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Sandy • In theory, moving down to a lower classification should help the one doing the moving. In practice, though, that team often finds out the new class members are just as difficult to beat.

Not so with the Logan Grizzlies.

After winning the Class 3A girls' soccer state championship, Logan's players said it was a case of them getting more unified and better as a team that led to a 3-1 victory over defending champ Cedar.

"We worked so hard in practice and we've done everything we could possibly do to prepare," Logan senior Veronica Sullivan said. "I don't think it matters what classification you're in as long as you're working hard and playing soccer."

"We worked really, really hard this season. All that effort, it just feels so good to get what we've been working for," said goalkeeper Samantha Aguilar. "We really excelled as a team. Last year, it was a little — well, we don't like to talk about it. This year, we just focused on being together."

Logan (14-4) blew out Tooele 7-1 in the opening round, then rolled by Pine View 3-0 in the quarters and Desert Hills 4-1 in the semifinals.

In Saturday's title game, Logan took control early.

"We love getting the ball first and connecting on several passes. We found out that, if we can connect 10 to 15 passes in a row, it kind of discourages the other team right off the bat," Logan coach Sven Rasmussen said. "We like to possess and show how good we are right from the start."

It was Sullivan's header off a corner kick, 10 minutes into the game for a 1-0 lead, that was the payoff for the Grizzlies' early effort.

"I was just going to go for it. I think it hit the side of my head and my shoulder — but whatever works," Sullivan said.

At the 23-minute mark, freshman Kennedy Michel extended Logan's lead to 2-0. Cedar (14-6) scored before half, when Morgan Myers — assisted from Nicole Jenkins — trimmed the lead in half.

"We came out and played a good game, had a really good season," Redmen coach Scott Kamachi said. "The seniors got to end their career here at this stadium, and it's a great place to end your career."

But Cedar's comeback effort was ended Logan's Demi Lopez scored to restore a two-goal advantage.

"We kept fighting," Lopez said. "We knew they were going to come out hard (in the second half), so we had to just hold in there."

Rasmussen made it clear after the game that Logan saw itself as a 3A team that planned on sticking around.

"Hands down, I think we were the best team in the state," Rasmussen said. "We're going to be here for a lot of years." —

Storylines

R Logan completed its sweep of southern foes in the 3A tournament, which included Pine View and Desert Hills, by beating Cedar for the championship.

• Goals from Veronica Sullivan and Kennedy Michel staked the Grizzlies to a 2-0 first-half lead.

• Defending champ Cedar got one back on a tally from Morgan Myers just before half.