The Miners got to the title game by playing fierce defense and it looked like they might pitch their fourth straight shutout in the first half. For 35-plus minutes neither team could score. But Desert Hills, which hasn’t lost a match since mid-March, finally broke through in the 35th minute when Holt got a through ball from Heaton and beat the keeper for the icebreaker.
The Thunder held that 1-0 lead at intermission, but it took just 30 seconds of the second half to double it. Garrett Cottle sent a soaring free kick across the goal front and Holt spiked it into the upper right part of the goal with a succinct header to make it 2-0.
Four minutes later, Ben Simister spurted past a defender and toward the goal, getting tackled inside the goal box. The resulting penalty kick, buried by Heaton, made it 3-0 and started an early celebration for many D-Hills fans.
When Heaton scored his second of the afternoon to make it 4-0, it was just a matter of time before the real celebration could begin.
The Thunder really did pick the best time of year to get hot. Since starting the season 3-2-1, D-Hills has gone undefeated. The Thunder, 13-2-4, won their last seven games in a row.
Hodges, just a sophomore, recorded his eighth shutout of the season in the victory. The speedy Heaton ended up with 17 goals in 2018, tops on the team.
Park City finishes the season with a 13-5-2 record.
Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Bridger Nelson (17) celebrates as the Thunder win the state championship, Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Kelton Holt (2), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Walker Heaton (8), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Kelton Holt (2), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Walker Heaton (8), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Garrett Lewis (5), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
The Thunder congratulate Kelton Holt (2) on his second half goal, Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Sawyer Heaton (14), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Walker Heaton (8), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Jonny Rogers (9), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Jonny Rogers (9), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Garrett Lewis (5), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Ben Simister (4) is taken down in the box, Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Kelton Holt (2) celebrates his second half goal, Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Kelton Holt (2) scores on a header during the second half, Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Walker Heaton (8), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Will Schroeder (13), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Jonny Rogers (9), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Walker Heaton (8), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Garrett Cottle (20), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Will Schroeder (13), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Jake Barton (7), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Kelton Holt (2), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Ben Simister (4), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Bridger Nelson (17), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Walker Heaton (8) scores on a penalty kick, Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Preston Hodges (0), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Garrett Cottle (20), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Thunder head coach Benji Nelson, Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Preston Hodges (0), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Jonny Rogers (9), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Jake Barton (7), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Walker Heaton (8), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Sawyer Heaton (14), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Kaler Imlay (3), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Bridger Nelson (17), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Kelton Holt (2) and Ben Simister (4) celebrate a first half goal, Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Kelton Holt (2), Desert Hills vs. Park City, Boys Soccer State Championship, Herriman, Utah, May 12, 2018, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
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