ST. GEORGE — Things are starting to get very intriguing in Region 9 soccer, with Cedar hanging onto first place by a thread, Desert Hills right behind and Snow Canyon and Pine View chasing them.

The Lady Reds will stay in first place after a big win at home against Dixie, while the Thunder held off a tenacious Hurricane team for a win at Thunder Stadium and over at Panther Stadium, it was a playoff atmosphere as Pine View and Snow Canyon played to a 2-2 draw.

Twice the Warriors had the lead in the second half, but both times, the Panthers matched the intensity, and ultimately the score of Snow Canyon. The scoring dried up in the extra period and after two 10-minute overtimes, the game ended in a draw.

“Yeah, that’s disappointing,” Snow Canyon coach Kenny Kunde said. “Physically, our girls were of just a bit today. The touch wasn’t there. We gave away too many possessions. But Pine View is a step better than they were when we played them the first time.”

A tie means a point in the standings for both teams, but a win would have meant three big points, a huge difference considering Snow Canyon could have been within two of Cedar with a win and Pine View could have leap-frogged SC into third place with a win.

“I’m kind of torn because I’ve been on both sides,” Pine View coach Sam Johnston said. “You want to come out and win and we felt like we played well enough to win. We certainly had chances, especially early, to jump out on them, but we didn’t take advantage of it. But a tie, it’s kind of bittersweet.”

Each team scored a goal off of penalty kicks. Snow Canyon’s came as the first goal of the game with 16:05 to play. Jaquel Bozarth buried the PK on the right side of the goal easily past the keeper to make it 1-0.

Pine View leveled the score at 1-1 just 43 seconds later when McKenna Plumb pounded in a rebound shot when the SC keeper couldn’t clear a shot.

The Warriors retook the lead not long after that when Brielle Hoskins headed one in off a nice corner from Jenny Stewart, making it 2-1 with 14:11 left in the game.

The score stayed that way until a lost possession at their own end by Snow Canyon led to a foul just inside the goal box. Plumb buried the PK to the upper right side of the goal to tie the game with 2:15 to play.

The teams looked fatigued in both overtimes and neither team got off a great shot on goal. The closest either team came was when SC got a free kick off of a foul call with under a minute to play in the second OT. A 30-yard shot was just high, sailing harmlessly over the crossbar.

“Region 9 soccer is like the SEC in football,” Kunde said. “We just beat up on each other, then all four teams, if you can get in the playoffs, are going to have a chance to do something. The competition in Region 9 is great.”

Pine View freshman keeper Alena Lorentzen was injured with 1:44 left in regulation when she tried to dive on a ball just as a Snow Canyhon player kicked it. Johnston said Lorentzen suffered a serious concussion

and was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center. Sophomore Claire Newby filled in and held Snow Canyon scoreless the rest of the game. No card was issued on the play.

The Warriors are in third place at 3-1-2, with 11 points. Pine View is right behind at 3-2-1 with 10 points.

Cedar, meanwhile, remains on top after a 5-1 beating of Dixie Thursday afternoon.

Rachel Hunt had four goals and Morgan Myers notched one herself in the win. The Lady Reds led 3-1 at the half and shut the Flyers out after intermission.

Cedar improves to 5-1-0 in region play, good enough for 15 points, which is two ahead of second place Desert Hills.

The Thunder survived a game Hurricane team by getting a shutout from its defense and goalkeeper Brittany Moore. Kylee Westhoff had the lone goal of the game, which came early in the second half. It is her first varsity goal.

The teams take the weekend off and resume region play next Tuesday with Cedar visiting Snow Canyon, Desert Hills going to Dixie and Hurricane at Pine View.

Region 9 Standings

Region 9	W	L	T	GS	GA	Pts.	W	L	T	GS	GA	Pts.
Cedar	5	1	0	12	4	15	9	3	0	39	10	27
Desert Hills	4	1	1	10	3	13	6	4	2	26	11	20
Snow Canyon	3	1	2	14	8	11	4	4	4	21	27	16
Pine View	3	2	1	9	10	10	6	2	3	21	18	21
Dixie	1	5	0	4	14	3	3	7	0	12	19	9
Hurricane	0	6	0	0	10	0	4	7	1	22	17	13

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