ST. GEORGE — Defending 4A state soccer champion Crimson Cliffs has a clean slate in Region 10 play so far, but head coach Isaac Klingonsmith knows the Mustangs have a long road ahead.

“I think it’s a great year for our region just because it’s so competitive,” Klingonsmith told St. George News Friday night after Crimson held on to defeat backyard rival Desert Hills 1-nil.

“We survived the first half,” he added. “We are working to continue and do well in the second half of the season.”

Crimson won a free kick just inside the far corner of the Desert Hills box early in Friday night’s contest in Washington.

Mason Manwaring’s cross fell to Scotty McKittrick, who was streaking in through the back door and headed it home.

“It was a thing of beauty,” Klingonsmith said.

The marker was the only one needed as Crimson’s defense held firm against constant pressure from Desert Hills in the second half.

The Mustangs scored 13 goals while surrendering just three in Crimson’s five Region 10 games so far this year.

“We know that now it’s going to get tougher for us from here on out,” Klingonsmith said. “There’s some really good, dangerous teams in our region.”  

Following are recaps of Friday night’s other Region 10 games, as well as the rest of the week on the pitch.

Snow Canyon 3, Hurricane 1

The Warriors tallied twice in the first half and once in the second to defeat the Tigers in Hurricane.

Brandon Gough led the way with two scores for Snow Canyon while Luke Awerkamp netted the third. Adam Parkhurst and Truman Leonard collected assists in the win.

Cedar 2(5), Dixie 2(3)

At Cedar, the Reds scored an equalizing goal off a corner kick with around two minutes remaining in regulation, then outlasted the Dixie Flyers in a penalty kick shootout that followed two scoreless overtime periods.

Cedar senior Tylan Murray got the Reds on the board in the second half.

Dixie then made two successive goals, one on a penalty kick, to take a 2-1 lead. The Flyers’ scorers were Andy Lagomarsino and Kimball Carter, with Melvin Contreras recording an assist.

Then, with just a couple minutes left in regulation, Cedar’s Jacob Barrick executed a well-placed corner kick that Murray headed into the net to tie the score 2-2.

Neither team scored in either of the 10-minute overtime periods, which set the stage for the deciding shootout.

Dixie’s second PK attempt was blocked by Cedar goalkeeper Sam Murray, who is the younger brother of Reds senior player Owen Murray but is not related to Tylan Murray.

Cedar then went on to make all five of its allotted penalty kicks, negating the need for Dixie to attempt its fifth shot, since they couldn’t match Cedar’s total.

“He made some incredible saves,” Cedar head coach Scott Kamachi said of Sam Murray, noting that the freshman goalkeeper had made a key block of a Dixie penalty kick just 15 minutes into the first half, as well as stopping several shots during the overtime periods.

“And Tylan’s goal to tie the game was incredible,” Kamachi added.

“The team never gave up and kept playing, even with all the craziness: being down a player, the injuries and having two starters out with illness,” Kamachi said. “Just a gutsy performance by the team today.”

Region 10 games March 28

Crimson Cliffs 1(5), Dixie 1(3)

The Flyers rallied miraculously to tie the game but could not top the Mustangs in the shootout.

Owen Klingonsmith scored on a rebound to take an early 1-nil lead for Crimson.

Both teams had point-blank chances throughout the rest of regulation. In the last minute, Dixie’s Iker Meza booted a free kick from 35-yards out.

Crimson keeper Treyden Stringham deflected the ball to Andy Lagomarsino, who netted the equalizer for Dixie in the last second of the game.

Both overtimes were scoreless and the match was decided in a penalty kick shootout.

All five Mustangs scored while Melvin Contreras, Darinel Briones and Joe Pasley all found the back of the net for Dixie in the decider.

The hard-fought match was the first of two PK shootout losses last week for Dixie.

Desert Hills 5, Hurricane 1

The Thunder rolled at home, scoring four times in the second half to secure the victory.

Five different Desert Hills players scored in the win: Boone Heaton, Harry Echohawk, Karson Clark, Dillon Bingham and Gage Lewis.

Lewis collected two assists in the win while Dawson Arnick, Daniel Simister and Shayden Scott all dispensed helpers for the Thunder.

Cedar 3, Pine View 1

The Reds put two in the Pine View goal in the second half for a solid road win.

Christian Cruz fired a laser through two Cedar defenders and into the far corner of the net as Pine View equalized 1-1 in the first half.

But Dallin Hillstead made a long run and beat the Panthers goalie one-on-one early in the second half and the Reds retook the lead, 2-1.

Owen Murray and Ryder Ficklin scored Cedar’s other two markers in the win.

Region 10 soccer standings (region, overall) as of April 1:

1. Crimson Cliffs 5-0, 7-1
2. Desert Hills 4-1, 5-2-1
3. Dixie 3-2, 4-4
4. Cedar 2-2, 2-6
5. Snow Canyon 2-3, 3-5
6. Hurricane 1-4, 1-7
7. Pine View 0-5, 2-6

Region 10 schedule Tuesday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.

Hurricane at Crimson Cliffs, Cedar at Desert Hills, Pine View at Snow Canyon.

St. George News reporter Jeff Richards contributed to this story.

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