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Orem defenders gang tackle American Fork running back Luke Broadbent during the non-region game in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem junior Tayden-Evan Kaawa gets tripped up by American Fork’s Rhett Dent during the non-region game in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem senior Cade Wilkinson catches a pass during the non-region game at Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem senior Jackson Sanders makes a catch despite tight coverage by an American Fork defender during the non-region game in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem senior running back Feleti Iongi avoids a tackler during the non-region game against American Fork in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem junior Kaue Akana goes up for a catch during the non-region game against American Fork in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork players tackle an Orem ball carrier during the non-region game in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem senior Ryker Mikkelsen tries to block a pass from American Fork senior Davis Gaisford Jr. during the non-region game in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem players tackle American Fork senior quarterback David Gaisford Jr. during the non-region game in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork junior Dyson Richards gets tackled during the non-region game at Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork junior Madden Jensen prevents the ball from being stripped by an Orem defender during the non-region game in Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork senior David Gaisford Jr. throws a pass during the non-region game at Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork freshman Cash Taiese attempts to make a diving catch in the end zone during the non-region game at Orem on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Special teams may have the fewest plays in an average high school football game but they can make game-changing plays.

That certainly proved to be the case in Orem’s 32-26 win over American Fork Friday night in Orem, although it initially appeared those plays would swing the game the other direction.

It was the Cavemen who made the key special teams plays in the first half and early in the third quarter, blocking three Tiger kick attempts.

American Fork also got a big stop to end a promising Orem drive in the final minute of the first half that could’ve tied the game, then Caveman senior Cade Wilkinson found a crease on the ensuing punt return and raced 90 yards to the end zone.

That gave American Fork a 20-6 lead at the break and an enormous amount of momentum.

“Being down a score, having to punt it and then they score with just four seconds left, no one wants that going into the half,” Tiger junior kicker/wide receiver/defensive back Kaue Akana said. “You don’t want a punt that is supposed to end the half ending up in six points for the other team. Everyone’s heads were down but I knew it was my job as one of the captains to pick everyone up. We’ve been down worse than that, so I knew it wasn’t over.”

He also said the blocked kicks were jarring, something that he hadn’t experienced before.

“I take the blame for that,” Akana said. “I feel like I didn’t go fast enough, took too long after the snap. I don’t like getting my kicks blocked.”

Tiger head coach Lance Reynolds said that was a microcosm of the way his played in the first half.

“I really didn’t recognize our team for a half,” Reynolds said. “Every time I turned around, we were doing something that made no sense. I told them at halftime that the worst part about it is we’re playing as bad as I’ve seen us play all year but the good news was it was only 20-6. That’s a 14-point game and you can go get 14 points in a heartbeat. And they believed it.”

a high school football games has 48 minutes of regulation, so Orem had time to get things going — and the Tigers did just that aided by some big special teams plays of their own.

“One of the first things I mentioned at halftime was how unacceptable it was to have those blocked kicks,” Reynolds said. “I was hopeful we would respond to that and we did. I think Ryker (Mikkelsen) blocked three of their kicks himself, coming off the edge. That’s hard to do and you don’t see it often, but I was super-proud of him.”

Orem still had to erase American Fork’s lead, but Akana and the Tigers were up to the challenge.

It started with getting stops, something the home team did until the very last Caveman drive of the game.

“I’m super proud of the defense being able to hold them to six points the whole second half,” Akana said. “That gave the offense a lot of chances. I think we still made mistakes a little bit but it was big for them to not quit on us and keep us in the game.”

Akana started seeing some openings on offense, reading the Caveman defense and setting up big plays on passes from junior quarterback Tayden-Evan Kaawa.

“I love that,” Akana said with a grin. “That’s every receiver’s dream, to get the ball every time. I love how that he can rely on me, that he has enough trust to rely on me on those big third-down-and-long plays and throw it up on the one-on-one coverage.”

Akana finished with two touchdown receptions, while senior running back Feleti Iongi tallies three TDs (two rushing and one receiving).

“I’m just glad he (Akana) is on my team because every time I turn around, he’s doing something else for us,” Reynolds said. “He can return kicks, he can punt, he can hit. The other day in practice he hit a 60-yard field goal and it didn’t even look hard. His football IQ has gone way up as well. Overall, he is just incredible athlete.”

Orem’s 26 unanswered points in the second half gave the Tigers a two-score lead, but American Fork came back with a 7-yard TD pass from senior David Gaisford to Damian Wilkinson to narrow the gap.

That mean the home team had to get a couple of first downs or the Cavemen would get a chance for a dramatic comeback of their own.

“That’s a good football team,” Reynolds said. “I was impressed with how good they were. But on that last drive, I brought the team over and said we needed one more first down to be able to knee it out. I could see in their eyes that they believed it.”

The Orem offense used a couple of short passes as American Fork tried to stop the run to get those first downs and secure the win.

Although Reynolds is happy with the 2-0 start, he said he still believes his team is capable of so much more.

“Our issue right now is streakiness,” Reynolds said. “If you look at this game, it was a tale of two halves. We looked like a different team in the second half. We’ve got to eliminate those lulls where we go into a tailspin for a little while.”

Orem (2-0) now begins a lengthy stretch of road games as the Tigers play at Farmington on Aug. 30, while the Cavemen (0-2) head home to host West on the same evening.

Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

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