High school girls soccer: 6A/5A/4A state championship previews

This report was compiled with the assistance of ChatGPT.
Here’s a preview of the three girls soccer state championship games that will be played at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday. It starts at 11 a.m. with the 5A title game between Olympus and Brighton. The 6A title game follows at 2 p.m. between Lone Peak and Davis. The tripleheader wraps up at 5 p.m. as Mountain Crest faces Timpanogos.
In a battle of the last two 6A state champions, No. 1 seed Lone Peak will face off against No. 3 seed Davis in the 6A girls soccer championship at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday. The Knights, who won the title in 2023, are seeking to defend their crown, while the Darts, who were champions in 2022, aim to reclaim the throne.
Lone Peak (19-0) cruised to a 3-0 victory over No. 4 seed Syracuse in the semifinals on Tuesday, thanks to goals from Ivy Harding, Brooke Hendricks and Samantha Sellers. The Knights have been dominant all season, outscoring opponents 101-7 while posting a perfect 10-0 record in Region 3 play. Lone Peak has averaged an impressive 5.3 goals per game while allowing just 0.4 goals per game.
Knights coach Shantel Jolley praised her team’s resilience after a close call early in the semifinal match when Ada Villarreal cleared a shot off the line to keep the game scoreless. “I told the girls just right after, if that goal goes in, it’s a different game, different story,” said Jolley. “That would be a scenario that we haven’t seen this year, which is being down a goal.”
Sellers, who scored in the 79th minute against Syracuse, leads Lone Peak’s attack with 20 goals and eight assists on the season. Bella Devey and Kate Fuller have each tallied 18 goals, with Devey also contributing a team-high 13 assists. Goalkeeper Eliza Collings has recorded 13 shutouts.
Davis (17-3) advanced to the championship game with a resounding 5-0 victory over No. 2 seed Mountain Ridge in the semifinals. Simone Packer scored a hat trick, while Lucy Potter and Kate Willard each added a goal in the dominant performance.
“(Mountain Ridge) beat us in preseason,” said Davis coach Dillon Richens. “We were aware that they are good and that they can hurt you. The game played out in a way that I think was advantageous for us. Obviously scoring in the first minute helps. Ultimately I think we deserved the result.”
The Darts have outscored opponents 68-19 this season, averaging 3.4 goals per game while allowing just 1.0 goals per game. Packer leads Davis’ offense with 24 goals and four assists, while Willard has contributed 10 goals and four assists. Goalkeeper Lexie Lund has posted 8.75 shutouts.
Friday’s championship game will be the first meeting between these two teams since August 2015, adding an element of intrigue to the matchup.
The top two teams in 5A will square off in the championship game at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday at 11 a.m. after splitting their regular season games. No. 1 seed Olympus is seeking its first state title since 2020, while No. 2 seed Brighton aims to capture its first championship since 2013.
Olympus (18-1) cruised to a 3-0 victory over No. 4 seed Bountiful in the semifinals on Tuesday, thanks to two goals from Hope Munson and a dominant defensive performance. The Titans have been impressive all season, outscoring opponents 82-10 while posting an 11-1 record in Region 6 play. Olympus has averaged 4.3 goals per game while allowing just 0.5 goals per game.
After the game, Munson said, “Our movement off the ball is so amazing. It’s probably one of the best team’s I’ve ever played on, we just have such good chemistry, and that just makes it easy to keep the ball, makes it easy to help each other.”
Munson, a North Carolina commit, has been the driving force behind Olympus’ attack, tallying 25 goals and 15 assists on the season. Hallie Hansen has added 11 goals and five assists, while Kiera Bradley has contributed 10 goals and seven assists. Goalkeeper Joss Baker has recorded nine shutouts.
Brighton (18-1) advanced to the championship game with a thrilling 1-0 victory over defending champion Maple Mountain in the semifinals. Emry Stott scored the game-winner in the 54th minute directly from a corner kick.
“Emry is a competitor, that girl brings it every day,” said Brighton coach Sarah Cowley. “If you want someone with a competitive spirit who’s going to fight, even in practice if it’s a drill, she’s going at it 100%. She takes it seriously. I’m just so happy she’s having success in the playoffs.”
The Bengals have outscored opponents 54-17 this season, averaging 2.8 goals per game while allowing just 0.9 goals per game. Brighton’s attack is led by Paige Christensen (13 goals, 1 assist) and Oakley Zenger (10 goals, 2 assists), while goalkeeper Lillah Slighting has posted 10 clean sheets.
Friday’s championship game will be the third meeting between these two teams this season. Olympus won the first matchup 6-0 on Aug. 29, but Brighton bounced back to earn a 1-1 (4-3) shootout victory on Sept. 23.
Last year, Olympus reached the semifinals before falling to eventual champion Maple Mountain in a penalty shootout, while Brighton was eliminated in the semifinals by Bountiful, also in a penalty shootout. Both teams will look to take the final step and claim the 5A crown this season.
In a battle of defensive juggernauts, No. 1 seed Mountain Crest will face off against No. 3 seed Timpanogos in the 4A girls soccer championship at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday at 5 p.m. The Mustangs are seeking to reclaim the throne after winning titles in 2021 and 2022, while the Timberwolves aim to capture their first championship since 2014.
Mountain Crest (18-1) punched its ticket to the final with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Region 11 rival Green Canyon in the semifinals on Monday. After falling behind in the second minute, the Mustangs rallied with goals from Hadli Barrera and Tara Niemann to secure the win. Barrera, the team’s leading scorer, has been a constant threat for opposing defenses this season.
Mountain Crest coach Justin Beus praised his team’s resilience after the early deficit, saying, “For 20 minutes it was more than we could handle. We were lucky to get out of there with only one goal scored on us honestly.”
The Mustangs have been dominant this season, outscoring opponents 73-12 while posting a perfect 12-0 record in Region 11 play. Mountain Crest has averaged 3.8 goals per game while allowing just 0.6 goals per game.
Timpanogos (15-2) advanced to the championship game with a narrow 1-0 victory over Snow Canyon in the semifinals. Malia Jessop scored the game-winner in the 57th minute, heading in a free kick from Raeley Searle. The Timberwolves have relied on their strong defense throughout the season, recording 10 shutouts.
“These girls just never quit fighting,” said Timpanogos coach Robyn Bretzing after the semifinal win. “They just keep staying in the game. Even though they’re struggling, they’re just finding that way to push through and end up getting a goal.”
The Timberwolves have outscored opponents 52-13 this season, averaging 3.1 goals per game while allowing just 0.8 goals per game. Timpanogos’ attack is led by Haley Hutchins (11 goals, 9 assists) and Izzy Pierce (11 goals, 4 assists), while goalkeeper Emily Begero has been a stalwart in net with eight shutouts.