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Sandy • Few things in sports are as dramatic and pressure filled as a soccer shootout, especially in a state title game. It's an amazing way to win and a brutal way to lose.

Thus, as Skyline freshman Andrew Garcia lined up his team's penalty kick with the state Class 4A title on the line against East on Thursday night, the tension in Rio Tinto Stadium was palpable.

Garcia blew his penalty kick past East goalie Jack Thompson to give Skyline a 5-4 lead after each team had seven penalty kicks and handed the Eagles their second straight state championship.

"That is insane," said Garcia seconds after his goal. "I was so nervous walking up. I just had to fake right and put it in. I couldn't lose for those seniors."

One of those seniors was goalie Will DeSantis, who capped a fine prep career with two stops in the shootout after helping preserve Skyline's semifinal win with a save on a penalty kick Tuesday.

DeSantis said he has worked hard on penalty kicks, preparing for the possibility of a shootout.

"I just tried to stay focused, make sure I read the players correctly and kind of have a game plan before each PK. I just went the right way [on the final block of East freshman Juan Figueroa]. That's all I can say. I got my body in front of it."

Skyline missed the first penalty kick. East made its first, then DeSantis saved the second. The Eagles got goals from Brigham Jackson, Austin Kennedy and Hunter Kone.

The Leopards' Erick Olivas, Eric Hulbert and Matt Barker got shootout goals, and Thompson made a beautiful save on Skyline's Gary Buckley to keep the score knotted.

"We've been practicing our PKs the last three weeks," said Eagle coach Shawn Kennedy, whose senior son Austin made one of the penalty kicks. "I felt very confident in our PKs. With Will, we have a lot of confidence. He is an outstanding PK goalie, as you found out Tuesday. ... The whole team had a lot of confidence going into the PKs. It happened to land on the freshman after we went past the first line and into the second."

East scored in the first half on a shot by Daniel Rhondeau from the left side about 15 feet out. That seemed to put pressure on Skyline, which struggled.

The Eagles evened things up with 17:44 left when a shot by Hunter Kone ricocheted off two Leopard defenders and into the goal.

"I just came into the box, and mates were working hard for it," Kone said. "We had a great play. We came down the wing and crossed the wing. Me and Sheldon Martineau hit it off a couple of East players and happened to go in."

By the time the second overtime was being played, it was obvious that the players on both sides were spent. They were cramping on both sides as the time ticked off to that brutal shootout, a shootout that left East broken hearted and Skyline off to celebrate.

Twitter @tribtomwharton —

Skyline 1, East 1 (5-4 PKs)

R Freshman defender Andrew Garcia gives Skyline its second straight 4A title with a penalty kick in a shootout.

• Skyline goalie Will DeSantis makes two saves in the seven-shot shootout.

• Daniel Rhondeau scores East's lone goal.