Region 9 boys soccer: Mustangs ground Flyers; Thunder, Reds also prevail

Written by E. George Goold
March 28, 2024

ST. GEORGE — The boys soccer team from Crimson Cliffs got a much needed bounce-back win Tuesday night after beating Dixie 4-2 in the rain.

Crimson’s Aidan McArthur (left) battles for a ball against Dixie in a Region 9 soccer match, St. George, Utah, March 26, 2024 | Photo courtesy Jen Fairbanks for St. George News

The victory was the third overall for the Mustangs this season and brought their record to 3-2. They are 2-1 in Region 9.

“We came out with a mentality that we’re going to lose some, but we got to come back,” Crimson senior striker Ryan Smith told St. George News.

Crimson fell to rival Desert Hills in a hard-fought shootout last Friday at home, and Smith said the Mustangs came to Dixie with focus and intent to start fast.

“We came out early, we scored a few, and then we stayed tight on the defense,” Smith said. “They got a couple of lucky goals where we just didn’t work out at the top of the box.”

“But then in the end of the game we came up with a clutch couple of goals and won it,” he added.

Smith put the first marker on the board about a quarter of the way into the first half. He slipped through the Dixie defenders and beat Flyers keeper Mason Randolph on a breakaway.

Hinkley Heaton’s goal a short time later gave the Mustangs a 2-nil advantage.

But as raindrops sporadically drenched the players and pitch throughout the rest of the match, Dixie rallied to tie the game.

Iker Meza and Taylor Kogan tallied for the Flyers, with assists from Asher Jorgensen and James Porter.

The 2-2 tie lasted less than 30 seconds into the second session before junior Bitner Mitchell netted the first of his two second-half scores for the Mustangs.

Crimson Cliffs goalkeeper Brody Fielding (middle) tosses to a teammate in a Region 9 soccer match, St. George, Utah, March 26, 2024 | Photo by Jacqui Knighton, St. George News

Smith said it takes a certain mentality to score quickly.

“You gotta get one in. Get the energy right,” he said. “Scoring first has been a big thing for us. We’ve been good about that the past few games and did really well today.”

Clinging to a one-goal lead about halfway through the second half, Dixie earned a penalty kick but Crimson goalkeeper Brody Fielding made a diving stop to maintain the Mustangs’ lead.

“Our keeper played really well. He had a few great saves. That PK was so clutch,” Smith said.

Mitchell’s second tally a few minutes later sealed the deal for the Mustangs. Collecting assists in the win were Heaton, Caden Cox, Jayden Eaton and Easton Lott.

Fielding recorded six saves in the win while Randolph made five stops for Dixie.

The Mustangs handed the Flyers their first region loss after Dixie got off to a high-scoring start to the season.

Smith said the Mustangs forge tight bonds at team dinners and outings together off the field.

“We get really close, trying to get as much time together,” he said. “A few of us come from different clubs, so those team dinners really help us out.”

Crimson Cliffs next plays at Pine View on Thursday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. Dixie has a bye that day.

Desert Hills 9, Hurricane 3

The Thunder broke open a 4-2 game at halftime with five goals in the second half and declawed the visiting Tigers.

Six different Thunder players netted solo goals in the contest: Ean Alexander, Zach Davis, Karson Clark, Noah Nield, Boone Heaton and Cai Klomp.

Leading all scorers was Desert Hills senior Dillon Bingham, who tallied three times for a hat trick and also dispensed three assists for another hat trick.

Nield finished with two helpers while four other Thunder players–Davis, Clark, Maxwell Udy and Gabe Jepson–recorded single assists in the win.

Desert Hills remained unbeaten in Region 9 games at 2-0 and is 3-1 overall. The Thunder next play at Snow Canyon (2-0 region, 2-1 overall) on Thursday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m.

Caleb Stout scored twice for Hurricane and Patrick Miller put a goal on the scoreboard for the Tigers in the setback at Desert Hills.

Hurricane remained winless at 0-5, 0-3 in Region 9 games. The Tigers next play at Cedar on Thursday, March 28, at 3 p.m.

Cedar 3, Pine View 1

Cedar and Pine View in a Region 9 soccer match, Cedar City, Utah, March 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, Cedar City News / St. George News

At Cedar, the Reds picked up their first win of the season with a defeat of the Panthers on Tuesday afternoon.

In the opening minutes of the game, Cedar’s Calvin Humphreys scored on a breakaway goal, kicking it in between a narrow opening between the goalkeeper and the left post.

Later in the first half, Pine View’s Jaciel Morales netted an equalizer, with the 1-1 tie score standing until halftime.

In the second half, Cedar pulled ahead thanks to goals from both Parker Ross and Mason Palmer.

“I thought we played well for the majority of the game,” said Cedar head coach Scott Kamachi. “We need to finish better. We won’t get as many chances going forward, so we need to convert more of those opportunities into goals.”

The Reds improved to 1-3 overall with the win, while Pine View dropped to 0-5.

–written by Jeff Richards

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eric George Goold came to St. George News from southwestern Colorado, where he was a radio news reporter. He has been a journalist for over 20 years in five different states. He graduated with a master's degree in English from Kansas State University and writes nonfiction as well. Goold has been published in Sunstone Magazine and has done multiple public readings about local history. When he has free time, he enjoys chess, movies and dogs.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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