Prep Sports - The Salt Lake Tribune

3A boys’ tennis: Juan Diego, Desert Hills share lead

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:07:02 MDT

3A boys’ tennis: Juan Diego, Desert Hills share lead

the Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 11:07PM MDT

The final day of the Class 3A boys’ tennis state tournament promises to be a dogfight. Juan Diego and Desert Hills enter the second day with nine points apiece after Friday’s first two rounds in St. George. The Soaring Eagle advanced all three singles players and their No. 2 doubles team to the semifinals. Desert Hills moved on two singles players and both doubles teams. Snow Canyon is lurking in third place with seven points, only two behind the leaders. Juan Diego’s Kempin brothers moved on at...

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4A boys’ soccer: East advances to state semis despite slow start

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:53:44 MDT

4A boys’ soccer: East advances to state semis despite slow start

by Bill Oram The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 10:53PM MDT

Rudy Schenk looked at his players and offered one final message before he sent them out for what he hoped would not be their last game. “Remember,” he said, “the pain of last year.” Even for this year’s version of the East Leopards, who replaced 16 seniors after the 2012 team lost in a shootout to Springville in the first round of the Class 4A tournament, the idea was clear. There would be no forgetting. There were constant reminders. The Leopards once again were challenged by a lower-seeded tea...

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3A baseball: Dramatic comeback propels Desert Hills into title game

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:43:32 MDT

3A baseball: Dramatic comeback propels Desert Hills into title game

by Christopher Kamrani The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 10:43PM MDT

Orem • Heart and guts. Grit and grind. Dirty jerseys and picking up teammates and the unquestionable belief they’ll end up celebrating when that final out is recorded. That is Desert Hills Thunder, and that is the team playing for the Class 3A state championship after a raucous 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Region 9 rival Snow Canyon Friday evening at Brent Brown Ballpark at Utah Valley University. They fell behind 4-0 in the fourth inning and the breaks were going against them. Sophomore sh...

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4A boys’ soccer: East battles past Skyline

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:43:31 MDT

4A boys’ soccer: East battles past Skyline

by Ben Raskin Special To The Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 10:43PM MDT

East’s normally talkative goalie temporarily fell silent. First-round nerves can do that to Phillip Padilla. But he found a way to fight back those butterflies and Skyline’s attack in East’s 4-1 victory in a Class 4A boys’ soccer playoff opener Wednesday. It wasn’t until the 34th minute that Padilla got something to yell about and something to quiet those nerves. East’s Landen Carlsen and Faysal Abdi were setting up for a free kick from 35 yards out with the score deadlocked at 1-1 after both te...

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5A boys’ soccer: Brighton pulls away from Weber in quarters

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:43:31 MDT

5A boys’ soccer: Brighton pulls away from Weber in quarters

by Anthony Cusumano Special To The Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 10:43PM MDT

Sandy • A teammate asked Matt Coffey if he thought he could make the shot again not long after Friday’s boys’ soccer state quarterfinal playoff game ended. Coffey smiled, realizing the chances probably were slim. Nevertheless, Coffey’s jaw-dropping goal helped Brighton overcome Weber 3-1 at Albion Middle School and advance to the Class 5A state semifinals Tuesday. Coffey outraced a defender to the right side, shot back to the left and somehow scored into the top corner, sending Bengal players a...

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4A boys’ tennis: Timpview clings to lead after Day 1

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:43:31 MDT

4A boys’ tennis: Timpview clings to lead after Day 1

by Ben Raskin Special To The Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 10:43PM MDT

Highland’s No. 1 singles player, Jihoon Noh, was visibly in pain. The senior, who was locked in a battle with Sky View’s Austin Jeppsen in the second round of the Class 4A state boys’ tennis tournament, grimaced with every serve and volley. Cramps were overtaking his legs and back, but Noh found the strength to fight through metronomic rallies and dig in to kill the ball at the net. It wasn’t until match point when he saw the ball falling wide that Noh dropped to his knees. It wasn’t in celebrat...

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Prep boys’ track: Timpanogos’ Heslington ‘settles’ for state title

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:40:03 MDT

Prep boys’ track: Timpanogos’ Heslington ‘settles’ for state title

by Matt Ellis Special To The Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 10:40PM MDT

Provo • Timpanogos’ Jacob Heslington was pleased to defend his Class 4A state title in the 1,600 meters during Friday’s state track meet at BYU. But there also was a little disappointment. He fell just short of breaking the state record in the event, crossing the line in 4 minutes, 12.22 seconds. The state record is 4:11.38, which was set in 2001. Bingham junior Andrew Brewer fell victim to a similar fate in the 5A race. His time of 4:13.8 was just behind the record of 4:13, which has stood sinc...

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3A softball: Stansbury stampedes into championship game

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:28:02 MDT

3A softball: Stansbury stampedes into championship game

by Christopher Kamrani The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 10:28PM MDT

The Stansbury Stallions walloped a previously 22-0 team then bounced the five-time defending Class 3A state champions in a span of nine hours. Quite the day. The Stallions punched their ticket to the 3A state championship Saturday in St. George by rolling past Snow Canyon 16-0 in the first game of Friday’s semifinals, a game in which coach Bridget Clinton said her girls just couldn’t miss. “Everybody through the whole lineup hit the ball hard,” she said. “Every single one — 1 through 9.” Stansbu...

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Prep boys’ track: Park City elite runner catches his idol

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:54:32 MDT

Prep boys’ track: Park City elite runner catches his idol

by Aaron Falk The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 09:54PM MDT

Provo • Luke Puskedra had to “chase ghosts” in high school. As the state’s top distance runner in 2008, the Judge Memorial star lacked the competition to test him on the track. So his coach had him look elsewhere for something that would push him, like the clock or the last man in the heat after lapping the competition. Ben Saarel swears his ghost is real. He’s met Puskedra, shook his hand. And on Friday morning, Saarel still was chasing him. It was cool and gray as Saarel and the rest of the fi...

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4A boys’ soccer: Late goals lift Orem past Olympus

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:56:02 MDT

4A boys’ soccer: Late goals lift Orem past Olympus

by Neil K. Warner Special To The Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 07:56PM MDT

Orem • With elimination on the line, Orem figured the best way to protect a lead was to add to it. The Tigers scored two goals in the final five minutes of the game to end Olympus’ season with a 4-1 win over the Titans in the second round of the Class 4A boys’ soccer state tournament Friday. The game was much closer than the final score. Orem took the lead eight minutes into the game when Daniel Corbett took a pass from Finn Brian and punched it in. Olympus appeared to catch the Tigers off-guard...

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5A boys’ soccer: Copper Hills shuts out Hunter

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:34:02 MDT

5A boys’ soccer: Copper Hills shuts out Hunter

by Tony Jones The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 07:34PM MDT

West Valley City • The Copper Hills boys’ soccer team battled youth and inexperience all season. It’s hard to tell now. The Grizzlies are back in the Class 5A state semifinals for the second consecutive year. A 2-0 victory over Hunter cemented the process. As a result, the Grizzlies will advance to the final four at Woods Cross High, where they will face Bingham. “It hasn’t always been easy for us this year,” Copper Hills coach Eddie Moura said. “We’ve had to deal with a lot. But this team has s...

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Prep girls’ track: Davis senior focuses on redemption

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:19:03 MDT

Prep girls’ track: Davis senior focuses on redemption

by Matt Ellis Special To The Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 06:19PM MDT

Provo • Davis senior Christine Van Brocklin was considered one of the favorites to win the 100-meter hurdles final. But after a mishap during the qualifying round Friday at the state track meet, she won’t be one of the nine girls chasing first place Saturday. She hit a hurdle with her lead leg during her preliminary heat, knocking it over and throwing off her timing. She said she did her best to keep going and aim for a qualifying spot, but she knew her mistake had cost her, and she crossed the ...

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3A baseball: Desert Hills blanks Carbon

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:39:38 MDT

3A baseball: Desert Hills blanks Carbon

by Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 17, 2013 06:39AM MDT

Orem • The Thunder have won their fair share of games this season by slamming baseballs all over the field. But as Carbon found out Thursday, Desert Hills doesn’t need to be slugging well to come out on top. A 2-0 victory in the winners bracket of the Class 3A state tournament emphasized the Thunder’s ability to compete with small-ball tactics. The Region 9 champ, gaining only five hits on the day, combined effective base-running with shutout pitching to keep the Dinos at bay. “We realize this t...

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3A girls’ golf: Desert Hills snares four-peat

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:31:02 MDT

3A girls’ golf: Desert Hills snares four-peat

by Aaron Falk The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 16, 2013 08:31PM MDT

That’s four, not fore. After winning titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Desert Hills High School added a fourth consecutive Class 3A girls’ golf title to its trophy case. Led by Katie Perkins’ tournament-best 72, the Thunder rolled to the championship Thursday at Schneiter’s Riverside Golf Course. Perkins and teammates Megan Welch, Kyla Smith and Lindsey Short combined for a Stableford score of 337 on the day. The Thunder saw four golfers finish in the tournament’s top 10. For Perkins, it was the se...

5A softball: Copper Hills sophomore handles Davis

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:14:45 MDT

5A softball: Copper Hills sophomore handles Davis

by Aaron Falk The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 16, 2013 08:14PM MDT

Kaysville • Copper Hills pitcher Payten Davies had been nervous as she stepped into the circle for her first playoff start two days earlier. But the sophomore looked like a seasoned vet when her coached called upon her again Thursday. Davies pitched a complete game, giving up a single run to help Copper Hills roll over Davis 5-1 in the second round of the Class 5A state softball tournament. Grizzlies coach Jentry Johnson said she “went with my gut” in giving Davies the nod for a second consecuti...

4A softball: Rasmussen shines in Mountain Crest win over Bountiful

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:52:02 MDT

4A softball: Rasmussen shines in Mountain Crest win over Bountiful

by Ben Raskin Special To The Tribune

Published May 16, 2013 07:52PM MDT

Bountiful • It’s fitting that the final out fell into Kenzie Rasmussen’s glove. The center fielder was instrumental in every key play for Mountain Crest, so it made sense that she would end Bountiful’s threat in the bottom of the seventh inning by sprinting to catch the shallow pop fly. The Mustangs outlasted the Braves 6-5 in the second round of the Class 4A state softball tournament Thursday. It was on the strength of Rasmussen’s bat, glove and arm that the Mustangs advanced to the next round....

4A softball: Salem Hills blanks Murray 3-0

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:21:34 MDT

4A softball: Salem Hills blanks Murray 3-0

by Neil K. Warner Special To The Tribune

Published May 16, 2013 07:21PM MDT

Salem • Renae Kinghorn faced a difficult decision in the bottom of the sixth inning of a scoreless game. Should the Salem Hills softball coach have Abbie Tuttle bunt or let her swing away with runners on first and second and no outs? Clark left the bat in Tuttle’s hands. Bingo. Tuttle doubled in what proved to be the winning run Thursday afternoon to help Salem Hills to a 3-0 win over Murray in the second round of the Class 4A state softball tournament. “It crossed my mind for a second that mayb...

3A baseball: Snow Canyon ace baffles Canyon View

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:55:30 MDT

3A baseball: Snow Canyon ace baffles Canyon View

by Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 16, 2013 05:55PM MDT

Orem • “He’ll be back out there before this thing’s over — I know that.” Snow Canyon coach Reed Secrist’s words should loom over the rest of the Class 3A baseball state tournament like an avalanche. It’s tough to get between left-handed pitcher Riley Gates and a state championship. Region 9 rival Canyon View knows that after a 5-0 defeat Thursday. The senior had a torrid start, notching 11 strikeouts and allowing only two hits while leading Snow Canyon to the winners bracket final with Desert Hi...

Prep boys’ tennis: Open doubles field highlights 4A tennis tourney

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:55:30 MDT

Prep boys’ tennis: Open doubles field highlights 4A tennis tourney

by Ben Raskin Special To The Tribune

Published May 16, 2013 05:55PM MDT

A rule of thumb: If you see four rackets on the court at Liberty Park for the Class 4A boys’ tennis tournament, expect to see some good tennis. Some of the best players in the state will be paired up at No. 1 doubles. Logan seniors Jordan Larsen and Hunter Ballam are returning for unfinished business after taking second last year. Woods Cross’ Landon Oswald and Jens Nielsen are undefeated this season. Maple Mountain’s Kevin Rose and Andrew Blonquist believe they have the right to hoist the trop...