ST. GEORGE – After an hour of scoreless soccer, Snow Canyon’s Kevin Chillin took an assist from Yetzel Carillo and got the only goal as the Warriors won their eighth match in a row, downing Desert Hills 1-0 on Friday night at Warrior Field.
With the win the Warriors stayed a game ahead of Dixie (which beat Hurricane) in the race for the Region 9 championship. Cedar also won, beating Pine View and making a push for the fourth playoff spot.
Snow Canyon 1, Desert Hills 0
The game was a defensive war until deep into the second half.
“Our defense was solid, as always,” said Snow Canyon coach Marc Wittwer, whose team improved to 11-3-1 overall and 8-0-0 in region.
Wittwer praised the play of Axel Vichi and of goalkeepers Quinn Hargis and Brayden Brough.
“The wind made the play very slow,” said Chillin, speaking with the assistance of teammate Adrian Torres.
“The team played very hard and was trying with all their hearts,” Chillin added.
Saves are typically awarded to goalkeepers, but Desert Hills’ Jake Simister and Snow Canyon’s Branson Stafford recorded saves as they knocked shots away.
Snow Canyon caught a couple of early breaks as the Thunder’s Rocky Bunker banged a shot off the goalpost in the first minute and put another shot on top of the net.
Desert Hills goalkeeper Isaiah Hacker had a nice save when he knocked an Angel Muniz shot over the crossbar in the 30th minute of the first half. Simister got his foot on close-in shots twice thereafter.
Desert Hills had another good opportunity to open the second half when Brennan Stewart passed to Kelton Holt, but Holt’s shot was high.
“Both teams played with a lot of heart,” said Desert Hills coach Benji Nelson. “The three teams – Snow Canyon, Dixie and Desert Hills – are very equal.”
Desert Hills in now 4-4 in league play.
Dixie 1, Hurricane 0
In a game played Thursday, the Flyers got a goal from Tauri Morales and a shutout from Ethan Poulton.
On that goal, Av’ry Green won the ball and reversed field to Conner Beuhner. Beuhner then passed “a perfect through ball,” to Morales, who went one-on-one with the Hurricane keeper.
“We had several more shots, but Hurricane turned us away,” said Dixie coach Burt Myers.
“With about 10 minutes to go, Ethan Poulton made an incredible save,” Myers continued. “I was at the perfect angle and thought that no one could get that ball. But Ethan used all of his 6-foot-4 frame and pushed the ball wide.”
Dixie is now 7-1-0 while Hurricane is 1-6-1.
Cedar 2, Pine View 1
JD Beachum and Jaden Carver scored for the Redmen while Angel Gaona had the goal for the Panthers.
“The first half was very physical,” said Cedar coach Scott Kamachi. “In the second half, the two teams settled in with a lot of back-and-forth action.”
Pine View had an excellent chance to equalize on a direct kick at the top of the box, but the shot sailed over the crossbar, Kamachi noted.
“Our win sets up some intense play the last week of region as Cedar, Pine View and Hurricane will battle for the last playoff spot in Region 9,” Kamachi said.
Cedar is now 1-6-1 while Pine View is 2-6-0.
Tuesday’s matches include at Desert Hills at Cedar, Dixie at Pine View and Snow Canyon at Hurricane.
Region 9 Standings
Snow Canyon 8-0-0 (11-3-1)
Dixie 7-1-0 (9-3-1)
Desert Hills 4-4-0 (10-4-0)
Pine View 2-6-0 (5-9-0)
Cedar 1-6-1 (4-8-2)
Hurricane 1-6-1 (3-9-1)
Desert Hills' Rocky Bunker (13) and Snow Canyon's Dallen Moody (4), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Hunter Spray (7) and Snow Canyon's Kolton Barber (22), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Christian Cottle (10), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Adrian Torres (5) and Desert Hills' Rocky Bunker (13), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Yetzel Carrillo (23), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Yetzel Carrillo (23), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Christian Cottle (10), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon’s Quinn Hargis (98), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Yetzel Carrillo (23), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Branson Stafford (17) and Desert Hills' Hunter Spray (7), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Axel Vichi (19), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Isaiah Hacker (99), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Yetzel Carrillo (23), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Apr. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
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