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In a short span of less than 16 minutes, Woods Cross soccer star Chandler Elliott experienced the incredible highs and lows only sports can offer.
There was joy as Elliott scored two late second-half goals to lift Woods Cross to a tough 2-1 road victory over an East team that was previously unbeaten in Region Six play.
And there was agony when the referee handed Elliott a red card in the final minutes that, barring a successful appeal, will keep him out of the Wildcats next game with arch-rival Bountiful.
A tearful Elliott walked off the field alone and in obvious distress as his teammates held off the Leopards for what veteran Woods Cross coach Kevin Rigby called one of his team's biggest victories in quite some time.
"I'm just bummed I can't play the next game," said Elliott. "Hopefully, it gets overturnued. I think the ref thought I came in late on a shot after the ball was gone. I thought it was 50-50."
Rigby said he thought the play would likely earn a yellow card but was shocked that it was a red.
"There is nothing I can do," said Rigby. "There is no appeal. I just wish officials understood that when a red card comes out, it better be earned. It affects so much. Things like that go on all the time. This game was well played by both teams and well officiated. East is a classy team and we are a classy team. That puts the damper on what should be a real celebration here. It's just crushing."
East scored early in the game on a shot by Hugo Olivera and appeared to be in control. But Rigby changed Woods Cross' formation late in the game, putting in an extra forward to put some offensive pressure on the Leopards.
The home team had trouble dealing with the change as Elliott scored the tying goal with about 16 minutes to play on a kick from the left corner and the winner with about five minutes left off the rebound of a free kick.
"We were just working hard, trying to put the ball in the net," said Elliott. "We just kept working. We changed our formation a little."
Rigby, in his 38th year as the Wildcats' coach, thought his team would play well Tuesday as it battled East and league-leading Highland for Region Six supremacy.
"We've always played well here, but made a critical error somewhere along the line," he said. "I was afraid that first goal we gave up was that critical error. We never gave up."
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Woods Cross 2, East 1
R Chandler Elliott scores two goals in last 16 minutes to lead Woods Cross.
• Hugo Olivera nets East's only goal.