3A State soccer: Region 9 teams go 4 for 4 in 1st round of state

Desert Hills vs. Richfield, Girls Soccer, St. George, Utah, Oct. 14, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

It was a perfect day for Region 9 Wednesday, with the top two seeds winning big in Desert Hills and Cedar and the road Warriors and road Panthers also getting victories.

Madi Hansen (17) for Desert Hills, Desert Hills vs. Richfield, Girls Soccer, St. George, Utah, Oct. 14, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Madi Hansen (17) for Desert Hills, Desert Hills vs. Richfield, Girls Soccer, St. George, Utah, Oct. 14, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

The region champion Lady Thunder scored early and often, even when coach Benji Nelson pulled his starters and mostly JV kids. Eventually the game was shortened due to the mercy rule with DH winning it 13-0 over visiting Richfield.

No. 2-seeded Cedar also blew out and opponent, drubbing visiting Juab 7-0. Snow Canyon, the third seed from Region 9, went on the road and defeated North Sanpete 3-0.

The game that had a lot of soccer fans buzzing was fourth-seeded Pine View’s 2-1 win at Canyon View.

The Panthers came back after allowing an early Canyon View goal to win in an offensive first half and defensive second half.

PV came in with its backs against the wall as a No. 4 seed against No. 1 seed Canyon View, which went through Region 12 undefeated.

The Falcons scored with 28:43 left in the first half when a hand ball down on the right side of the goal was called against defending Pine View. The cross came through and bounced inside the box between attackers and defenders before McKenzie Culler found the back of the net.

“We talked about how things are going to happen that go in our favor and things are going to happen that aren’t,” PV head coach Sam Johnston said. “Sometimes it’s just going to be five minutes of not playing well and sometimes it’s going to be giving up a goal, like today. I thought they showed patience and I thought they didn’t get rattled. I thought we kept doing what we do.”

Pine View’s McKenna Plumb scored the equalizer with 17:33 left in the half as she just dribbled her way down the center of the field smoothly and got a good shot off.

“It was obviously heartbreaking at first (when CV scored),” Plumb said. “But I think we kept our cool pretty well and got it back.”

Pine View was able to keep the ball on CV’s side of the field and in attacking mode. Again, Plumb scored a goal with seven minutes remaining in the half.

“The offense just kind of came, and the goals just came naturally with what we were trying to do,” Johnston said. “I don’t think we felt pressed or anything.”

The Panthers seemed to score again on a corner kick with just over a minute left in the half, but the goal was disallowed because of a push as the keeper went up to get the ball.

“I think the coaches were more fired up than the players,” Johnston said. “They looked like they just turned around and got back to business.”

The second half was a defensive battle as neither team could break through on the scoreboard. Both teams had chances, but the keepers played well and a couple shots were just barely off target.

“Our coach told us (at halftime) to play more wide, and for the midfields to mark up more,” PV midfielder Tayvia Ah Quin said. “He told us to play way tighter and when we play the ball, just (do) give-and-go’s to our wings.”

Pine View, 8-4-4, advances to the second round where they will travel to play Logan (10-4), which beat Tooele 7-1 in the first round.

“I felt confident, but not cocky,” Plumb said. “I felt like our team was good enough to win, but it’s always tricky in playoffs, because it’s a win or you lose and you’re out.”

Brooklyn Lott (12) slips past the Richfield goalkeeper and scores for the Lady Thunder, Desert Hills vs. Richfield, Girls Soccer, St. George, Utah, Oct. 14, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Brooklyn Lott (12) slips past the Richfield goalkeeper and scores for the Lady Thunder, Desert Hills vs. Richfield, Girls Soccer, St. George, Utah, Oct. 14, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

For the Thunder, the competition was not up to the task Wednesday. The ball rarely left the DH offensive end and Thunder keeper Brittany Moore spent most of the game as a cheerleader as her teammates peppered the net with shot after shot.

Eleven different Desert Hills players scored in the match, with Brooklyn Lott leading the way with a hat trick. She scored all three goals in an 11-0 first half for DH.

Moore got the shutout, with the other 10 goals coming from Brecken Dalley, Drew Morby, Hanna Norby, Jessica Mathis, Kenzie Done, Kylee Westhoff, Madi Hansen, Makayla Lewis, Nicole Del Toro and Tori Thomas.

Desert Hills, 10-5-2, averaged a goal every four minutes in the game, which was shortened due to the high school mercy rule. DH will host Morgan Saturday at 1 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

The amazing Nicole Jenkins scored four times for the Lady Reds in their 7-0 win over the Wasps of Juab. Jenkins has four hat tricks this season, plus a couple of two-goal games and Wednesday’s four-goal performance. She now has 23 goals on the season and 50 for her high school career.

Megan Giddings got the shutout and has 5.5 for the season. Other goal scorers for Cedar include Holly Carpenter, Makenna Clark, and Morgan Myers.

Cedar, 12-5-0 on the year, will travel to Park City for the quarterfinals to take on a Miners team that has won nine straight since starting the season 1-6-1.

Snow Canyon got a shutout from keeper Mada Mooring and got a goal each from freshman Ashlee Brindley, junior Ellie Christensen and senior Jenny Stewart. Christensen and Mackenzee Brough had assists in the win at North Sanpete.

The Warriors, 8-5-4, will head north again Saturday, taking a trip to 10-4-0 Draper for a quarterfinal match against Juan Diego Saturday. The Soaring Eagle, 10-4-1, are the Region 11 champs and beat Grantsville 10-0 Wednesday.

All games Saturday are scheduled for 1 p.m. at the higher seeded team’s home field. For the full bracket, go to the UHSAA soccer page.

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

 

 

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