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AROUND THE BEEHIVE — It's a one-week season, which is why we're honoring the best in the state's high school football season each week during the 2021 prep football season.
That's the mentality of second-ranked American Fork after the Cavemen pulled away from No. 13 Weber 45-14 in the KSL.com Game of the Week.
Maddux Madsen threw his 13th touchdown pass of the short season in that one, but the only game that matters is the next.
"We always look to next week to prepare and forget last week," Madsen said. "But a 2-0 record shows that we're gonna make big plays, and if we do next week, I think we'll come out with the same result."
Here are five players who earned the nod this week, including the Boise State commit who is throwing touchdown passes at a remarkable clip for an American Fork offense averaging 52.5 points per game.
Maddux Madsen, QB, American Fork
Box score: American Fork 45, Weber 14
The 6-foot, 190-pound signal caller threw for five touchdowns and ran for another, including a trio of scores to junior Trey Roberts and two more to BYU commit Noah Moeaki, as the Cavemen got off to a 2-0 start by handing the Warriors their second consecutive loss to a top-10 opponent.
It's way too early to make definitive statements, but Madsen's 5.0 touchdowns per game puts him on track for 50 passing touchdowns in the regular season — a top-five mark in state history by itself and one more than his previous best of 49 passing touchdowns in 2020. Corner Canyon's Jaxson Dart set the record last year with 67 scores through the air, edging out Lehi's Cammon Cooper (58 in 2017), Timpview's Jake Lloyd (53 in 2012) and Logan's Riley Nelson (53 in 2005), according to the Utah High School Activities Association record book.
That's fairly exclusive company — and Madsen would be the only quarterback to own two spots in the top 10 (and third overall quarterback from American Fork after Boone Abbott's 47-touchdown season of 2018).
Oh. My. Word. 😱 American Fork @afhsevents Catch the second half of this game right here on the #NFHSNetwork@UHSAAinfo
— NFHS Network (@NFHSNetwork) August 21, 2021
🔗 https://t.co/sm2hrg4BbYpic.twitter.com/7EMPWOOF0l
Zed Ambrosio, WR, Timpview
Box score: Timpview 54, Kearns 0
The 5-foot-9 freshman totaled 93 all-purpose yards with two touchdowns in his second varsity game to help the eighth-ranked Thunderbirds roll up 472 yards of offense in a 54-0 rout of No. 10 Kearns in the second game of the Charger Kickoff Classic, which featured Brighton, Syracuse, Timpview, Kearns, Corner Canyon and East in a three-game event Saturday held at Corner Canyon.
Senior quarterback Liu Aumavae threw for a touchdown and ran for another while guiding the Timpview offense, which added rushing touchdowns through sophomore Isaiah Vea and junior Jared Esplin.
Jack White, QB, Herriman
Box score: Herriman 32, West 20
White hurled three touchdown passes to lead the Mustangs to their first win of the season.
The 6-foot-1 senior hurled TD strikes of 57 and 74 yards to Michael Falatea and a 19-yard score to Lalo Tafisi for Herriman, which jumped out to a 27-14 lead and held the Panthers scoreless in the third quarter to ease to the win.
Herriman finished the game on a 12-6 run, including a safety in the third quarter and a 41-yard field goal by Caden Sydall to stay ahead.
Dylan Croxford, WR, Syracuse
Box score: Syracuse 31, Brighton 7
The 5-foot-9 junior scored on touchdown passes of 67 and 13 yards as the Titans rolled to a 31-7 stunner of No. 6 Brighton in the opening game of Saturday's Charger Kickoff Classic.
Credit also goes to Syracuse's defense in the near shutout of the Bengals. Defensive Matt Lafaso had two of the Titan's three sacks.
Jake Hansen, QB/FS/P, Gunnison Valley
Box score: Gunnison Valley 42, Monticello 28
Hansen completed the trifecta — throwing for, running for and catching a touchdown pass — en route to five touchdowns and a 2-point conversion in the Bulldogs' win over the Buckaroos.
The senior signal caller opened the scoring with a 60-yard strike to Bryson Sorensen, caught an 8-yard pass from Jon Wilden and finished the first quarter with a 4-yard scoring run to put Gunnison up 20-8.
Hansen also threw a pair of second-half strikes to Wilden of 14 and 45 yards, and ran for the conversion on Sorensen's 9-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Honorable mention: Seth Rigtrup, RB, Springville
The 5-foot-10 senior carried the ball 15 times for 80 yards and three touchdowns as the Red Devils romped to a 2-0 start with a 36-8 win at Skyline Thursday night.
Rigtrup powered a ground game that posted 178 yards in a rain-soaked night, aided by a 36-0 start and the benefit of a running clock shortly after halftime.
In two games of his senior campaign, Rigtrup has piled up 196 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 7.3 yards per carry.
