Girls soccer: instant classics
I faced quite a dilemma on deciding which girls soccer game to cover for the Deseret News on Tuesday afternoon.
On one hand, I had the first half of the home and home rivalry between 5A powers Alta and Brighton. That matchup produces enough classic battles that it is hard to pass up seeing in person. On the other hand, I had an intriguing non-region duel between Bonneville and Springville that could easily serve as a sneak preview for this year’s 4A title game given the level of talent and experience on both rosters.
In the end, I chose Alta vs Brighton. Seeing how both games played out made me wish there was some way I could have watched both at once.
Bonneville edged Springville 2-1 in overtime on a golden goal from Morgan Whitfield. Whitfield sat out last season because of a knee injury and Lakers coach Lane Barker told me having her up top with Jaiden Thornock would make the offense even tougher to defend. I have to agree with Barker given that Whitfield scored the game winner when her initial shot bounced back to her and she calmly blasted it home. That is the sort of clutch goal that only an experienced and talented striker can create.
After a high-scoring first half, Alta and Brighton battled to a 2-2 draw. The Hawks claimed an early 1-0 lead on a perfect volley by Courtney Nance in the 14th minute. The Bengals equalized two minutes later on a precise header from Sass Kellogg and took a 2-1 lead in the 20th minute when Stephanie Verdoia tapped in a well executed pass from Lindsay Castleton. After Alta scored on a penalty kick from Kim Thurman in the 39th minute to make it 2-2, the stage seemed set for an even bigger shootout after halftime.
Instead, both defenses dug in and did not budge an inch through the remaining 60 minutes of play. I was impressed by the intensity of play on both sides. It had the feel of being a playoff game rather than a region contest.
Alta and Brighton have gone 200 consecutive minutes without either side yielding three points to the other. Can they make it 300? Judging by what I saw Tuesday, it is a distinct possibility.
Other thoughts from Tuesday’s games:
- One of the biggest results came via the Granger Lancers. On the surface, a 3-1 victory over Cyprus may not seem like a big deal. But it has tremendous meaning for the Lancers. For starters, that win puts Granger at 3-2 overall and 1-0 in Region 2.
It represents a number of firsts for the Lancers. It is the first time this decade the team has won three games in a single season. It is the first time this decade that Granger has a winning record at any point during a season. It is also the first time this decade that the Lancers – who are currently tied for first place in Region 2 – sit atop the standings in their region. If Granger can win just three more games before the season is over, it will equal its victory tally from the previous nine seasons combined.
- Only two teams in the state have not yielded goals at this juncture. Fremont is off to a 4-0 start in Region 1 after shutting out all four opponents. Cedar boosted its record to 2-0-1 after battling to a 0-0 draw with Desert Hills on Tuesday night.
It will be fun to see which team can keep it going the longest. While covering Fremont’s win over Viewmont last week, the Silver Wolves made it clear that one of their goals this season is to shut out every opponent if possible. Given the talent, experience and depth Fremont has on defense, I have a hunch the Silver Wolves could very well lead the 5A — and perhaps the whole state — in scoring defense. They are simply fantastic in marking up top players on the other side and helping each other out to snuff out attacks on their goal.
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