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Sandy • It was worth waiting for.

After missed chances in past title games and a weather delay in this one, the Wasatch Wasps finally won a state soccer championship.

"We just made history today," said sophomore forward Alex Espinoza.

Dawain Wheatley knows all about the history. The coach has spent 21 years at Wasatch and before Saturday, had never won a state championship. Then, in the 64th minute against Juan Diego, Espinoza, a slight forward with a head of bobbing hair, broke free of two Soaring Eagle defenders, sneaked past goalkeeper Du Nguyen and poked in the game's only goal.

"The last 14 minutes," Wheatley said, "I turned to my coach and said, 'This will be the longest 14 minutes of my life,'"

See? It's all about the waiting.

Nobody knew how long the teams would have to wait to play after a thunderstorm forced the players to the locker rooms and fans to the concourse for more than an hour, just four minutes into the second half.

Wasatch players hung out in their locker room, listening to music. They kept their muscles warm by going through drills in the hallway.

Then, when the delay was finally lifted, it was time to go win that championship.

Nguyen and Wasatch goalkeeper Cooper Hall were both rock solid, reading wind-directed shots and getting physical in the box.

For a time, it seemed likely that neither team would score in regulation, although Hall said he was never worried about that.

"We have such a good offense," he said. "We haven't been shut out all year, so I figured it wasn't going to start now." He was proven right 22 minutes out of the delay. A kicked was boomed to a streaking Espinoza, who Hall, minding his goal, saw disappear into a thicket of Juan Diego players.

The goalkeeper couldn't see the goal. But then, a hint of the result.

"I saw the net move," he said, "and I freaked."

Fourteen minutes later — the longest 14 — the Wasps were able to truly celebrate

boram@sltrib.com

Twitter: @oramb

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Highlights

Sophomore forward Alex Espinoza finishes the season with 21 goals, the most in 3A

Juan Diego is shut out for just the second time all season

Entering the game, neither Juan Diego nor Wasatch had won a state championship.