Infinity players in the Herald Journal representing their respected high schools

Much better start for MC
By Jason Turner
Published:
Friday, September 11, 2009 2:37 AM CDT

HYRUM — In its previous Region 5 match, the Mountain Crest girls soccer team got off to a horrid start, allowing three goals in the first nine minutes to Bonneville.

Needless to say, the Mustangs were determined to rectify their early-game struggles two days later, and they did just that.

Mountain Crest put relentless pressure on Box Elder in the opening 10 minutes and it paid off with a Randi Kendrick goal at the 4:15 mark, which propelled the Mustangs to a 2-0 victory Thursday at Lynn R. Miller Field.

“It was very important that we started off strong because we felt like we kind of gotten taken advantage of (by Bonneville) because we were flat-footed, but we did really well coming out really strong today, and we knew we had to prove a point that we don’t play like that,” MC wing Mindi Beckstrom said.

In the first 10 minutes alone, the Mustangs (6-1, 3-1 Region 5) peppered Bees goalkeeper Natasha Litchfield with six shots on goal and earned four corner kicks. Litchfield narrowly punched out attempts by Beckstrom and Juliette McCann, but couldn’t stop Kendrick’s powerful shot from the top of the 18.

Kendrick received a pass from Beckstrom and fired a right-footed shot at Litchfield, who got her hands on it but couldn’t stop it from tucking inside the near post.

It was all the offense Mountain Crest would need as the hosts dominated the possession battle the majority of the game. The Mustangs unofficially outshot the Bees (1-5, 0-4) 28-7, but the visitors were able to get behind the MC backline on a few occasions.

The Mustangs recovered in time to break up most of the plays, but keeper Janelle Shorts had to make an aggressive play off her line in the first half, and Box Elder’s Quinnce Johnson missed a wide open look after halftime.

“We’ve got to make sure that our D-line keeps dropping so they don’t get behind us,” said MC center back Shelby Rudd, who made several good plays in the attack. “We need to stay close to them all of the time.”

Defenders Randi Edvalson and Karlee Campbell both took some big hits and were shaken up a bit, but should be OK, MC head coach Dennis Giles said.

“We’re banged up, beat up and thrashed a little, but we’ve just got to step up and play, and I think they will,” Giles said. “I’ve got some young kids who can come in, but they’re inexperienced.”

The Mustangs got an insurance goal in the 55th minute when Beckstrom rebounded a shot by Jessica Hoskin from about six yards out. Mountain Crest took 16 shots after the break, but only put three on frame.

“We’ve got to finish, we’ve just got to finish,” Giles said. “And that just comes with time, we need more time. We may run out of time, but the kids are doing great and they’re getting in there (in dangerous scoring positions), and that’s what I like.”

Mountain Crest could have easily dented the scoreboard a few more times in the second half. For starters, Makelle Eggleston (pictured above) pinged a point-blank pass from Hoskin off the crossbar, and Beckstrom misfired on a penalty kick in the 65th.

Litchfield dove to deny a shot by Cassidee Nelson in the first half. Morgan Olsen set up the attempt by dribbling right through the heart of the Box Elder backline.

“We had three or four point-blank shots that should have went in, but we’ll get it,” said Giles, whose squad notched its third shutout of the season. “Like I’ve said, one day this is all going to come together. One day, but I hope it’s sooner than later.”

Bobcats 4, Tigers 1

After spotting Ogden (4-3-1, 2-2) a 1-0 lead five minutes into the match, Sky View (6-4, 2-2) made the most of its trip to Weber State’s home pitch.

“It was just a speed bump, really, because we did a great job of just controlling this match,” SV head coach Doyle Geddes said. “It was a beautiful field, great venue ... and really, I think it gave us an advantage. ... We were able to spread them out, ping the ball around and when we started figuring out that our best scoring chances would come by putting the ball across the face (of the goal) from the wings, we ended up with some really nice goals out of it.”

Stacy Bair played a big part in three of Sky View’s goals, converting on a penalty kick in the 24th, and then delivering a pair of textbook crosses from the wing, which were headed in by Krista Whittle and Jessica Clements, in the second half.

“I know she was frustrated (in the last couple of matches), and so it was really good to she the ball go through her a bit more,” Geddes said of Bair. “And I think she helped the process by being very unselfish, and so the balls that she gave up came right back to her.”

Jessica Brooksby scored the Bobcats’ other goal on a great through ball from Robin Hansen in the 18th, said Geddes, who also singled out the play of reserves Shakiah Saltern and Jaden (J.D.) Larsen.