1 / 11

American Fork sophomore Ty Wilson celebrates following his key interception late in his team's 21-20 win over Lehi. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

2 / 11

American Fork quarterback Nate Childs celebrates his game-winning touchdown run over Lehi on Friday. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

3 / 11

American Fork running back Prince Afu stretches toward the goaline during his team's 21-20 playoff win over Lehi on Friday. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

4 / 11

American Fork's Madden Jensen avoids oncoming tacklers during his team's 21-20 win over Lehi on Friday. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

5 / 11

Lehi running back DeVaughn Eka yet again played a big role for the Pioneer's during Friday's second round game versus American Fork. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

6 / 11

American Fork receiver Christian Hanshaw contributed big in his team's 21-20 win over Lehi on Friday. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

7 / 11

American Fork receiver Christian Hanshaw celebrates his touchdown reception during his team's 21-20 comeback win over Lehi. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

8 / 11

American Fork quarterback Nate Childs overcame a slow start to help engineer his team's 21-20 comeback win over Lehi. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

9 / 11

Lehi's Legend Glasker celebrates his second touchdown during Friday's second round matchup versus American Fork on Friday. October 31, 2025.

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

10 / 11

American Fork running back Prince Afu was a workhorse in his team's 21-20 comeback win over Lehi on Friday. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

11 / 11

Lehi's Legend Glasker celebrates a touchdown in American Fork's 21-20 win in the 6A state playoffs. October 31, 2025

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

❮ ❯

Following his team’s thrilling 21-20 comeback win over Lehi during second round playoff action on Friday, American Fork Coach Aaron Behm gathered his team around him and tasked his players to lend specific praise for what enabled the victory.

The session went longer than most, perhaps due to the variety of factors that went into the win along with the specter of defeating a quality team like Lehi, the same team that dealt the Cavemen a 26-3 loss just one month prior. Players quickly and enthusiastically pointed out just about every key player and facet imaginable, from teammates who made big plays to unknown scout team players who didn’t even sniff a single rep during the actual gameplay on Friday.

“That’s our culture. We love our teammates and (we love it) when we get the chance to point them out,” Behm said. “Some of the players pointed out didn’t even play tonight, but they were engaged on the sideline and we know that it makes a difference to the guys on the field.”

Indeed the Cavemen needed quite a few varying factors to overcome the tremendous challenge poised by the Pioneers.

The game featured four American Fork turnovers, included one during the game’s opening possession that directly led to a Lehi touchdown, on top of other miscues. But the Cavemen stuck with it, confident in their game plan and buoyed up with support from the culture Behm described.

“We just didn’t want to go home,” said American Fork quarterback Nate Childs. “I made some mistakes early, but the team rallied around me and I’m just grateful for all of them, along with the coaches we have, and it’s just a blessing to play here.”

Sure, Childs accounted for three interceptions thrown in the win, but stayed with the process and made some big plays down the stretch to secure the victory. Whether it was a completion made during a critical 4th-and-8 situation late, or his game-winning touchdown run with just over seven minutes remaining, stepped up when is team needed him.

“That was the most amazing feeling I’ve ever felt in my life,” Childs said of the score where he plunged into the end zone from just one yard out. “That’s my best touchdown all year and all thanks to the guy above.”

Through it all was a Caveman defense which worked ardently to overcome the four turnovers made despite being put in difficult situations throughout the 48 minutes of game play.

“They played great,” Behm said of his defense. “They gave up a couple of big plays early, but they collected it and dominated in the second half. We turned it over four times, gave Lehi short fields, but holding them to two field goals was the difference in the game.”

Two of the defense’s miscues came early, as mentioned by Behm, and as is often the case, it was Lehi speedster Legend Glasker providing the big plays. Glasker, who is committed to play for BYU at the collegiate level, led off the scoring with a 22-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Wyatt Bingham prior to splitting the Caveman defense with a 54-yard catch-and-run for another score.

American Fork did manage to answer Lehi’s two touchdowns with two of its own in the first half, with Childs leading off the scoring with a touchdown run before hitting Christian Hanshaw with a 5-yard touchdown pass late to go down just 17-14 at the break.

The second half proved to be a defensive slugfest with both defenses largely dictating the course of play while making big plays to prevent much scoring.

Providing perhaps the biggest defensive play of the night was American Fork sophomore linebacker Ty Wilson picking off a pass during Lehi’s possession following Childs’ second touchdown run. With just over seven minutes remaining, and Lehi deep in American Fork territory and looking primed to take back the lead, Wilson made a diving catch to preclude the Pioneer’s opportunity to take back the lead late.

“Ty Wilson is a stud,” Behm said. “He’s been out since the last time we played (Lehi), so this was his first game back. That was a huge play after we gave them good field possession.”

“It was awesome. It was a fun team win,” Wilson added when asked about his heroics. “Our scout team did an amazing job preparing us during the two weeks we had to prepare. Coaches knew what was coming, made the right call, and getting that (interception) was just awesome.”

With the win American Fork advances to the quarterfinal round where it will again play a region rival, this time Skyridge, which defeated Copper Hills 63-3 to advance. As far as the Cavemen advancing to the quarterfinal stage, it’s required marked improvements made throughout the season, all of which Behm reflected on after his team’s win on Friday.

“I think we started on August 15, and you have to try and keep getting better the whole way through,” Behm concluded. “Lehi is much better than a No. 10 seed in these playoffs, so to be able to come out well enough to win a game against them just says that these guys have continued to work and get better, even last week when we didn’t have a game. When you want to play this late in the season, that’s what it takes.”