HIGHLAND — Lone Peak finally figured out how to win.
On Tuesday the Knights opened up Region 4 play against Pleasant Grove and ended their six-game winless start with a 3-1 win.
Lone Peak spent the entire month of March struggling through growing pains and finding different ways to turn wins into ties, and ties into losses. But, after falling behind in the first half, the pieces finally came together.
"They have been frustrated," said Lone Peak coach Dave Woolley of his players. "They felt like the work they were putting in wasn't being rewarded. They stepped it up."
Things started out poorly for the Knights and it looked like another loss was on the horizon when Pleasant Grove came out firing early and got the first goal.
The Vikings had every advantage in the first 20 minutes and it paid off when Jordan Woodhouse beat the defense to a deflected long ball and fired past the goalkeeper in the 21st minute.
"The first five minutes we didn't get out of our half," said Woolley. "They ran through us and created three corner kicks, got a goal, put us on our heels and defended in numbers."
Lone Peak recovered, however, when it found an equalizer four minutes later. On a corner kick Taylor Pierce was left unmarked at the near post and easily headed in the ball for his team's first goal in three games.
The game's key exchange then came early in the second half. One minute after the restart Woodhouse was all alone at the far post and had an open header, but he knocked the ball against the cross bar and couldn't get a foot on the rebound.
Seconds later Lone Peak was on a counterattack when a pass slipped through the defense and Cole Morley scored his first goal of the year to put the Knights ahead.
"The adjustments we made at halftime worked," said Woolley.
Pleasant Grove almost tied the game 10 minutes later when a corner kick wasn't cleared and the ball bounced around in front of goal. Defender Zach Sullivan had to clear a shot off the line before the danger passed.
In the 59th minute Morley, who normally sees only sparing minutes at forward, scored again. He lined up a 35-yard free kick near the touchline and sent a rocket into the far corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance at a save.