High school boys soccer: Lone Peak gets over the hump, finally advances to a 6A final

Published: May 19, 2026, 4:30 p.m. MDT

Lone Peak and Salt Lake Academy play in the 6A boys soccer semifinals at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Lone Peak won 2-0. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

James has been covering high school sports in Utah for the Deseret News for three decades.

It’s been four years in the making, but Lone Peak’s seniors finally achieved one of their goals: make a final. Simply making a final isn’t end goal — that opportunity will come on Friday — but after three years of playoff failure, Tuesday’s 6A semifinal win was a huge sigh of relief.

Lone Peak scored a goal in each half and then senior keeper Sam Parker came up clutch in some frantic final minutes as the top-ranked Knights held off a late push from No. 4 seed Salt Lake Academy for the 2-0 win at Zions Bank Stadium.

“For these boys, especially the seniors, I mean, it’s the world. Lone Peak’s been in this position a lot, yet we have come up short for whatever reason. And these guys that have been here four years, it’s been their goal to get over that hump,” said Lone Peak coach Kyle Hartman. “It means the world to our school for these boys to have this opportunity now to play for a state championship.”

Lone Peak’s keeper Sam Parker tries to punch the ball away from Salt Lake Academy’s Harper Wilson as they play in the 6A boys soccer semifinals at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Lone Peak won 2-0. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Lone Peak and Salt Lake Academy players try to get a head on the ball during a corner kick as they play in the 6A boys soccer semifinals at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Lone Peak won 2-0. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Lone Peak’s keeper Sam Parker goes up high to make the grab as he receives a push from Salt Lake Academy’s Harper Wilson as they play in the 6A boys soccer semifinals at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Lone Peak won 2-0. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Salt Lake Academy’s keeper Bryson Brock, crashes into teammate Jose Guerra Temis and Lone Peaks’ Kien Cid as they play in the 6A boys soccer semifinals at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Lone Peak won 2-0. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Lone Peak’s Diego Roberts sends Salt Lake Academy’s Tyson Harris flying as they play in the 6A boys soccer semifinals at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Lone Peak won 2-0. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Three years ago as the No. 1 seed, Lone Peak lost to No. 12 Syracuse in the semifinals. Two years ago it lost to Bingham in penalties in the quarterfinals, and then last year it lost to Bingham again in PKs in the semis.

Things appear to be lining up for Lone Peak this year, though. After finally beating Bingham in PKs in last week’s quarterfinals, the Knights got over the semifinal jinx against Salt Lake Academy.

“We’ve come short the last couple of years. For us seniors especially, like our freshman year, there was a big upset against Syracuse. It just never feels good to get upset. We’ve been playing so well in the playoffs, but we take it one game at a time,” said Parker. “I think that’s the main difference between this year and last year’s team, is we’re only focused on our next opponent. And now we do have one opponent to finally focus on, so we’re excited for that.”

That opponent is the winner of the Mountain Ridge-Farmington semifinal game, with the teams meeting in the 6A championship on Friday at 1 p.m. at Zions Bank Stadium.

The Knights struck first in the 25th minute on a great one-time finish from Blake Stuart. A Salt Lake Academy defender cleared the initial corner kick delivery at the near post, but Stuart was first to the ball as it landed near the top of the box, banging his shot just inside the post for the 1-0 lead.

Two minutes into the second half, Lone Peak pounced on a defensive miscue to double the lead.

View Comments

A Salt Lake defender tried to play the ball back to his keeper under pressure from Lone Peak’s Patrick Stevenson, but he didn’t pass it nearly hard enough as Stevenson got to the ball first and tapped it in for the 2-0 lead.

Despite the two-goal cushion, Hartman said the lead never felt safe until the final whistle.

“It’s 80 minutes. Whether you’re up or down, you’ve got to have the intensity and you’ve got to keep fighting. You can’t let up. The moment you let up, you open the door for the team to come back,” said Hartman. “And that was what our message was at halftime. We may be up one goal, but we’ve got to play like we’re down.”

Lone Peak will now carry a 14-game winning streak into the state championship as it seeks its first boys soccer title since 2005.

Looking for comments?

Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.