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Lehi • The Skyridge boys' soccer team has remained undefeated through the first half of the season, a remarkable result for a first-year program.

A combination of factors led to the squad's impressive success, but a substantial share of the credit belongs to senior central defender Benjamin Driggs.

Driggs and Falcons coach Jerry Preisendorf, along with several other players, came from Lehi High when the new school opened in the fall.

The coach characterized Driggs as fast, strong and one of his most intelligent players, leading a back line composed entirely of honor-roll students.

"He's the anchor of that back four," Preisendorf said. "The team goes how he goes. When he has a great game, the team has a great game."

And Preisendorf added that when Driggs is struggling with something, he finds a way to be the missing link somewhere else.

"We build from the back, so we want good decisions to be made back there," the coach said. "He's very good at anticipating what's coming. Mentally he's two or three passes ahead of where the game is."

Preisendorf said that's not uncommon among seasoned players, but Driggs was doing it as a freshman.

"Even then I knew he would get varsity time by the way he was presenting himself on the field," the coach said. "He knew he was good and knew he could play with those boys three and four years older. He put himself right in the mix and didn't have any problem with it at all."

Driggs is the only four-year varsity player on the Skyridge team, which makes him someone his teammates look up to. He said he and the other four seniors were determined to create an upbeat atmosphere for the inaugural team.

"We wanted to provide positive motivation and model great attitudes," he said. "We wanted to get everyone going. I feel a big responsibility to keep everyone focused and playing well."

Driggs said he's not a loud leader but tries to motivate by his actions, work ethic, body language and other things like that. "He's a class act on and off the field," Preisendorf said. "The younger kids can see he's the same person everywhere, and that has made all the difference." —

Benjamin Driggs

School • Skyridge

Year • Senior

Position • Central defender

Team shutouts • Seven in 11 matches

Team goals allowed • Seven, lowest in Class 4A