Prep soccer: Scrappy Canyon View drops Desert Hills

Desert Hills' Jacob Simister (11), Desert Hills vs. Canyon View, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Mar. 14, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – Desert Hills couldn’t overcome the surprise scrappiness and toughness of Canyon View and fell 2-1 Tuesday night to the visiting Falcons at DHHS.

Canyon View struck first with a corner kick goal. Desert Hills tied it up before halftime, though, only to allow another goal in the second half.

The Thunder were shorthanded because of spring break, but head coach Benji Nelson was still impressed with Canyon View and disappointed in his team’s play.

Desert Hills’ Trevin Lindstrom (6), Desert Hills vs. Canyon View, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Mar. 14, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“We’re missing three starters,” Nelson said. “(Due to) spring break, three of our top starters weren’t here. That’s still not an excuse. I think we came out mentally thinking it’s just another Canyon View team. Canyon View’s gotten better and they showed it tonight. I think it was a wake-up call for everybody that you can’t just assume that you’re going to win because you have more talent, or you think you do. It was a good wake-up call.”

Canyon View head coach Spencer Davis said this was a huge win, especially at Desert Hills.

“This is actually, I believe, the first time Canyon View soccer has ever won here at Desert Hills,” he said. “Benji (Nelson) said this is the best Canyon View soccer team he’s seen. We’re pretty excited how the whole season is going to go. The possession was awesome. (The team’s) defense pressed really hard and I think their heart went out.”

Canyon View’s Scott Sanders scored the first goal off the corner kick.

Desert Hills’ Will Schroeder (13), Desert Hills vs. Canyon View, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Mar. 14, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“I was just trying to put our team in position and to come up with a goal,” Sanders said. “A couple of our players, Jose Larios and Daniel Velasco, had some great passes, and I was able to get my foot on a ball and put it in the net.”

Canyon View used to be in Region 9 and will be back in Region 9 next year after a two-year hiatus. The Falcons proved that they can compete with the teams here.

“I’m really excited about the season and the team,” Sanders said. “I felt like we played our hearts out tonight. We’re a young and talented team. We just need some experience at the varsity level. We just wanted to come out and prove that we can play with these Region 9 teams, no matter how small our school is.”

Next up for Canyon View is a visit from Pine View Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

“We’ve played all the Region 9 teams except Hurricane in the preseason, because we’re getting ready for state,” Davis said. “In that second round will be one of the Region 9 teams.”

Next up for the Thunder is Cyprus Friday at 3:30 p.m.

“We’re just going to go back the same thing,” Nelson said. “We played three top team over the weekend, and beat two 5A teams. I think we outplayed even Maple Mountain. I would rather have this at the beginning of the season and learn from it than later on, so hopefully we’ll take what we’re learning and make the best of it.”

West 7, Hurricane 0

Hurricane played one of its toughest opponents of the preseason and it showed as West dominated the game, winning 7-0.

The Tigers couldn’t keep West from scoring in either half as West scored three in the first half and four in the second half.

The Tigers now get over a week break before facing Pine View Thursday, Mar. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

The Tigers also played Monday against Stansbury and lost 2-0, so the break may be needed to regroup.

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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