Region 9 soccer: Warriors take over 1st on big night for road teams

Written by Bob Hudson
September 16, 2016
Dixie's Starlee Woodbury (23), Pine View vs. Dixie, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Sept. 15, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – Sabra Sparks’ penalty kick with 17 minutes left in the second half was the difference as Dixie defeated Pine View 2-1 in Region 9 girls soccer on Thursday.

dixie-logopine-view-logoSparks’ kick came after Liz Durrant was fouled on the far right side of the box.

Dixie (2-1-1, 6-1-1) dominated the second half after Pine View (0-4, 1-8) had controlled much of the first half.

Dixie's Ashlyn Smith (16), Pine View vs. Dixie, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Sept. 15, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Dixie’s Ashlyn Smith (16), Pine View vs. Dixie, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Sept. 15, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

The Flyers’ win was one of three captured by the road teams in the region on Thursday night. It was a tough night to play at home, with PV, Cedar and Hurricane all suffering losses in their own stadiums.

For Pine View, Shaneice Lourenco scored on a breakaway from the left side with 28 minutes remaining in the first half to get the scoring started. Erin Callahan sailed another Panther shot over the goal a few minutes later, keeping the score at 1-0.

But Dixie’s Starlee Woodbury scored with 16 minutes remaining in the first half to even the score.

Durrant, Lindsey Barben and Kennedy Warnick got off shots for the Flyers early in the second half, but Panther keeper Alena Lorentzen turned each away. Her best save may have been a tip-away of Woodbury’s bicycle throw-in.

Pine View's Alena Lorentzen (0), Pine View vs. Dixie, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Sept. 15, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Pine View’s Alena Lorentzen (0), Pine View vs. Dixie, Soccer, St. George, Utah, Sept. 15, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“We ran better the second half,” said Dixie coach Burt Myers. “In the second half, we gave good options and didn’t run away from the ball.

“Collectively as a team we play well,” Myers said. “I liked our stick-to-itive-ness.”

Woodbury’s goal is the 10th on the season and the 30th of her career as a varsity player for Dixie High. Sparks, also a senior, scored her second goal of the season.

Dixie, with seven team points, is tied with Hurricane for second place in Region 9. The Flyers next play a home match against Snow Canyon on Tuesday.

Pine View, which got its fourth goal of the season from Lourenco, will play at home against Desert Hills Tuesday night.

Snow Canyon 5, Hurricane 1

Heidi Smith scored a pair of goals to pace Snow Canyon (3-1-0, 6-4-1) to a victory over Hurricane (2-1-1, 6-3-1) and push the Warriors into first place in Region 9. Megan Weston, Adi Melendez and Madison Ence each added one goal.

snow-canyon-logohurricane-logo“The kids did a good job putting the ball behind the net,” said SC coach Kenny Kunde. “We did a great job putting the pressure on them and got off 28 shots. And we did a pretty good defensive job, limiting them to six shots.”

Megan Rodgers, just a freshman, played the full game in goal for SC and allowed just a single score. SC leads the pack by two points as a team.

Smith, just a freshman, leads the Warriors with eight goals and is also tops in assists with four.

For Weston, it’s her third goal of the year and it was the second net-finder for Melendez. It is Ence’s first goal of the season. Snow Canyon is at Dixie Tuesday night.

Hurricane, which drops from first to second place with the loss, hosts Cedar next Tuesday.

Desert Hills 1, Cedar 0

The Thunder (2-2-0, 5-3-2) scored a late goal to sink the Lady Reds (2-2-0, 4-4-0). Kelsey Vickery, who was making her Desert Hills varsity debut Thursday night, put in the goal in the 86th minute. Brittany Moore had the shutout in goal.

desert-hills-logocedar-logo“Another tough game against Cedar on grass,” noted DH coach Benji Nelson. “Vickery seems to have a nose to find the net.”

It’s the first career goal for the sophomore forward Vickery. Moore, the senior DH keeper, recorded her third shutout of the season and the 10th of her career.

D-Hills is at Pine View next Tuesday, while the Lady Reds will travel to Hurricane.

Region 9 girls soccer standings (Reg W-L-T, Pts, Ovrl W-L-T)
Snow Canyon 3-1-0, 9, 6-4-1
Dixie 2-1-1, 7, 6-1-1
Hurricane 2-1-1, 7, 6-3-1
Desert Hills 2-2-0, 6, 5-3-2
Cedar City 2-2-0, 6, 4-4-0
Pine View 0-4-0, 0, 1-8-0

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Hudson is a graduate of Brigham Young University. He has been a sportswriter in central and southern Utah and Southeast Idaho. He has also worked as a news editor and managing editor. He has lived in St. George since 2000.

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