A Great Week for Hillcrest High!
Plus, career highs for players at Olympus and Corner Canyon, and our newest feature: Inspirational Athlete of the Week!
Spring break! We hope everyone is enjoying some well deserved time off and taking time to rest your minds and bodies before the final weeks of the lacrosse season. April is going to be a great month filled with lots of action on the field!
We have two great stories to report this week, both involving the Hillcrest Huskies lacrosse teams. On the boys side the team, now in its second year, won their first game ever! According to coach Calvin Baer the team came out strong with their offense in their game against West. Face-off specialist Ian Pelger scored three, while game MVP Ivan Pearson scored six in the first half alone! The team had 70 total shots on goal, with a total of 30 points.
Nicely done, Huskies!
The girls Hillcrest lacrosse team got to have a home game this week — despite the fact that all their games are on the road this season! Wasatch High School welcomed the Huskies last Wednesday and let them play as the home team, providing them with a special “home” section in the bleachers, allowing them to wear their whites, and announcing them as the home team. “Honestly it was very heart-warming and inspirational,” said coach Tucker Campbell. “It meant a lot to my girls, us coaches, and our parents.”
Wasatch coach Casey Lewis said it was the least his team could do. “The very first day I was hired, I told my girls that our team will exemplify the ‘Golden Rule,’ both on and off the field,” he said. “Every single girl told me thank you at the end of the game in our handshake line. I was super impressed with the Hillcrest coaches, team, and parents.”
It’s moments like these that show just how amazing our Utah lacrosse community really is!
Thanks to Tribal West Lacrosse for their sponsorship! Right now until June 1st use the code FREESHIP25 to get free shipping on all web orders!
Games of the Week
Thanks to Hill and Hill Photography for capturing all the action of our games of the week! Be sure to check out the full galleries at the links below!
Boys: Hillcrest v. Bingham
Spring break would have to wait as the Miners faced off against the Huskies in this matinee. Bingham was looking to recollect themselves after a tough loss against Lone Peak, and Hillcrest wanted to continue with the energy from an amazing victory over West.
Bingham struck first and often in the first half. If not for the dynamic goalkeeping of Hillcrest sophomore goalie J. Wyatt Christensen (#13) the miners would have put a cap on this game very early on. Teammates Krew Smith (#7) and Tyler Carlsen (#20) finally found a way to get a couple of shots by the stubborn Hillcrest goalie to take a first quarter lead of 3-0.
The second quarter saw the Miners controlling the possession time and firing several shots on goal. By the half, they were up 7-0.
Hillcrest came out strong in the second half and took possession, which gave their goalie a break and put Bingham goalie Thomas Edman (#1) to the test. He was up to the challenge of the second half energy to repel several shots and keep the Huskies at bay. Hillcrest Ian Walker (#10) finally broke the scoring drought with a third quarter goal, keeping the shut out away from a stingy Miner defense.
Hillcrest was able to find the back of the net three more times in the fourth quarter, but they could not stop the Bingham Miners from adding three of their own to take a demanding 12-4 victory.
Girls: Farmington v. Olympus
This match-up between two of the best teams in the state was everything that all involved thought it would be. The 6A Farmington Phoenix traveled to Olympus Stadium this past Thursday for a matchup between top-rated Farmington and 2024 state champion 5A Olympus Titans.
It did not take long for the offensive fireworks to begin when the Titans’ Sarah Anné snuck a shot by Phoenix goalie Elle Erickson with a nice assist from sister Lizzie Anné 41 seconds into the game. It only took a few minutes for Farmington’s own lethal duo to respond. Senior teammates Alexandra MacAulay and Hailey Larsenboth scored to give Farmington their only lead of the game 2-1.
The play and scoring in the second quarter slowed down a bit, with only seven goals being scored compared to the eight scored in the first quarter. Every time the Titans seemed to take control the Phoenix would respond with a few goals themselves. Four more goals from the Olympus Anne sisters and three from the Phoenix’s, MacAulay and Larson gave us a 9-7 Titan lead at halftime.
The Anné sisters continued to dominate in the second half, with Lizzie scoring just 17 seconds in. Teammate Masami Goodick then took over and controlled the 3rd quarter with three impressive goals.
Farmington’s Larson and MacAulay tossed in another three scores each, and with teammates Katherine Carter and Clara Russon adding a couple of goals, they were able to keep Farmington in the game, right until the final buzzer with Olympus walking away with a hard-fought 17-15 victory.
Players of the Week
Shoutout to the Players of the Week! They crushed it on the field with great goals, amazing defensive stops, and a ton of heart. Let’s give them some praise for their hard work and killer performances!
Thanks to Minerstown PC for supporting this feature with their sponsorship!
Boys
Baxter Martin, Green Canyon High School, face-off specialist and midfielder
Baxter is having an amazing season with an 80% face-off win record in the past three games. In the most recent game against Bear River he was 10-1 in face-offs!
Others to Watch
Gary Bolton, Payson High School, attack: Five goals, one assist, and two ground balls in the game against Salem Hills.
Dallas Mattena, Judge Memorial High School, face-off specialist: A 59% face-off win rate in the game against Brighton. He also picked up 10 ground balls, and scored two back-to-back goals.
AJ Moffat, Skyline High School, midfield: A remarkable 16 ground balls in the game against East.
Austin Ewell, Payson High School, midfield: Against Orem he tallied one goal, six assists, seven ground balls, and went six for six in face-offs.
Girls
Sarah Anné, Olympus High School, midfield
In the game against Riverton, Anné broke the all-time scoring record for Olympus with her 319th point. She also boasts the record number of assists at the school with 130.
Others to Watch
Rachel Turner, Salem Hills High School, midfield/attack: Against Highland she had two goals, one ground ball and one forced turn over. Then, against West Jordan she had six goals, three ground balls, and another turnover.
Channing Karaghouli, Logan High School, midfield: Four goals against Ridgeline and three goals against West Field this week.
Lola Alberico, Brighton High School, midfield: In the game against West Jordan Lola had two goals and two assists. Her coach adds that she played a big part in transitions, both for offensive and defense.
Izzy Moyes, Provo High School, midfield: In the two games played this week by Provo, Izzy scored 11 goals, had two assists, and caused six turnovers.
Inspirational Athlete of the Week
Jasmin Navarro, West High School, goalie
“Facing 40 to 50 shots per game, she still manages to make a remarkable number of saves, even if the 50% save rate doesn’t do justice to the intensity of her role. What truly sets her apart is her ability to learn from every shot that gets past her, make adjustments, and continue to perform at a high level with a positive attitude. No matter the challenge, she holds her head high, stays focused, and consistently delivers when it matters most.
Additionally, Jasmin's ability to clear the ball nearly the entire length of the field is a testament to her skill and vision. She is an invaluable asset to our team, and it is a privilege to watch her grow both as a player and a leader.” — Coach Corby Talbot
Coaches Poll
As we hit the midpoint of the season, the high school lacrosse landscape continues to shift with exciting matchups and surprising results. This week's Coaches Poll reflects a mix of dominant performances, tough losses, and notable comebacks, with several teams making significant moves in the rankings.
The Miners hold onto the top position once again this week after a big win over 6A Mountain Ridge, and they’ll be taking a trip to California for a few games during the break. Brighton awaits their return, which should be an exciting matchup. After a tough loss to Park City, the second-ranked team heads to California as well, with a strong West Jordan team on deck when they return. There were some high-scoring games and intense rivalries this week, with one of the most notable being a big win by Olympus over Farmington in a thrilling offensive showdown between the 5A and 6A rivals.
In a significant shift in the poll, the Salem Hills Skyhawks are making waves with an 8-0 record, earning them a spot in the rankings and attention from coaches across the state. As the region schedule begins after the break, expect more exciting matchups and continued shifts in the rankings.
The Chargers remain in the #1 spot this week, but face a tough schedule after spring break with games against Alta, Park City, and Judge, all of which are Top 10 teams. Brighton stays in the #2 spot despite a tough loss to Judge, with a solid win over up-and-coming West Field. Olympus holds steady in the Top 5 after bouncing back with strong wins over Northridge and Bountiful. They have upcoming matches with Highland and the undefeated Alta. Alta continues to rise in the rankings with impressive victories, keeping the momentum going as they gear up to face Corner Canyon, which will be a true test of their dominance.
Several teams are fluctuating in the Top 10, with Farmington making the most significant jump to #8 after three straight wins, including two over top-ranked teams. Davis also climbed in the rankings, moving up to #3 after continuing to win big games. Other teams, like Timpview and Cedar Valley, have seen changes in their positions due to a combination of out-of-state games and regional results. Lone Peak dropped a few spots but remains in the Top 10, needing a winning streak to stay competitive.
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