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The senior captain warmly embraced her coach, both all smiles after 80-plus minutes of playoff intensity soccer.

Juan Diego came into the match trailing Logan ever so slightly at every turn throughout the season, but a 77th minute goal sent the Soaring Eagle to a 2-1 home victory and a Region 11 championship Friday night in a potential 3A championship preview.

"That was an intense game. It was a great game, a great battle and I'm really, really proud of my girls," Juan Diego coach Myriah Fankhauser said.

Juan Diego senior Gabbie Berg, sporting colorful and animal print ribbons tied around her ponytail, buried a lethal shot in the right side of goal that turned out to be the difference-maker after Logan controlled most of the match.

Berg said she knew she had to aim at the far post after getting some space on her right side and that she "hit it with enough power and it got over her hands."

"I've never really had this kind of role, hitting that last shot winning goal," Berg said. "So, it is amazing and beyond belief to be a captain and a senior to be able to do that for my team."

The visitors came into the match on a five-game win streak and a 4-3 victory in Logan in hand over Juan Diego, looking like the stronger side for the majority of the first half.

In the 10th minute, vicious pace on the break sent Logan forwards Kaycee Larsen and Veronica Sullivan careening toward the Juan Diego goal. After splitting the final central defender, Larsen tapped it sideways into Sullivan's path, who sent it home cooly into the bottom left corner.

The Juan Diego attack was disjointed from the opening whistle, low crosses missing their mark and forwards just failing to connect on the final shot on goal.

But a beautifully lofted ball from nearly 40 yards out brought the proceedings level after Juan Diego midfielder Ashley Buck's shot tipped off the fingers of Logan's goalkeeper and into the back of the net. The second half was bogged down in the midfield, both teams playing with unbridled physicality that saw blood drawn from Juan Diego's Daviana Vaka after she took a hit to the face.

Fankhauser said playing this type of game will help Juan Diego in the playoffs, teaching her experience-laden squad how to "manage their emotions."

"With both teams that high of caliber, it was a good challenge for our team to try to keep everything under control," Berg said. "That was a good test for us." —

Girls' soccer Storylines

R The two teams combine for 10 goals this season in two meetings.

• Juan Diego wins Region 11 with a 7-1 region record and an overall record of 9-3-1.

• Senior captain Gabbie Berg scores the game-winning goal in the 77th minute with a shot on the right side of goal.