High school girls soccer: Joss Baker shines in PKs as prepared Olympus beats Brighton in 5A state championship

Prior to losing to Brighton in a shootout nearly two months into the season, Olympus coach Jamie Evans admits PKs weren’t something her team had really practiced yet, which up to that point makes sense.

The Bengals had outscored the opposition 57-8 in 13 straight wins to start the season. In game 14 though, the Titans missed two PKs to suffer their first loss of the season.

From that point forward, it was a point of emphasis for the Titans. Evans tried to simulate the intensity of PKs for her players whenever possible just in case a similar scenario occurred in the playoffs.

That’s exactly what happened in the 5A state championship on Friday at Zions Bank Stadium in a rematch with Brighton.

After 100 scoreless minutes, Olympus made all four of its penalty kicks while Joss Baker saved two of Brightons at the Titans prevailed 4-2 in PKs to claim its first state championship since 2020, and in the process deny Brighton its first title since 2013.

“We were way more prepared, that’s the bottom line. We prepared to be in this moment and I don’t think we had prepared the last time we faced them,” said Evans.

It didn’t hurt to have Joss Baker in goal either, a returning all-state keeper who can stop shots as well as anyone in the state.

“Joss is one of the most amazing goalkeepers and shot stoppers that I have ever seen and our team knows that and so they have complete trust and confidence in her,” said Evans.

Baker wasn’t challenged much during regulation and overtime as Olympus had the better of the play and chances for much of the match.

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When it went to PKs though, Baker said she wasn’t really worried. She was confident she’d get at least one save, and she had full faith in her teammates after the heckling they’d endured in PK simulations lately.

In practices recently, Olympus simulated PKs all the way down to players walking up to the spot from the halfway line while being heckled by teammates. It was nothing compared to the real moment though on Friday as Brighton and Olympus students lined the barriers and field boards on either side of the field screaming at the top of their lungs.

“I wish we would’ve ended the game earlier, but once we got to PKs, I was pretty confident because we have a lot of confidence in everyone,” said Evans.

Ella Schutjer stepped up first for Olympus in PKs and was very fortunate to give her team in the 1-0 PK lead. Her shot drilled the crossbar but bounced straight down and off the back of Brighton’s keeper and into the back of the net.

Kiera Bradley made Olympus’ second kick, but Paige Christensen and Bailey Brown answered for Brighton to level things 2-2.

In the third round of shooters, Ella Nelson converted for the Titans, with Baker diving to her left on Brighton’s attempt for the 3-2 lead. Kayla Bradley made it 4-2 for Olympus in the fourth round, and then Baker drove to her left for another save on Brighton’s kick to clinch the title.

“Second save I was feeling a lot more confident. It was just a reaction,” said Baker.

Olympus star player Hope Munson was ready set to be Olympus’ fifth PK taker, but Baker made sure it never got that far.

The victory was the 19th of the season for OIympus, matching the number of wins it had during its recent 2020 championship. Evans attributes a lot of the success to the heartache her players endured in last year’s semifinal loss to eventual state champ Maple Mountain.

“The mentality from Day 1 in this group was different, and we have a large group that played in that semifinal last year, and they left feeling like they had more to give,” said Evans. “You don’t realize it’s over until it is, and so we had a large chunk of those girls come back and they knew what it took.”

Evans had high praise after the match for sophomore center back Emma Peterson, who was the defensive catalyst in the Titans only giving up 10 goals all season.

“Emma Peterson our center back, she has been a rock the entire season. She showed it game 1 to Game 19. If there is someone that is going under the radar that should deserve way more credit than she gets it’s Emma Peterson and she’s just a sophomore and she’s amazing,” added Evans.

For Brighton, it was a heartbreaking end to the season, but advancing to the final was the furthest the program has advanced in the playoffs since winning the championship in 2013. Last season the Bengals lost in the semifinals like Olympus.