In Cache Valley, the excitement is building with the next round of the Class 4A girls soccer playoffs set to kick off. The top-seeded Mountain Crest Mustangs will host the Murray Spartans, who are the 16th seed, on Tuesday. Mountain Crest comes into this game with an impressive record of 15-1, having dominated Region 11 with a perfect 12-0 record. The Mustangs have outscored their opponents 51-5 this season, showcasing their strong defensive and offensive capabilities. Leading the charge for Mountain Crest is Hadli Barrera, their top scorer, while goalkeeper Hadly Glenn has been a key part of their stingy defense, allowing just 0.7 goals per game.
Murray, with a record of 8-8-1, is coming off a thrilling win against Pine View, winning in penalties after a dramatic 2-2 tie. The Spartans will look to Preslee Stock, who has scored five goals this season, to lead their offensive efforts. The game promises to be intense as both teams hope to secure a win and move on to the quarterfinals.
In another matchup, the Desert Hills Thunder, seeded eighth, will take on the ninth-seeded Mountain View Bruins. Desert Hills ended their regular season with an 11-5 record and is riding a four-game winning streak. Their balanced attack has been led by players like Kamri Yergenson and Lilly Evans, each with 11 goals.
Mountain View, with an identical 11-5 record, advanced after a solid 3-1 victory over Provo last week. They will look for Lucy Konold to continue her scoring prowess, having netted eight goals this season. Whichever team comes out on top will progress to the quarterfinals for another shot at glory.
Meanwhile, the Orem Tigers seek to continue their fairytale run after a 4-3 win against Bear River. They face off against the strong Green Canyon Wolves, the fourth seed with a record of 15-3 and the defending state champions. Green Canyon’s attacking force, led by the prolific Kyleigh Hastings, will be a daunting challenge for Orem’s defense.
The Cedar City Reds, who won their opening match 1-0, will have a tall order in front of them against the fifth-seeded Park City Miners. Both teams have their sights set on advancing in the playoffs, aiming to improve upon last year’s results.
The Snow Canyon Warriors, second seeds and also on a winning streak, will play against the 15th-seeded West Field Longhorns. West Field might be new to the playoff scene, but after a strong 3-0 win over Hurricane, they’ll be looking to make some noise.
Lastly, the Uintah Utes will host the Crimson Cliffs Mustangs in an interesting clash. The Utes, seeded seventh, hope to build on their steady performance through the season against the hungry Mustangs, who have also put together a solid overall record.
The winners of these matchups will keep their championship hopes alive, heading into the coveted quarterfinal rounds. It’s shaping up to be an exhilarating day of soccer for fans in the area.
