High school soccer: Maeser Prep blanks Rowland Hall in 2A final to clinch back-to-back state titles

Amid Maeser Prep’s second-half goal celebration that effectively sealed its 2A championship, goal scorer Kale Garner jogged straight to teammate Noah Johnson — who’d delivered the perfect corner kick — clutched both sides of his head and yelled, “I love you man.”

For the seniors who’ve been mainstays for Maeser Prep’s dominant soccer program the past four years, it was a fitting link-up in the final high school game of their careers.

Garner’s goal was the exclamation point in top-seed Maeser Prep’s convincing 3-0 triumph over No. 3 Rowland Hall in the 2A state championship at Zions Bank Stadium on Monday afternoon.

“When we came in in seventh grade, the first week we became friends, started playing soccer together, and now here we are, state championship our senior year,” said Garner, who’s now anchored back-to-back state championship defenses.

In all six years they’ve played together, Garner has pushed up on a corner kick and headed in at least one goal from Johnson, which is exactly what he did in the 58^th minute against Rowland Hall.

“It’s just so special for me and him to share that because it’s just monumental …. six years in a row, me and Noah just putting the dagger in,” said Garner.

Tyler Reedy opened the scoring for Maeser Prep in the 30^th minute, and then the Lions doubled the lead five minutes into the second half on a goal from Johnson — who happily accepted a yellow card to celebrate by ripping his shirt off and waiving it above his head like a rally towel.

The scoring outburst help Maeser Prep cap a 20-0 season as it allowed just one playoff goal in four wins.

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“This morning I had a letter that I wrote to the players that I read on the bus that just talked about the opportunity they had to do something this special. History-making. 20-0, the perfect season,” said Maeser Prep coach Dustin Simmons.

Maeser Prep beat Rowland Hall 5-2 during in the regular season, but Simmons knew a talented Rowland Hall squad would make adjustments to shake things up.

Those adjustments came by clogging the midfleld and trying to slow down what Simmons calls the best midfield trio in 2A.

“They crammed the middle to make it really hard so they outnumbered us. And once we noticed that … in the first 10 minutes, we started spraying the ball wide and going over the top. And that’s when the game really opened up,” said Simmons.

Despite the adjustment, it still took Maeser Prep until the 30^th minute to finally break the deadlock as Reedy uncorked a shot near the top of the box that bounced in off the fingertips of Rowland Hall’s keeper for the 1-0 lead.

“We adjusted, and we were able to take advantage. And we just got dogs up front that just work, are workhorses, and create opportunities for us. Once we got that first one, we kind of settled in,” said Simmons.

Just five minutes into the second half, Johnson took advantage of the space in behind Rowland Hall’s defense by running onto a ball and calmly slotting it into the side netting for the 2-0 lead. It was his 12^th goal of the season.

Much to the chagrin of his coach, Johnson ripped off his shirt to celebrate and was shown a yellow card, but at that moment considering the time and score Maeser Prep was oozing confidence and Johnson celebrated as such.

In the 58th minute Maeser Prep pushed the lead to 3-0 on Garner’s second goal of the season — both on headers from Johnson corner kicks.

“I honestly cannot think of anything better. We’ve dreamed of this for years … and it’s not just us two, every single person fought for it. I know that we got the goals, but it’s a team victory in the end, that’s what matters. We’ve been fighting for this and that’s a team effort, not just two players,” said Garner.

Rowland Hall pressed forward over those final 20 minutes and created its best chances of the game, but Mahonri Alcaraz made some key saves to keep the shutout.