter signals the beginning of the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork cross country runners celebrate after the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Runners from Lone Peak, Skyridge and American Fork run during the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork junior Daniel Simmons (center) celebrates with his teammates after the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lone Peak senior Jaron Hartshorn runs during the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Runners start the 2022 6A boys state cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lone Peak and American Fork runners pose for photos with the 6A championship and runner-up trophies after the 2022 6A boys and girls state cross country races at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork head boys cross country coach Timo Mostert knew the competition for the 6A state title would be fierce this year and that to have any shot at all, his Cavemen would have to push themselves to the limit.

“At the end of last year, when you put everyone we had coming back in the computer, we would have been seeded 16th in the state and 10th in 6A,” Mostert said. “That because we only had two guys coming back and four guys who had run under 17 minutes.”

But he knew he had a group of athletes that were going to get after it.

“When you have a very young team that is inexperienced, you know they are going to progress a lot,” Mostert said. “They believed in each other and believed in their training. I always say when you work hard, good things happen.”

It didn’t hurt that the Simmons family moved back to American Fork from Idaho.

One of the sons, Joseph Simmons, had been on the Caveman squad that finished second in nation in 2015. More importantly to the team’s current success, Idaho’s 2021 2A runner-up Daniel Simmons would be back with American Fork.

“Danny’s grateful every day for having guys with whom to train and to train at an elite level,” Mostert said. “And we’re grateful that they were able to move back from Idaho to American Fork. It’s a great family. I think that gave the guys an extra boost.”

Daniel Simmons said cross country helped him get through the moving transition and starting at a new high school.

“I trained with them all summer and had tons of friends going into the school year,” Daniel Simmons said. “I think it was really exciting coming here. I wasn’t really scared at all. I believe that we were going to fit in well here, so it’s been great.”

The Caveman squad helped pushed Daniel Simmons to be his best and in turn he helped raise American Fork to be a title contender.

When the 2022 6A state boys cross country race at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City rolled around on Tuesday, the Cavemen were ready.

The American Fork junior set the tone, nearly hitting his goal time but pulling away from the field to come in first.

“I was hoping some guys would take it out fast and kind of take the wind for me the first mile,” Daniel Simmons said. “As soon as I started seeing people kind of slow down, I sped up and just took the lead.”

He crossed the finish line in 14:49.8, nearly 20 seconds in front of Herriman senior Noah Jenkins who was second. Lone Peak senior Jaron Harshorn took third.

“I love running from the front,” Daniel Simmons said. “I think it just speaks to me. I can feel the spirit so strong when I’m just free, not worried about anyone behind or in front of me. I just feel the power of God just coming straight into me and I just feel free. It’s awesome.”

His first-place finish was one of many stellar showings for the Caveman squad. Senior Seth Smith came in 12th, junior Ben Bradshaw was 18th, junior Ben Jaster was 21st and junior Chase Pack was 24th.

That performance proved to be enough for American Fork to hold off the Knights by 23 points, giving the Cavemen their first crown since 2017.

“We’re very, very happy about how everyone did today, but we’re not finished,” Daniel Simmons said. “We’re going to continue pushing through. This was an amazing blessing and opportunity for us. I’m really glad that we came in today and performed like we did.”

It was a special moment for Mostert to see American Fork get its 10th boys cross country title.

“We went five years between state titles after winning nine in 10 years,” Mostert said. “I’m ecstatic. It’s probably the second hardest state championship for us to get aside from our first one in 2009. I’m just grateful that the boys are good kids who work hard and want to improve. I always tell them that you can’t be afraid of greatness and they’ve taken it to heart that they want to be great.”

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