Lehi Sports
Falcon girls soccer starts Tuesday
The Skyridge girls soccer team opens the season with four road games in five days this week in non-region competition.
On Tuesday (Aug. 6), the Falcons head to Copper Hills for a 3:30 p.m. start. They visit Sky View on Thursday (Aug. 8) at 8 p.m., play the next day at Ridgeline with a 4 p.m. kickoff, then complete the busy week on Saturday (Aug. 10) at Green Canyon at 11 a.m.
The league opener is scheduled for Aug. 27 at Pleasant Grove with a 7 p.m. varsity start time.
Skyridge tied for second place in tough Region 3 last season. The Falcons reached the Final Four but bowed out of the tournament after a one-goal loss to American Fork.
The team got some top-five votes in the preseason coaches poll for Class 6A and was also picked to finish second in the region once again.
“We’ve got a lot of talent returning,” said fourth-year Coach Toby Peterson. “If the girls can just get on the same page, I think we have a great chance for success.”
All-City honoree Rachel Boren, a senior forward, is the top returning performer from last year. “She’s healthy and strong and her head’s in the right place,” Peterson said. The players selected her as a team captain this season.
“That reflects leadership abilities above and beyond what she already brings,” the coach continued. “She has speed, she can turn players relatively easily and her field of view is amazing. We have the luxury of playing her at multiple positions.”
In addition, Boren is joined this season by several players from her club team. “They’ll be right with her this year and that chemistry they’ve already developed will surely play a part,” he said.
Junior Allison “AJ” Beard will play at both midfield and forward. “She has amazing footwork and a rocket for a shot,” Peterson said. “She knows how to work the ball into open positions and can shoot from distance as well.”
Senior forward Cambria Lee is also expected to be a major contributor up top, pulling defenders out of the middle to open space in front of the goal. “She sees the field really well and can create havoc for keepers,” the coach said. “She’s very fast and runs from the back side and will force them to defend 360degrees.”
Senior Olivia Southwick will be the other wing. “We saw a lot of potential out of her last year in that position,” Peterson said. “Now with more maturity, we’re seeing great things with her speed and endurance. She can get behind the back line and will be another strong position for us as her confidence builds.”
The team already has one casualty in senior midfielder Brooklyn Strange, who has suffered a torn labrum. She has been cleared to play this week but will then have season-ending shoulder surgery.
Senior Madelyn “Maddie” Moss has been called on to replace her in that spot. “She has all the potential we could ask for,” the coach said. “We knew we had depth there to fill in that position and we expect her to do great things.”
The other attacking midfielder is senior Reganne Poll. “She had a strong JV season last year,” Peterson said. “She sees the field really well and that’s a strength. She can shoot from distance as well.”
At this point, the back line is a work in progress. The coach noted that he lost two strong center backs and his tandem goalies to graduation and the search is on for capable replacements.
Junior Leah Scoville, senior Italia Barlow and senior BrightonBennett all could step in and do well in the center spot. “We also have some youngsters we’re excited about who could give relief time in those positions,” Peterson said.
At outside back are seniors Kalle Jackson and Emily MacDonald. “They are really strong players in those positions,” the coach said. “They’re not only a strength on the back line, they like the opportunity to go up and get numbers on the attack. We like what they bring to the table.”
Senior Kait Meyer replaces the tandem in the net. “She brings a little different dynamic to the goal. She’s more confident and brave and can use her feet. She has a beautiful reaction time,” Peterson said.
“She has a lack of experience but we expect her to progress quickly,” he went on. “She’s already shown tremendous growthand the leadership required for the position. The games this next week will help her make progress with adapting to the speed of play at this level.”
Peterson doesn’t think much has changed in Region 3. “It’s still one of the strongest regions in the state. There’s been a coachingchange at American Fork but there’s a lot of experience and talent there still so they’re going to be strong. Lone Peak will bestrong as always.
“Pleasant Grove is determined to make a strong showing and we always have good games against them,” he said.
“Westlake and Lehi are now in their second years with their coaching staffs and responded well to those changes last season, so we’ve got to make sure were ready to go if we want to do well,” he added.
Peterson expects the state race to look similar to last year also. “Copper Hills made a good showing and they should be a factor this year too,” he said.
“Davis always has a great team and American Fork and Lone Peak will be contenders as well. We have the talent to be right there again too,” the coach concluded.
