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Show mi lit,! Brave forward was a powerful force c 9&D for one of the best teams in the state BY BEN DE VOE Clipper Today Sports Writer - BOUNTIFUL Standing all of may lie 587and nicknamed "Mini Me', for the midget character m the new Austin Powers mov le, it's no wonder people overlooked Ashley Johnson, literally It didn't take long for opponents around the state to find out the explosiveness she had packed m her little second Layton taitos "When the Timpanogos Timberwolves beat heavily favored Skyline m the State Volleyball Tournament on Saturday afternoon, the Layton Lancers must have thought they had the championship all wrapped up. Instead. Layton fell toTimpanogos in the finals by a score of 15-- 5 to take home the second-plac- e trophy m the tournament held over the weekend at the Utah Valley State College. 'It took a lot to get here! said Layton head coach Mike Moss. 'The girls have worked really hard. On Friday, they beat a Mountain View team, who was responsible for eliminating Layton tn last year's tournament, 15-- 4 Lancers beat Copper IMls 15-to make it to the game 15-1- 16-1- 4. 6, against Mountain Mew to make Friday a perfect day, advancing them to Saturday's play without a loss. On Saturday; the Lancers were paired up with the Orem Tigers, who had beaten Northndge a day 15-- 9 to make it to the State earlier. Layton came out on top 5A finals. It's a great feeling; said Moss after the Orem win. "That third game was one of our best even Colleen I luey and Angie Juhen contributed key blocks to solidify the win for the Lancers. In the victory May had an astounding 20 kills, Huey had six kills and four digs. Michelle Moore had five kills, Wahlen had six digs and setter Hunter added 23 assists. With the win. Layton moved to play Timpanogos m tire final game of the 5 A season, The game included mueh excitement, ' as the McKay TZventS Center m Orem provided a light and fog show to introduce the players in the championship game. I nylon started strong in the first game, getting a kill and a block from May to take a TO lead. The TWolv es would come back however, to tie the game at three. The first game remained close, with each team frustrating the other with kills and blocks, and neither team seemed able to muster a run. The score stood tied most of the time. Finally with the score tied at 10, Julie Jackman came up with a couple of kills, and some unforced Layton errors gave Timpanogos the win, , 16-1- 4, 5, 15-1- Woods Cross finishes fourth For the Woods Ctoss Wildcats, the 1999 volleyball season has been one of triumph, and near misses. The Cats recorded a near perfect season in Region 5 play, tally ing up a 13-- 1 record on their way to their first Region Championship since 1994. Over the weekend, the Wildcats added to their list of notable Even achievements. though they didn't come up with State the Championship they wanted to badly they walked away with the distinction as the fourth best team in the state; not bad for a team consisting of four juniors in its starting line up. After beating Cyprus and Sky Mew on Saturday they lost to Provo and Mountain Crest on Saturday for fourth place in the tournament. finish in last weekThe Northndge Knights nailed a sixth-plac- e end's State Tournament in Orem. The Knights were defeated in their but first game of the tournament by the Orem Tigers 15-would not lose again over the weekend. Later on Friday, the Knights 15-- 8 to advance them to play on topped the Alta Hawks 15-On Saturday morning, the Knights beat Copper Hills by a Saturday 15-- 3 15-- 7 in the and went on to defeat Jordan score of sixth-plalot We a of match. have experience, said Northndge coach Come Vigil. These kids have worked hard all year Graduating for the Knights this year will be Brandi Coats. Stacey Davis. Knsty Mortenson, Brynley Foil, Becky Shupe and Mikel Sorenson. 15-1- 2, 6, 15-1- 1. 15-1- ce Dounliful 17, Donnovillc 16 i The playoffs paired two teams that fought tooth and nail to the finish for the rights to play another day Hus game between No 3 Bountiful and No. 2 Bonneville was one for the ages, The kmd of game that will define the participants' character for the duration of then life, The Braves were on their heels They had as the Braves prevailed just given up a touchdown with 4.00 left in the game to make the score 6 in thetr favor. They had been beaten, bruised and bulldozed all monster running back, Misi Tupe. The Lakers game by the proceeded to miss the point after attempt to seal the victory for the Braves. I couldn't be any more proud of a unit like that.They stepped If you were taking odds, up big. That was just, you at me for ours looked pretty bad, said head coach Larry Wall. The Brave defense was led by once again, the incomparable Cameron Jensen. He has proven game in arid game out that he is quite possibly the best football player on the field, but has emerged as the smartest also. After overcoming this obstacle the Braves are the odds on favorite to take home the State Ch.impionship.The Braves are on their wav to Weber State on Friday to lace Provo 4-- A 17-1- 17-1- 250-pou- ' two-yard- s! I BEST IN THE COUNTY: Ashley Johnson of the Bountiful Braves displays some of the offensive ability that led her team to an unbeaten record and a spot in the State Championship game. Photos by Marv Lynchard do anything that a coach could ask for. It's her versatility more than anything that makes her the player she is!' said Wigham. When asked what she has meant to her team this year, Wigham replied. It's more what she has meant for all three years. Although her season w as filled with highlights, the one goal that stuck out as the most memorable was possibly the sottest shot all year Against Olympus the Braves were pushed into overtime She booted the ball on the ground, and it took a funny bounce m order to get past the goalie. "We wanted it so bad. she said. What separates her from the rest of the pack is the unstoppable motor that she comes with She would out work and out hustle her opponents into submission "She's more ot pest than anything. said Wigham. "She's like the Energizer see MVP" pg. B8 Clearfield looks to surprise Region One; while carrying an inexperienced team ; Knights ccntc hoc ft in tourney 8. frame. "I am smaller, but I don't back down from any one. said Johnson. That's why she was the best player on the best team m the state (no matter who has the ring), thus, she is the Davis County Clipper MVP for 1999. She epitomized what Bountiful Brave soccer is all about, fast, tenacious and skilled It was her goal scoring capabilities that set the Brave team on fire from the get go this season. She ended up leading the team with 25 goals for the year, and allowed for others to get opportunities from her drawing double teams You can't blame the entire state for being shell shocked by the emergence of Johnson, even her coach was. Last y ear she play ed halfback, and w as considered the best defender on the team. This year she volunteered to move to forward, as the team was looking for a scorer "She. y, ent frony, the hunter to the hunted." said Bountitul head coach Dave Wigham. She just wanted to help the team m any way she could. Wigham looks like a genius after the way that move paid off. Johnson blew up faster than New Kids on the Block, with everyone knowing who she was alter new performances. She was easily recognized on the field as being the mighty might that was just flat out dusting opponents. Delenders just couldn't keep up. She never fooled around with cute moves, she just went hard to the net and fired awav. "Its weird. 1 would do it, and wonder how I did it because I never considered myself fast!' said Johnson. Yeah, and Spud Webb nev er though he could jump. "She's not just fast, she's quick. said Wigham. "In the first 10 yards she can separate fiom anyone. She slowed down a bit as statistics show, later m the year. What she did was open the door for a few underclassmen to net into the act and make the Braves a more versatile team Versatility is her name, as she can Falcons dealing with the loss of nine seniors BY JORDAN LIVINGSTON Clipper Today Sports Editor CLEARFIELD - The problem with running a high school sports team is that your athletes keep taking off on you. That's the situation that Clearfield Falcon head coach Brett Higgins is 0 dealing with m the upcoming basketball season 1 Iiggms will be 1999-200- in his fourth year as Clearfield's basketball couch, and sixth in the organization He was an assistant for Ray Meibos for two years. I hggms lost nine seniors from last year's team, a team that finished in third place m Region 1, with an overall record of 1 and a region tally of 6-Included with those nine starters is last year's star Cliff Soholer, who has gone on to play college ball for Dixie "We don't have any superstars." 1 hggms said of this year's squad "But we do have a lot of kids that will work hard and do everything we ask Higgins, who coaches the Falcons with the help of assistants Curtis Hulse. Chad Simms. Billy Pluim and Brad Hulse. is looking at a team that only has one senior returning from last year's team. Derrick Johnson Johnson will be a force m the middle for the lalcons as a strong rebounder and defender Despite his team's youth and inexperience, Higgins feels that a stacked n schedule will give the Falcons the experience needed to ev olv e into contenders m Region One The starts November 30. with the Falcons travelling to meet Region Five's Olympus. pre-seas- n "I'm hoping that our will give us the right experience for when region comes. he says. 'Alter we shouldeight games of n't have any excuses. Along with Johnson, the falcons hav e a few other guns on the team this year, that should surprise the region Starting at point guard will be athlete Jared Moultne. a junior who has spent tlie last few months getting tn shape while working as his football team's quarterback. In the middle, 1 begins and his crew will be working with junior Corey Moms, an undeveloped center who pre-seas- stands nearly 6'6. Moms is an excellent rebounder and shot bkxker. but has a ways to come to dev ekp his 1 offensive skills. "If he comes along, we're going to have some height. says Higgins. A probable starter at the power forward position will be Henry Mmahi, a big strong kid who will contribute to Clearfield's inside game "1 le's going to be a strong force for us in the middle. says Northndge Knights. Higgins feels is one of the teams to fear in Region' ' One The region won t be easy for as they will play .ill six of their, home games m the season s first nine,', meetings They will finish out the sea-- 7 son travelling to Layton. Skyline and' Northndge., Despite his young e a m Higgins t the on team this thinks they hav e the ability and, work ethit ' to make . Also year. I u n is i o r guard Bobby Brown, a quick run- ner and Higgins believ ers. out of the; skeptics. " O 1 ,n;, sharp shooter i0( paper. doesn't look, is hkewehave, who available to play Null as a point guard and a shooting guard " Ac re definitely expecting big dimes out of him says 1 hggms. Ihe region schedule will start tor the lalcons on January 1 1. when they will play host to the Cottonwood ('nits, a team that, akmg with the a lot of fife power!' he says. But we will certainly 7 be playing for it!' 1 le thinks that if they stay focused. t they can be a legitimate force. "Realistically our goals are to gam experience every game." he says. "VK want to be in a position to win every-- , game |