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Sandy • It was appropriate that Alta ended one of Utah's best athletic rivalries by beating rival Brighton 2-1 Thursday to win the Class 5A boys' soccer state championship.
The Hawks, who drop to 4A next year, leave the state's largest classification tied with Brighton at six for the most 5A boys' soccer championships.
Senior Bryson Colemere scored both Alta goals, veteran Hawks coach Lee Mitchell added to his incredible legacy and goalie Alex Johnson survived an onslaught of Brighton pressure in the final 15 minutes in a classic game worthy of two great programs.
Mitchell, the only coach the Hawks have had since soccer was sanctioned as a boys' sport in 1983 and as a girls' sport in 1989, is the winningest soccer coach in Utah history. He was the National Coach of the Year in 2014.
This sixth boys' title, the program's first since 2011, goes with eight girls' championship. And it seemed this meant a lot to him, especially coming against Brighton.
"Brighton is a great team," he said, smiling after remarking that he felt old. "Throw the records out the window when we play. … This is the best group of young men I have been able to coach. I am not saying they were the most talented. They are the classiest, most awesome young men you will ever find in your life. … They are just class. They care about each other."
Colemere took a beautiful pass from Colbey Morf with 15:33 to play in the first half to give Alta a 1-0 lead, then added what would be the game-winner from about 20 feet out with 23:23 left in the game.
"Colbey found a good ball to me, and what happened next is I just put it in," said Colemere. "On the second one, I was in the box and I knew the defender would clear it out. I was waiting for the rebound. I just let it fly."
Morf said the first goal was much like one he assisted on about two weeks ago when Alta beat Brighton 3-0 to win the Region 3 title.
"There was a wide-open space in the midfield," he said. "I saw him run and chipped the ball to him. He got an amazing touch on it."
But Brighton wasn't through.
The Bengals got a score with 15:04 left on a free kick by sophomore Ben Fankhauser, then put incredible pressure on Johnson and the Alta defense in the final minutes, keeping the result in doubt until the end.
"Those last few minutes were scary," Colemere said. "It feels good to go out strong with 5A. That was the goal for us this year."
Brighton's classy coach Tom Cushing had nothing but praise for Mitchell and Alta, as well as his own team.
"There are a lot of good players over there," he said. "Lee Mitchell is the best soccer coach in the state. They have great players, and when you have that combination — as well-coached as they are — it's a tough out. But my kids fought like hell and never gave up. We couldn't get that equalizer."
Mitchell said he and Cushing are already talking about scheduling a preseason game next season when Alta and Brighton are in different leagues and classifications.
But, for now, Alta picked a fine way to end its run in Class 5A.
Twitter: @tribtomwharton —
Alta 2 Brighton 1
R Bryson Colemere scores two goals to lead Alta to its sixth Class 5A boys' soccer championship.
• Brighton's Ben Fankhauser gives the Bengals hope with a free-kick goal late in the game.
• Alta drops to 4A next year, leaving Brighton and Alta tied with the most 5A boys' soccer titles — six apiece.
• Alta coach Lee Mitchell is the only girls' and boys' coach the Sandy school has ever had. This was the 14th state title overall for the 2014 National Coach of the Year.