ST. GEORGE – Desert Hills and Pine View battled their guts out for two hours and in doing so, granted Dixie its wish.
The Thunder and Panthers each scored a first-half goal, then battled through the second half and two overtimes without scoring again, leaving the game tied at 1-1 and giving each team a point, but also leaving Dixie in first place.
The tie, combined with Dixie’s 3-0 win at Cedar, leaves the Flyers alone in first place with one game left. If the defending state champs win Friday against Pine View, they will head into the playoffs as Region 9 champs and the top seed.
For Pine View and Desert Hills, it was an evening of good defense, but also missed opportunities. The only goals tallied were first-half strikes by PV’s Shaen Gass and DH’s Chase Thompson.
The Thunder entered the game in a dead heat with Dixie, while Pine View was hoping to make up the three points it trailed the Flyers and Thunder by.
Dixie got goals from Alex Green, Av’ry Green and Mitch Wilkinson and Tristan Cowles recorded his 21st career shutout between the posts.
The three points gives Dixie, 9-2-0 in region, 27 for the season with a final game Friday at Pine View.
Desert Hills, 8-2-1, has 25 points after earning a single point for the tie with PV. The Panthers’ hopes for a region title are over after the tie as they sit in third place with 22 with a 7-3-1 record.
Cedar still holds a two-point edge on Snow Canyon and Hurricane for the final playoff spot. The Warriors were on a bye, so the Cedar loss means they are still eligible for the playoffs, but would have to beat Desert Hills Friday (at Warriors Stadium) and Cedar would have to lose at home to Hurricane.
The Tigers, who beat Canyon View 3-0 Tuesday night, can steal the last playoff spot by winning at Cedar, but only if Snow Canyon loses to Desert Hills.
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