Crimson Cliffs and Dixie toughed out semifinal victories Monday, setting the stage for an all-Region 9 showdown in the 4A state championship game.
The Mustangs secured their spot with a golden goal from Portman Busk just five minutes into the first overtime period, lifting Crimson Cliffs past Mountain View in dramatic fashion. The Mustangs had been pressing for much of the second half, and their persistence finally paid off in the extra frame.
Caden Cox sparked the game-winner by leading a counter-attack and sending a long ball over the top of the Bruins’ defense. A crowd of players made contact in the box before the ball slipped behind the goalkeeper. Busk was waiting and calmly tapped it in to send Crimson Cliffs through to the final.
Both teams showed plenty of offensive promise and aggression throughout the match, with each side generating a steady stream of shots on goal and earning multiple corner kicks.
“We have a highly athletic team, they play well together,” coach Isaac Klingonsmith said, “We don’t want to mute ourselves by hanging out back and letting the other team control the ball. We love running and chasing, while being smart as well. We love the style that we play.”
Crimson Cliffs struck first just 35 seconds into the second half. Austin Layman rotated the ball inward from the far right side, finding Ezekiel Weir near the edge of the box. Weir placed a hard, low shot to the right post to give the Mustangs a 1–0 lead.
Mountain View answered in the 51st minute. After a series of threatening chances, a miss-hit bicycle kick fell in front of Rodrigo Cuevas, who fired a shot from the top left of the box into the bottom right corner to tie the game.
Over the final 30 minutes, both teams pushed aggressively for the winning goal. Darrell Meis had a chance to put the Mustangs ahead, but Victor Ixtarojas managed to just barely tip the ball over the crossbar. Shortly after, the Bruins went on the attack and had an eight-yard shot that rolled along the top of the crossbar. Both goalkeepers did everything they could to keep their respective teams’ seasons alive, but in the end Brody Fielding’s team held on for the win.
Fielding commented on the outstanding goalie performances on both sides, saying, “I love watching any goalie play, going out there and seeing the competition. Being able to play the game I play and watching [Ixtarojas] match that motivates me to keep up with him and try to be a little better.” He added, “We were all tired and exhausted but we were able to do what we needed to do to win to make sure we go to the finals in the end.”
The second semifinal featured much less action, with both teams focusing on strong defensive play and patiently waiting for their chances. Dixie’s Melvin Contreras had a solid opportunity in the third minute, while Ridgeline applied some mild pressure on the Flyers’ defense late in the first half.
Coach Travis Wilkinson praised his team’s defense late in the season.
“The defense has really come on for us the backend of the season,” he said. “We are starting to get some chemistry and really gel. The communication has been huge. We have an older back line, James and John Porter are unbelievable seniors along with Joe Pasley. Our sophomore Dawson Ellett has especially stepped up this season and has been one of our biggest players on the backline.”
In the 60th minute, Dixie finally broke the deadlock. A well-placed ball bounced high in the box, setting up a perfect opportunity for a header. Felix Meza rose above the defenders and directed the ball toward the goal. Although the goalkeeper managed to get his fingertips on the ball, he couldn’t keep it out as it sailed just over him and into the net.
Ridgeline responded well in the minutes that followed, generating several promising chances. One of the best came when Ben Kotter found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but with a defender close behind him, he wasn’t able to get the power behind his shot, allowing Mason Randolf to make a comfortable save.
Taylor Kogan then put the game out of reach, scoring his 30th goal of the season with a stunning free kick from 14 yards out. Although Crosby West managed to get a hand to the ball, he couldn’t keep it from finding the back of the net as the Flyers secured a 2-0 victory.
“Our whole team has stepped up, we have been only let up one goal in the playoffs. Everyone feels comfortable because we are so strong defensively and defense wins championships” commented Kogan on the strong defense letting him do his thing on the offensive end.
No. 2 Dixie will take on No. 4 Crimson Cliffs in the 4A State Championship on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. at America First Field. Dixie won both matchups in region play, winning 3-2 in overtime and on the road at 2-0 at home.