File photo of Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
ST. GEORGE – With Brittany Moore and her defensive teammates pitching another shutout, Kodee Bracken’s goal with 29:18 left in the first half was the game-winner in Desert Hills’ 3-0 victory over Snow Canyon in Region 9 girls soccer on Tuesday at Thunder Stadium.
Drew Morby and Brooklyn Lott got insurance goals for the Thunder. With the win, Desert Hills pulled even with Snow Canyon in league play with one game left in the regular season. Both teams are 6-3 in Region 9.
Elsewhere, Cedar beat Pine View 2-1 and Dixie downed Hurricane 4-0. Cedar moved into third, switching places with Hurricane. The two teams play in Cedar on Thursday. Four teams qualify for the State Class 3A playoffs. Pine View is at Desert Hills and Dixie is at Snow Canyon.
“It all comes down to Thursday,” noted Cedar coach Scott Kamachi.
Desert Hills 3, Snow Canyon 0
Sharing in goalkeeper Brittany Moore’s shutout were defenders Brenna Owen, Hannah Morby, Elly Williams and Morgan Myers. Thunder’s fourth straight shutout.
Desert Hills started slow in region play, going 1-2 in the first three games. Coach Benji Nelson got the team together to clear the air. There had been too much selfish play, he told the girls.
“Ever since that little powwow, we figured the only way we’re going to do it is to come together as a team,” Nelson said.
“We have all come together as a team and started playing for one another,” Bracken said. “We are being a selfless team.”
SC coach Kenny Kunde praised the Thunder. “They did a great job of putting a lot of pressure on us.”
Assists for the three goals came from Makayla Lewis, Lott on a corner kick and Myers on a free kick.
Cedar 2, Pine View 1
“Katelyn Rowley had a really good pass to Julia Hunt for the game-winner,” Kamachi noted.
Holly Carpenter had Cedar’s other goal. Brynlee Wade scored for Pine View.
The Lady Reds, 5-4 in region, have won three of their last four matches and have pulled to wthin three points of the two league leaders, Desert Hills and Snow Canyon. Last season, Cedar got hot late and made it all the way to the 3A Championship before falling to Logan.
CHS swept Snow Canyon this year, but was swept by D-Hills. A tie with the Warriors would get Cedar a home playoff game. The Cedar-Hurricane match, at CHS, is at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Pine View is eliminated from playoff contention and closes its season Thursday at Desert Hills.
Dixie 4, Hurricane 0
Starlee Woodbury, Kelcee Call, Liz Durrant and Kennedy Warnick had goals for the Flyers. Mashaun Estridge had the shutout in goal.
Dixie pulls to within three points of the Lady Tigers with this win, but would need to win at Snow Canyon and have Hurricane lose to Cedar for the Flyers to force a play-in game for the fourth playoff spot. The Dixie-SC game Thursday is at Warrior Stadium.
Hurricane can clinch a playoff spot with a win or tie against Cedar or a Dixie loss or tie against SC.
Region 9 Girls Soccer Standings Team Region (pts) overall
Desert Hills 6-3-0 (18) 9-4-2
Snow Canyon 6-3-0 (18) 8-6-1
Cedar 5-4-0 (15) 6-6-0
Hurricane 4-4-1 (13) 8-6-1
Dixie 3-5-1 (10) 7-5-1
Pine View 2-6-0 (6) 3-11-0
Desert Hills' Brooklyn Lott (12) celebrates her second half goal, Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Drew Morby (6), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Jacie Mooring (31) and Desert Hills' Drew Morby (6), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Brecken Dalley (11), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Brecken Dalley (11), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Elly Williams (19), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Brecken Dalley (11) and Snow Canyon's Jacie Mooring (31), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Heidi Smith (7) and Desert Hills' Brenna Owen (5), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Megan Weston (8), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Megan Weston (8) and Desert Hills' Brenna Owen (5), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Brooklyn Lott (12) and Snow Canyon's Megan Weston (8), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Brielle Hoskins (32) and Desert Hills' Kodee Bracken (3), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Elly Williams (19), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Brooklyn Lott (12) and Snow Canyon's Serena Lindsey (6), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Morgan Myers (18) and Snow Canyon's Arantxa Melendez (21), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Drew Morby (6) scores a goal, Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Brooklyn Lott (12) scores in the second half, Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon's Heidi Smith (7), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Morgan Myers (18) and Snow Canyon's Serena Lindsey (6), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills' Brittney Moore (1), Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Soccer St. George, Utah, Oct. 4, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bob Hudson is a graduate of Brigham Young University. He has been a sportswriter in central and southern Utah and Southeast Idaho. He has also worked as a news editor and managing editor. He has lived in St. George since 2000.