ST. GEORGE – Snow Canyon and Dixie each did their part to set up a showdown to end the first half of the Region 9 boys’ soccer season by winning on Friday. Both teams are 4-0 in league play after the Warriors defeated Hurricane 4-0 while the Flyers edged Pine View 4-3. They will meet at Snow Canyon at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Snow Canyon 4, Hurricane 0
At Snow Canyon, Kolton Barber had a hat trick and Angel Muniz added another goal as the Warriors (4-0) blanked the Tigers (1-3).
“Every goal is a team goal,” said Barber. “Angel had a great ball over the top. When you’ve got a guy pitching like that, it makes it easy. (Scoring) was a matter of being in the right spot.”
Barber’s first goal came in the 27th minute of the first half when he headed in a Muniz corner kick.
His second came on another header, this time following a Muniz free kick with 4:14 left in the first half.
Barber’s third goal came off an assist from Max Kemp with 34:56 remaining in the second half.
Muniz got his goal off a 30-yard free kick with 3:46 left.
“We’re connecting as a team,” Barber said. “If we keep the ball, they can’t score.”
The Warriors took 25 shots while allowing the Tigers just 10.
“Hurricane had scored on everyone in region thus far, so I’m pretty pleased with our defense,” said Snow Canyon coach Marc Wittwer. “Our defensive rotation of Parker Jenkins, Dallen Moody, Branson Stafford, Adrian Torres and Richard Vichi was solid. You saw his offense tonight, but Kolton Barber is also a key part of our defense.
Hurricane got its first shot with three minutes gone in the first half, but SC keeper Quinn Hargis watched it sail over his head. The Tigers got a free kick from Dan Brubaker headed out and another from Jeff Bjarnson sailed high.
Hurricane keeper Kaige Steglich played solidly, although he gave up four goals.
“We had some mental mistakes on the first two goals,” said Hurricane coach Jeff Fry.
Fry praised the play of Trevor Shamo, who rallied his team after Snow Canyon’s third goal. “He made some changes and got us going again. For us to win we need to come up with some more shots.”
Dixie 4, Pine View 3
At Dixie, the Flyers (4-0) led 4-1, but had to survive a strong comeback by Pine View (1-3).
Dixie’s first goal came on a throw-in from Jesse Wilkinson to Cristian Chavez. The other goals came from Trey Hoskins, Jorge Bernabe and Av’ry Green.
“We were up 4-1 and Pine View came back hard with a couple of great goals,” noted Flyer coach Burt Myers.
The Panthers goals were from Kalob Dudley, Angel Gaona and Alex Rodriguez.
Desert Hills 3, Cedar 2
At Desert Hills, Hunter Spray had a pair of goals and Christian Cottle added another as the Thunder (2-2) downed the Redmen (0-4). Ethan Fletcher and Tyson Davies each had a goal for Cedar.
The other matches on Tuesday’s schedule are Desert Hills at Pine View and Cedar at Hurricane.
Current Region 9 Standings
1t. Dixie 4-0-0
1t. Snow Canyon 4-0-0
3. Desert Hills 2-2-0
4t. Hurricane 1-3-0
4t. Pine View 1-3-0
6. Cedar 0-4-0
Hurricane's Zach Curtis (17) and SC's Kolton Barber, Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Hurricane's Zach Curtis (17) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Angel Muniz (10) and Hurricane's Trevor Shamo (8) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Hurricane's Kaige Steglich (1) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Dallen Moody (4) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Alex Tholen and Hurricane's Max Gutierrez (10) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Hurricane's Jaden Stone (16) and Snow Canyon's Max Kemp (12) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Alex Tholen (18) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Max Kemp (12) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
Hurricane's Kaige Steglich (1) Snow Canyon vs. Hurricane , Soccer , St. George, Utah, Apr. 8, 2016, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News
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