Respect. All season the Brighton soccer team yearned for it, looked for it, fought for it and, in the end, earned it.
"Everyone doubted us all year," said senior forward Kristen Moore after Brighton won the state title. "No one thought we could do this, but we knew it all along."
That's because the Bengals were still gelling midway through the season and not living up to the potential they saw in themselves. It took a victory over Alta in double-overtime to really kick-start the season.
"We saw what we could do when we beat Alta," said goalkeeper McKinzie Olson. "In the second half of that game and the overtimes, we really came together and realized how well we could play."
Olson said that game was a turning point personally.
"It wasn't as much a physical thing, it was more mental. I just wasn't focusing in," she said. "I just wanted to buck up and give everything I had for every game from then on."
From that point, Brighton won nine of its last 10 games, including a run through the state tournament. The title game ended after yet another overtime contest and finally in a shootout. No team played more soccer than the Bengals.
With seven overtime games, including six that reached double-overtime, Brighton played into the extra periods more than any other team. It never lost a game that went into "sudden victory" and won three of the games including the title contest.
Brighton had a remarkable turnaround. The Bengals were a disappointing 6-10-1 in 2004 and exited the playoffs in the first round. Some of the credit for the turnaround goes to the remarkable sophomore class stepping up and playing a big part in the state championship, but according to coach Amber Johnson, the biggest reason was the seniors.
"The difference is the senior class," she said. "They gave us leadership both on and off the field. Their leadership, especially off the field, helped us develop a team chemistry."
Seniors Natalie Walker, Lindsey Smart, Kathyren Heitkamp, Allie Crowson, Missy Davis, Sara Heitkamp and Kristen Moore were complemented by underclassmen who provided a nice blend of youth and experience.
Players such as Olson, Myriah Stockman, Lexy Cline, Megan Rhoads, Mandy Verdoia and Jessica Ringwood will build upon their experience and take over the leadership roles.
Brighton went through the season in relative obscurity. The Bengals were the only team to beat Lone Peak and were on the verge of becoming a dominant contender. Perhaps that was just what the team needed to make its run.
"No one gave us credit all season," said Johnson. "That's just how we wanted it."
But now Brighton has a couple of things working against it. There will be no sneaking under the radar next season. Every team and every game will have an opponent trying to knock off the defending champs. And Brighton inherits the dreaded curse of no 5A team being able to repeat as state champions since the classification was created. A small price to pay in 2006 after the remarkable season in 2005.
Brighton soccer results
8/11 Riverton 2, Brighton 1
8/16 Brighton 2, Juan Diego 0
8/18 Bingham 1, Brighton 1 (2OT)
8/19 Brighton 1, Weber 1 (2OT)
8/23 Brighton 3, Timpanogos 2
8/25 Brighton 1, Lone Peak 0
8/30 Brighton 2, Skyline 1 (OT)
9/01 Brighton 2, Jordan 2 (2OT)
9/07 Hillcrest 2, Brighton 2 (2OT)
9/09 Brighton 1, Alta 0 (2OT)
9/13 Brighton 8, Taylorsville 0
9/15 Brighton 3, Skyline 1
9/20 Brighton 2, Jordan 0
9/22 Brighton 1, Hillcrest 0
9/29 Alta 2, Brighton 1
10/04 Brighton 7, Taylorsville 0
5A first round
10/11 — Brighton 5, Mountain View 1
5A quarterfinal
10/13 — Brighton 1, Viewmont 0
5A semifinal
10/20 — Brighton 2, Bingham 0
5A championship
10/22 — Brighton 3, Lone Peak 2 (2OT) (Brighton)
E-mail: mblack@desnews.com