A little role reversal Tuesday helped the East soccer team take a huge step toward the Region 5 championship.
Taryn Nicolaides unspooled a perfect shot into the upper reaches of the net 11 minutes into overtime as East earned a thrilling 2-1 win over rival Bountiful.
"Taryn is an all-state quality player, she really controls the midfield for us," said East coach Mike Kernodle.
That responsibility usually produces assists on the stat sheet, not goals.
The bulk of East's scoring usually comes off the boot of Sierra Smith. Against Bountiful though, Smith set up Nicolaides' game-winner with a perfect centering pass.
The Leopards probably should never have been in a position for overtime heroics.
With 30 seconds left in regulation, East goalie Leah Tyler appeared to slip on the soggy field while attempting to save on a long-range shot from Bountiful's Andra Hansen. The Braves' Katie Jeppson pounced on the rebound and blasted it in for the equalizer.
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It would've been natural for Kernodle to worry about his team's composure after surrendering the tying goal.
"There's an awful lot of things to worry about with this young team," said Kernodle. "But composure isn't one of them."
Bountiful coach Dave Wigham was optimistic about a momentum swing.
"I thought in the last 20 minutes we had them on the ropes, and thought we could keep it up in overtime," said Wigham.
In the first overtime, neither team really generated many scoring chances. In fact, that was the story throughout the match.
Right from the opening kick, the sky's dark rain clouds inched closer and closer to East High, and just before halftime it started dumping. It didn't rain for too long, but enough to dampen the field and make the ball run fast.
The Leopards finally broke the scoring drought in the 62nd minute as Laura Ellison pounded home a failed corner kick clearance by the Braves. It was nearly the game winner.
The win improved East's Region 5 record to 9-0-1, a full two games ahead of Bountiful's 7-2-1 mark with four games remaining.
"It's discouraging to lose, but it's not discouraging to lose to East," said Wigham. "It would be discouraging if we didn't play well."
In other games Tuesday:
REGION 1
VIEWMONT 2, FREMONT 2: Viewmont led 2-1 at the half, but Fremont scored near the end of regulation. Neither team could break through in overtime.
CLEARFIELD 2, NORTHRIDGE 0: The Falcons improved to 3-4 by blanking the Knights.
WEBER 2, DAVIS 1: The Warriors' Nicole Rowling scored in the 55th minute to tie the game, and Julee Russell scored the winner two minutes into overtime to hand the Darts their first loss. Davis' goal was scored by Linsey Sekulich.
REGION 2
BINGHAM 2, RIVERTON 0: Rana McMurtrey earned the shutout for the Miners.
BRIGHTON 6, WEST JORDAN 2: Brooklyn Phillips scored a pair of goals and Abbie Oggard, Lauren Lewis, Julie Alexander and Jenifer Zipprich each had a goal in the victory. Stefani Colunga and Allie Woodward scored for West Jordan.
HILLCREST 2, COPPER HILLS 1: Rebecca Riddle and Alise Ballard both scored as the Huskies improved to 4-5, and kept the Grizzlies winless at 0-9.
ALTA 2, JORDAN 1: Bobbi Tillotson opened the scoring for No. 2 Alta but Amanda Feight tied the game for No. 5 Jordan. Boo Affleck came up with the golden goal in overtime for the Hawks.
REGION 3
COTTONWOOD 3, KEARNS 1: Marli Martin scored once and Lindsay Lauro had a pair for the Colts.
SKYLINE 6, GRANGER 0: Lindie Theurer and Sara Monson both scored two goals, while Ali Haymond and McCall Smith both chipped in with a goal for the No. 1 Eagles.
HUNTER 2, TAYLORSVILLE 1: Ralisha Sweigart scored both of Hunter's goals, and Kami Beckstrom scored the only goal for the Warriors.
REGION 4
ROY 2, BONNEVILLE 0: Roy continues to roll through the second half of the region schedule.
BOX ELDER 3, LOGAN 1: Box Elder got its first win of the region season.
MOUNTAIN CREST 1, SKY VIEW 0: Kara Baugh knocked in a pass from Kim Crosbie midway through the first half, and Amberlee Nelson recorded her seven-straight shutout in Region 4 in the No. 3 Mustangs' victory.
REGION 5
HIGHLAND 9, CYPRUS 0: Freshman Carly Empey and Megan Nielsen both recorded hat tricks against the Pirates. Lindsay Redd kept the shutout.
WEST 2, MURRAY 0: The Panthers got their first shutout of the season.
WOODS CROSS 2, OLYMPUS 1: Freshmen Brooke Peterson and Rachel Loftus tallied goals in leading the Wildcats to the season sweep of the Titans. Kimly Anderson controlled the middle and kept the game together.
REGION 6
TIMPVIEW 2, AMERICAN FORK 0: Timpview's Stephanie Willis and Jessica Harmon notched goals for the T-Birds. Lindsey Freeze and Sana Halasima combined for the shut out.
SPANISH FORK 1, PAYSON 0: Brina Eyre scored in the ninth minute of the first overtime in Spanish Fork's second straight victory. Cassie Lewis was perfect in goal.
SPRINGVILLE 2, PROVO 2: Jenna Davis and Jenna Van Wagonner each scored goals for the Bulldogs, while McKenzie Joyner and Jamie Hatfield scored for the Red Devils.
REGION 7
MOUNTAIN VIEW 6, OREM 1: Courtney Asay scored three goals, Erin Salmon scored twice and Merilee Nicol scored once as the No. 1 Bruins defeated the Tigers.
LONE PEAK 4, PLEASANT GROVE 0: Chelsea Arnell tallied two goals ad Whitney Wunderli and Brianna Barton added one each for the Knights. Abby Lyman was perfect in goal.
REGION 9
DIXIE 0, SNOW CANYON 0: Neither offense could break through, despite two overtime periods.
CEDAR 2, CANYON VIEW 0: Jenni Orton and Molly Einfeldt each scored a goal in Cedar's win. Goalie Tara Williams earned the shutout.
REGION 10
PARK CITY 5, UNION 1: Carolyn Ward, Stevie Thurin, Catherine Johnson, Erica Beck and Kelly Isleib all scored in the No. 4 Miners' victory.
JUDGE 5, WASATCH 1: Kathleen Becker's two goals, and one each from Kathleen Smythe, Asha Richardson and Kato Mayeda led the No. 2 Bulldogs to the easy region win. Wasatch's goal was scored by Patricia Crittenden.
REGION 11
OGDEN 10, GRANTSVILLE 1: Shayle Stegen and Kayli Kapple accounted for half of the No. 1 Tigers' goals, while Dristina Veazie got the one for Grantsville.
MORGAN 4, BEAR RIVER 2: Holly Weeks and Ali Wilkinson both scored a pair for the Trojans.
BEN LOMOND 3, TOOELE 0: Sarah Beutler, Crystal Somers and Jamie Keesler all scored as the third-ranked Scots blanked the Buffaloes.
REGION 14
ROWLAND HALL 2, JUAN DIEGO 0: Taylor Allred scored on a pass from Jessica North, while Katy Reineke scored a second goal assisted by Mikaela Marineau to lead No. 5 Rowland Hall. Goalie Maddy Hauser earned the shutout.
ST. JOSEPH 4, SOUTH SUMMIT 0: Angela Sanchez scored twice for St. Joseph, while teammates Brianna Bauer and Ashley Harrington each scored once in the shutout.
NONREGION
TIMPANOGOS 4, LEHI 1: Timpanogos pulled out the win behind goals from Julie Hegerhorst, Julianne Thurman, Stephanie Garner and Shantee Adams.
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