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Lehi senior Cam Wren tries to spin away from a tackle on a kickoff return during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lehi senior Cam Wren (right) huddles with his teammates after the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi players celebrate after the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi defenders makes a tackle during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi senior Kyson Butterfield makes a catch during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi players celebrate with senior tight end Zeke Clements (center) after he scored the go-ahead touchdown during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi senior Briggs Jensen throws a pass during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork senior defensive lineman Dalin Afu celebrates makes a tackle for a loss during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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A Lehi receiver can't quite make a catch during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi players celebrate with junior running back Cam Bryce after he scored a touchdown during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork defenders celebrate recovering a fumble during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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An American Fork receiver can't haul in a pass during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork senior Mason Brooks catches a long pass during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi defenders make a tackle during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork sophomore quarterback Jake Matsen throws a pass during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork senior Noah Behm tries to spin away from a tackle during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi head coach Andy Hadfield talks to his team after the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork senior receiver Mason Brooks flexes after catching a touchdown pass during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi defenders try to make a tackle during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork head coach Aaron Behm applauds a good play during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork fans release balloons honoring head coach Aaron Behm coaching in his 200th game during the Region 3 contest against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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Lehi players take the field before the Region 3 game at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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American Fork players take the field before the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

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The American Fork band plays during the Region 3 game against Lehi at American Fork on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026.

❮ ❯

Lehi senior Cam Wren knows kickoff returns can be game-changers.

He had exemplified that himself during Friday’s Region 3 game at American Fork, gashing the Cavemen special teams unit for returns of 59, 55 and 37 yards.

Wren had been so dynamic as a returner that after American Fork scored a touchdown to take the lead in the fourth quarter of the thrilling nail-biter, Cavemen elected to go with the squib kick on the ensuing kickoff to not give him another chance.

“I’ve always loved kick returns and just everything about them,” Wren said. “Once you see that hole, you go, you hit it. It feels great.”

But with the game on the line, Wren found himself in the opposite position.

The Pioneers had engineered a 10-play drive with time winding down — including a fourth-and-1 conversion — to get in the end zone on a 19-yard pass play from senior quarterback Briggs Jensen to senior tight end Zeke Clements. The two-point conversion had failed, though, so Lehi’s lead was a single point.

On the ensuing kickoff, American Fork senior Carter Jorgensen caught the ball at his own 5-yard line, surged up field and found an opening. He burst through the initial line of the Pioneer coverage team and appeared to have a good shot at getting past the kicker as well.

But there was still one man to beat.

“I’m a contain guy, so I kind of just watch everything until someone breaks through,” Wren said. “I feel like I’m pretty fast, so my job is to get them. I saw him break through, and I’m like, ‘I’m not losing this game.’ I was just going to go and tackle him.”

Lehi head coach Andy Hadfield said he saw Wren put it in another gear when Jorgensen got free.

“You could just see that he was not going to allow that guy to score,: Hadfield said. “He’s a heck of a ball player. He’s fast, so that that helps. But I think he ran faster than he ever did in track on that one play.”

Wren made the touchdown-saving tackle at the Lehi 49-yard line with just under a minute to play.

There was still plenty of time for American Fork to get into position to attempt a game-winning field goal, but on the next play Pioneer sophomore defensive back Eli Cole made a diving interception and Lehi was able to run out the clock and secure the dramatic 20-19 win.

“I just can’t say how proud I am of this team,” Hadfield said. “It’s a fun team to coach. They’re coachable. They buy in. They’re disciplined. They work hard. It’s fun to see the fruits of everything you put in come together. We knew we were going to have to play our best football to beat them, and it just shows these games are all going to be close. This team has players on it who will just continue to believe.”

Wren said that when Cole made the grab, the whole sideline went crazy.

“It was insane,” he said.

Region 3 contests in 2026 have often come down to the final seconds and this battle fit the bill once again.

“It was intense every snap,” Wren said. “It’s just intense out there. You have got to lock in, refocus, just make plays.”

American Fork led 10-7 at the start of the fourth quarter, but the final frame featured a wild sequence of plays:

• The Cavemen appeared to have taken a two-score lead on the first play of the period but sophomore quarterback Jake Matsen’s TD run was nullified by a blindside-block penalty. The home team had to settle for a field goal.
• A big return by Wren set the Pioneers up with great field position and junior running back Cam Bryce carried the load, capping the 30-yard drive with a 1-yard TD dive on fourth down. It was his second fourth-down scoring run of the game as he went 41 yards for a touchdown on a fourth-and-1 in the second quarter.
• American Fork answered with a 23-yard TD pass from Matsen to senior Mason Brooks, but the two-point conversion pass was incomplete, making it a five-point game with 5:19 left to play.
• Lehi needed the help of a facemask penalty on the Cavemen and a 2-yard run by Bryce on fourth-and-1 to set up the go-ahead score.

With the win, Lehi improved to 5-3 on the year and the Pioneers feel like they are getting rolling at the right time.

“This is a pretty big moment for us,” Wren said. “We’ve been doubted all season. We’ve had our ups and downs, but lately we’ve been figuring it out. We just came here to play ball, play our football, and it ended up working out.”

Lehi will next host Lone Peak on Oct. 8, while American Fork (6-2) will play at Corner Canyon the same evening.

Both games are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.