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Park City • Right from the start, Juan Diego had control of the ball and a wind advantage in a Class 3A state boys soccer game on Saturday.

The winds changed, naturally, when the squads switched sides at half — but the edge in ball possession never left the Soaring Eagle.

Eventually, that paid off for the defending state champs. Scoreless through the first 40 minutes, Juan Diego kept punching away and then scored in a hurry in the second half.

The visitors found the net four times in the first 20 minutes after intermission and cruised to a 4-0 win.

"It felt like we had the better of them in the first half as well. We had some opportunities, but we just didn't put them away," Juan Diego coach Scott Platz said. "This team, when the floodgates start to open, they know how to burst that dam."

The principal player responsibility for the deluge was senior Ruben Castillo, who scored the first three goals.

Castillo is one of only two seniors on a team that's trying to repeat as the 3A titlists.

"We did have chances in the first half. I got on them and said, 'We can dominate and we can keep up pressure, but we won't win the game without finishing off chances,' " Castillo said. "We just put it on and got it done."

The scoring started right away with Raimoana Tinirauarii saving the ball from going out of bounds and skillfully booting it deep into the Park City (10-4-1) end.

Juan Diego (14-3), with just over a minute elapsed in the second half, scored when Castillo kicked home a rebound shot after an initial try by Tinirauarii was deflected away.

Seven minutes later, Castillo got a good look from 15 yards out and shot it in from the left for a 2-0 lead.

"Jered [Mariani] and I, we just find each other. When I saw him take the ball, and saw there could be a run, we just clicked from there," Castillo said.

The third goal came off a direct kick from 30 yards out — one that Castillo opted to play right away, instead of taking time for the officials to allow the Miners to set up a wall 10 yards away.

"We didn't ask for ten, so I just ripped it, hoped for the best and it went in," said Castillo of his shot that found the lower right corner of the Park City goal.

That was in the 58th minute for a 3-0 margin. Less than a minute later, Alex Saunders connected from 25 yards out and the final margin was established.

Juan Diego will play Logan, which upset Region 12 top-seed Canyon View 2-0, next Friday in a Class 3A state semifinal.

Park City was also a region winner, in Region 10, and had defeated Carbon 8-0 in an opening-round match on Thursday.

"They're a solid team and it just wasn't our day," said Miners' second-year coach Tom Merchant. "As I told my boys, it wasn't for a lack of effort.

"We felt good coming in after the first half. The wind wasn't in our favor in the first half and we survived," Merchant added. "Castillo, he's an excellent player. He finds spaces and if you watch him, even when he's not scoring, he's in the right place — and that's where goals come from." —

Class 3A results

Saturday's quarterfinal scores

Snow Canyon 8, Tooele 0

Ridgeline 2, Stansbury 1

Logan 2, Canyon View 0

Juan Diego 4, Park City 0

Friday's semifinals at Alta High

4 p.m. • Snow Canyon vs. Ridgeline

6:15 p.m. • Juan Diego vs. Logan Saturday's championship at Rio Tinto Stadium 1:45 p.m. • Title match

Class 2A results

Saturday's quarterfinal scores

Millard 4, Summit Academy 3

Layton Christian 4, Providence Hall 0

American Leadership 1, Manti 1 (ALA wins in penalty kicks 4-2)

South Summit 6, Delta 0

Friday's semifinals at Juan Diego High

4 p.m. • Millard vs. Layton Christian

6:15 p.m. • American Leadership vs. South Summit

Saturday's championship

at Rio Tinto Stadium

11 a.m. • Title match