And that's why Alta's Megan Ohai, Bountiful's Ari Wood, Dixie's McCall Rynearson and Waterford's Nicole Taylor have been chosen as Tribune MVPs for the 2006 season.

It was Ohai who helped her team do something none of this year's other MVPs did. She was a member of the only undefeated team in Utah. The Hawks finished 20-0-0, and it was in part thanks to her individual accomplishments that her team won the most coveted prize in the state - a Class 5-A title, and made her the greatest of them all.

Ohai scored all of Alta's four goals in a 4-2 win over Lone Peak in the final. She was so instrumental in her team's success, she was the unanimous pick for MVP among 5-A coaches.

"Megan just took over that game," Lone Peak coach Mike Lahargoue said after the final.

In 4-A, whenever and where ever her team needed her, Bountiful's Ari Wood thrived. A forward, Wood filled in for sweeper Christine Quinn when she suffered an ankle injury late in the first half of region play. Quinn was out for six games, but when Bountiful coach Dave Wigham told Wood she was needed on defense, she had no complaints.

"It crossed my mind that I wouldn't be scoring as much this year," Wood said. "But I thought, if it's better for the team then I shouldn't be selfish."

It was difficult for the team to gain momentum with so many players out, due to illness. Six or seven girls missed games because of the flu, Wigham said. The Braves lost two more to injuries - Jenessa Talbot rolled her ankle and Emily Smoot broke her leg.

"It was hit and miss," Wigham said. "But Ari, she's very versatile. When we moved her back to sweeper, we didn't score very much, but she was glad to help any way she could."

Dixie's McCall Rynearson's ankle still hasn't completely healed. The three torn ligaments left her hobbling around on crutches for two weeks after her team won the 3-A championship over Juan Diego.

But Rynearson didn't feel any of that pain during the state tournament, not until the shot of Marcaine, a drug that causes loss of feeling in skin and surrounding tissue, started to wear off.

"Right after our semifinal against Park City, I went to the emergency room," Rynearson said. "It was so swollen and black and blue. Usually, you won't be able to play for at least a month. For me to go out there and play, it was a miracle. I had some shots to numb it up, then I taped it."

Her ankle would be numb for two hours, but Rynearson didn't expect the game to go to a shootout. The pain returned, but, along with seniors Cherie Lyle and Kahelua Harward, Rynearson's converted on a penalty kick to help Dixie to the title.

"Last year, we went to the semis, and we knew we could do better this year," Rynearson said. "I had regrets when I was a junior. I wished I could have done better. I had to made sure this year it wouldn't happen again."

Waterford's Nicole Taylor almost didn't play this season. After Waterford's run to the Class 3-A semifinals a year ago, Taylor had high hopes going into her senior season. And she was devastated to learn the Ravens would be competing in the newly formed Class 2-A/1-A.

"The other teams may have thought we were a little bratty, but we just wanted to compete," said Taylor, who will play for Penn State. "We knew this year, we could have competed for a 3-A title. It was a disappointment, but we stepped up."

Taylor and teammates Kristina Karg, Brianna Brazell, Alex Francis and Shauna Ferrell have been playing together since they first started the sport.

"It was going to be the last year we were going to play any sport together," Taylor said. "We've been best friends since kindergarten. We're just so tight, I couldn't leave them there."

Taylor had 27 goals to lead 2-A in scoring, including six in the playoffs, but all she cared about was that she wouldn't be playing with her teammates anymore.

"It was the perfect ending," Taylor said as she began to tear up after winning the title. "We were proving ourselves as a small school and we wanted to make our mark and hopefully, next year, advance to 3-A."

mthach@sltrib.com

* MOVING ON UP: Class 2-A/1-A champion Waterford will test the waters next season in Class 3-A.

* TOP COACH: Lee Mitchell led a talented Alta team to an unbeaten season and a national ranking.