The 5A girls soccer state tournament gets underway on Tuesday with eight first-round games. Here’s a preview of each of those games in what figures to be an exciting state tournament.
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No. 16 Woods Cross at No. 1 Bountiful
Bountiful begins its title defense Tuesday with a familiar opponent when the top-seeded Redhawks host Region 6 rival Woods Cross in the 5A first round — though the circumstances could hardly be more different from a year ago.
The Redhawks (14-3) captured last year’s 5A championship as the No. 8 seed, rattling off four consecutive postseason victories capped by a 2-0 demolition of Kearns in the quarterfinals, a 3-2 thriller over Springville in the semis, and a 2-1 triumph over No. 2 Olympus in the final. Now, under second-year head coach Kris Hamlet, Bountiful enters October as the hunted rather than the hunter, having rolled through Region 6 with an 11-1 conference mark to earn the top overall seed.
The graduation of 5A Player of the Year Belle Sorensen — who powered last year’s title run with 25 goals and 11 assists — might have slowed a lesser program. Instead, last year’s First Team All-State selection Myka Page has filled the void and then some, exploding from 15 goals and 10 assists as a sophomore to a staggering 25 goals and 13 assists this season. Page leads a deep attack that features Second Team All-State returner Jane Hellewell (12 goals, 5 assists) and Bella Morgan (10 goals, 8 assists) — giving the Redhawks three double-digit goal scorers. Emmy Sorensen (4 goals, 5 assists) and Maya Wentworth (4 goals, 3 assists) provide further depth, while goalkeeper Charli Castleberry has posted six shutouts. Bountiful has averaged 3.8 goals per game while conceding 1.6.
The Redhawks’ three losses all came against top-tier competition — falling 5-1 to 6A No. 6 Lehi, 3-2 to 6A No. 8 Layton, and 3-0 to No. 4 Brighton in Bountiful’s lone region defeat.
Woods Cross (4-11) has endured a difficult campaign in first-year head coach Rob Ure’s debut season, finishing seventh in Region 6 with a 2-10 conference record and scoring just nine goals all year (0.6 per game). The Wildcats lost both regular-season meetings with Bountiful — 3-0 on Sept. 10 and 2-0 on Oct. 6 — and have been shut out in nine of their 15 matches.
Clara Howes has been the lone consistent offensive threat with four goals and two assists — accounting for nearly half the team’s production. Abigail Poulton (3 goals) is the only other Wildcat with multiple goals, while goalkeepers Kacey Durtschi and Brightyn Walker have split time in net, combining for one shutout.
Still, Woods Cross has shown it can compete with quality opponents — edging Fremont 3-2, shutting out Clearfield 1-0, and topping Viewmont 1-0 during nonregion play. The Wildcats will need that version of themselves if they hope to pull off the first round’s biggest upset against a Bountiful side averaging nearly seven times their offensive output.
The winner advances to face either No. 8 Bonneville or No. 9 Springville in the quarterfinals.
No. 9 Springville at No. 8 Bonneville
Something has to give Tuesday when the hottest team in 5A meets perhaps its most suffocating defense, as No. 9 Springville travels north to face No. 8 Bonneville in what shapes up as the first round’s most compelling matchup.
Bonneville (15-3) has been a defensive juggernaut all season under third-year head coach Brady Nicholls, conceding just eight goals in 18 matches — an astonishing 0.4 goals-against average that ranks as one of the best marks in all classifications. Returning Second Team All-State goalkeeper Lily Atkinson has been the centerpiece with a remarkable 12.8 shutouts, blanking opponents in more than two-thirds of the Lakers’ matches. The Region 5 co-champions with Box Elder have not allowed more than two goals in any match this year, with their lone losses coming to 4A power Crimson Cliffs (2-1) and twice to co-champion Box Elder (3-0, 1-0).
What makes Bonneville dangerous beyond the defense is how many players can hurt opponents. Six players have scored at least three goals — Phallistine Odeh (6 goals, 3 assists), Taylor Dearden (6 goals) and Marley Chournos (6 goals, 3 assists) lead the way, while Berkley Stein (4 goals, 5 assists) and Liliana Amarillo (4 goals, 5 assists) provide creative punch. Returning First Team All-State forward Kambry Dalton, who erupted for 20 goals and five assists a year ago, has been limited to one goal this season but adds a proven postseason threat.
Springville (9-8) arrives in Ogden riding a searing four-game winning streak to close the regular season — and the quality of those victories demands attention. Second-year head coach Todd Hollinghead’s Red Devils toppled region co-leader Maple Mountain 2-1 on Sept. 22, edged No. 7 seed Timpview 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 1, and hammered Spanish Fork 4-1 in the finale. Springville’s record is misleading — three of its eight losses came in penalty shootouts, including a gut-wrenching double-overtime affair against Spanish Fork on Sept. 11.
Trevi Jackson has been electric during the late surge and leads the attack with 11 goals and five assists. Haley Murdock (5 goals), Preston Kuhnz (4 goals) and Savannah Johnston (4 goals, 1 assist) provide supporting fire, while Calais Dodd (2 goals, 4 assists) orchestrates in the midfield. Goalkeeper Lacy Conrad has posted three shutouts.
These teams share a common thread from last year’s 5A tournament — both saw their seasons end at the hands of eventual champion Bountiful. Springville was the No. 4 seed and fell 3-2 to the Redhawks in the semifinals, while Bonneville was ousted 2-0 by Timpview in the second round.
The central question is whether Springville’s late-season offensive surge — 11 goals in its last four matches — can find cracks in a Bonneville defense that has been virtually impenetrable since August. The Red Devils have shown they can beat elite competition, but they haven’t faced a back line this disciplined all year.
The winner advances to face either No. 1 Bountiful or No. 16 Woods Cross in the quarterfinals.
No. 13 Spanish Fork at No. 4 Brighton
Brighton and Spanish Fork meet for the first time since the Bengals dispatched the Dons 2-0 in the 2023 5A quarterfinals, and seventh-year head coach Sara Cowley’s squad looks every bit as formidable this time around.
Brighton (13-4) has been one of the most dominant teams in 5A, rolling through the nonregion slate with five consecutive shutout victories — including a 7-0 dismantling of Region 4 champion Hillcrest and an 8-0 rout of Cyprus — before settling into a competitive Region 6 campaign. The Bengals finished second in the conference with an 8-4 mark, splitting their season series with both Bountiful and Alta — the only two teams to beat them.
What sets Brighton apart is balance at both ends of the pitch. The Bengals have outscored opponents 53-13, conceding just 0.8 goals per game behind goalkeeper Lilah Sligting’s outstanding 8.5 shutouts — the best mark among 5A contenders. Ariana Milkota has powered the attack with 15 goals and three assists, while Savannah Zenger (7 goals, 7 assists) has been a constant dual threat. Kailee Deeds and Charlotte Jacobsen have added five goals apiece, and playmakers Addison Despain (3 goals, 5 assists) and Jacqueline Scott (2 goals, 5 assists) keep defenses guessing.
Brighton closed the regular season by winning three of its final four matches after a brief hiccup — back-to-back losses to Bountiful (4-0) and Alta (1-0) in late September. The Bengals bounced back with a 3-1 victory over Skyline to carry positive momentum into October. Last year, Brighton was eliminated 1-0 by Olympus in the quarterfinals as the No. 10 seed, making this year’s No. 4 seeding and home-field advantage a significant step forward.
Spanish Fork (7-10) enters the postseason as a considerable underdog, having lost four of its final five regular-season matches. Third-year head coach Harry Roberts-Hunt’s Dons went 5-7 in a demanding Region 7, averaging just 1.1 goals per game while conceding 1.8. The Dons were a No. 3 seed a year ago before being eliminated by Box Elder in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals — a far cry from this year’s lowly seeding.
Lucia Soto (6 goals, 3 assists) has been the primary offensive threat, with Reese Harding (4 goals, 4 assists) providing the only other consistent production. Goalkeeper Ava Levanger has recorded three shutouts.
There are glimmers of quality in Spanish Fork’s résumé, however. The Dons blanked 6A Copper Hills 3-0 on Aug. 6 — the same squad that has scored 70 goals this season — and edged Pleasant Grove 2-1 in double overtime during region play. But Spanish Fork has scored one goal or fewer in nine of its 17 matches, suggesting that replicating those flashes against Brighton’s stingy defense will be a tall order.
The winner advances to face either No. 5 Box Elder or No. 12 West Field in the quarterfinals.
No. 12 West Field at No. 5 Box Elder
Region 5 rivals will meet for a third and decisive time Tuesday when No. 12 West Field travels to Brigham City to face No. 5 Box Elder — and the Longhorns already know they can win there, having handed the Bees their most recent loss in the regular-season finale.
Box Elder (15-2) co-claimed the Region 5 championship with Bonneville, posting a 10-2 conference mark in fourth-year head coach BJ Barber’s most successful season. The Bees have been an offensive powerhouse, pouring in 58 goals (3.4 per game) while allowing just 10 — including five shutouts in their final eight matches. Their only two losses came to their Region 5 co-champion Bonneville (3-0 on Aug. 18) and to West Field (2-1 on Oct. 1).
Box Elder boasts one of 5A’s most lethal attacks, headlined by three double-digit goal scorers. Marley Barber has led the charge with 13 goals and six assists, while returning Second Team All-State midfielder Maddison Barber (11 goals, 9 assists) has been the team’s most complete offensive player. Returning Second Team All-State forward Taylor Nye (10 goals, 3 assists) adds a proven third threat, and Brooklyn Nelson (8 goals, 3 assists) and Kya Shupe (6 goals, 7 assists) give the Bees scoring depth that few 5A teams can match. Goalkeepers Sadie Lifferth (7 shutouts) and Mia Page (3 shutouts) have combined for 10 clean sheets.
Last year, Box Elder made a thrilling run as the No. 11 seed — blitzing Hillcrest 8-0 in the second round before being eliminated in a heartbreaking 5-4 penalty shootout against Spanish Fork in the quarterfinals. This year’s No. 5 seed and home-field advantage represent a significant upgrade.
West Field (11-7) won’t be intimidated, though. Third-year head coach Cade Miller’s Longhorns finished third in Region 5 with a 9-3 conference record and have been one of the classification’s tightest defensive teams, conceding just 11 goals all season (0.6 per game) — matching Bonneville for the best mark in the region. Six of the Longhorns’ seven losses were by a single goal, evidence of a side that stays in every match it plays.
The teams split their regular-season meetings. Box Elder edged West Field 1-0 on Sept. 3 at West Field, but the Longhorns returned the favor with a 2-1 road victory at Box Elder on Oct. 1 in the regular-season finale — a result that snapped the Bees’ seven-game winning streak.
Julia Robbins (7 goals, 4 assists) has been West Field’s primary attacker, supported by Kate Marriott (5 goals) and the creative Marissa Hatch (4 goals, 7 assists). Goalkeeper Harlie Slaughter has been outstanding with six shutouts, while Kaylee Craythorne has added one.
The question Tuesday is whether West Field can replicate the blueprint that stifled Box Elder’s high-powered attack two weeks ago. The Longhorns’ ultra-disciplined defensive approach has proven effective against the Bees, but containing five players with six or more goals for a second consecutive match is a daunting task — especially in an elimination game at Box Elder’s home ground.
The winner advances to face either No. 4 Brighton or No. 13 Spanish Fork in the quarterfinals.
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No. 15 Alta at No. 2 Maple Mountain
These programs haven’t met since a dramatic 2021 5A second-round match decided by penalties — Maple Mountain prevailing 4-3 in a shootout after a 1-1 draw at Alta. Five years later, the Golden Eagles are in a far more commanding position as the No. 2 overall seed, but the Hawks have proven they’re capable of punching above their weight in October.
Maple Mountain (13-4) ran away with the Region 7 title in first-year head coach Brynlie Mellor’s debut season, posting an 11-1 conference mark — with the lone loss a 2-1 defeat to Springville on Sept. 22. The Golden Eagles have been dominant at home, winning all nine matches on their own pitch, and closed the regular season on a blistering run — winning seven of their final eight matches, including a 9-2 demolition of Payson and back-to-back victories over Salem Hills and Pleasant Grove.
Hinckley Hassan has emerged as one of 5A’s most prolific scorers with 13 goals and one assist, while Haidyn Denton (8 goals, 1 assist) and Katie Austin (8 goals) give Maple Mountain a potent three-pronged attack. Morgan Robinson and Piper Hoyt have chipped in four goals apiece. The Golden Eagles have averaged 3.3 goals per game, though they’ve been more vulnerable defensively (1.6 goals against) — evidenced by high-scoring losses to No. 1 Bountiful (7-4) and 6A No. 2 Davis (4-3) during nonregion play. Goalkeepers Quinlee Peterson (2.5 shutouts) and McCall Burks have split time in net.
Last year, Maple Mountain was eliminated as the No. 9 seed, falling 3-1 to eventual champion Bountiful in the second round. This year’s No. 2 seeding represents a significant leap.
Alta (6-11) enters with a losing record but a résumé that shouldn’t be dismissed. Ninth-year head coach Mackenzie Hyer’s Hawks own two victories over No. 4 seed Brighton — winning 2-1 on Sept. 3 and 1-0 on Sept. 29 — the only team in 5A to beat the Bengals twice. Alta also topped Region 4 runner-up Kearns 1-0 during nonregion play and won a penalty shootout against Viewmont.
The Hawks’ problem has been consistency. Alta was blown out by Bountiful twice (5-1, 5-3), routed by Olympus (6-1, 4-1), and lost five of its final nine matches, including a 1-0 defeat to Skyline in the regular-season finale. Coco Monge (5 goals, 1 assist) and Taylor Butt (4 goals, 4 assists) have been the primary offensive threats, with Sophia Ceballos (4 goals) providing additional scoring. But Alta has averaged just 1.2 goals per game while conceding 2.5 — a stark contrast to Maple Mountain’s offensive firepower. Goalkeeper Delilah Bolen has recorded three shutouts.
Alta reached the second round a year ago as the No. 18 seed after upsetting Pleasant Grove in PKs, but fell 2-1 to eventual finalist Olympus. The Hawks have shown they can topple higher seeds, particularly on the road, and their twin victories over Brighton prove the talent is there. But sustaining that level against a Maple Mountain side that has been virtually unbeatable at home will require Alta’s best 80 minutes of the season.
The winner advances to face either No. 7 Timpview or No. 10 Salem Hills in the quarterfinals.
No. 10 Salem Hills at No. 7 Timpview
For the third time in 27 days — and with considerably more at stake — No. 10 Salem Hills and No. 7 Timpview will face off Tuesday in a 5A first-round clash that pits one of the state’s most prolific individual scorers against a defense that has kept nearly every opponent within reach.
Timpview (11-6) finished second in Region 7 with a 9-3 conference mark, and the Thunderbirds’ offense has been nothing short of spectacular — largely because of Claire Badger. The junior forward has scored 36 goals and added eight assists, accounting for more than half the team’s 62-goal output and establishing herself as one of the most dangerous players in any classification. She hasn’t done it alone — Ava Badger (12 goals, 6 assists) gives Timpview a second lethal option up front, and together the duo has combined for 48 of the Thunderbirds’ 62 goals. Maggie Barajas (4 goals, 14 assists) has been the creative engine behind both, orchestrating from midfield. Third-year head coach James Pena’s squad has averaged 3.6 goals per game.
The concern for Timpview is at the back. The Thunderbirds have conceded 30 goals (1.8 per game), and their closing stretch was uneven — losing to Springville 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 1 before bouncing back with a 3-2 victory over Salem Hills in the regular-season finale. Timpview was eliminated as the No. 5 seed last year, falling 1-0 to Wasatch in the second round. Goalkeeper Sylvia Wadley has recorded two shutouts. Returning Second Team All-State defender Leah Atuaia anchors the back line.
Salem Hills (11-7) presents a mirror-image identity under fifth-year head coach Kyra Peery. The SkyHawks have been built on defensive organization, conceding just 20 goals in 18 matches (1.1 per game) — the third-best mark in the classification. Their 5-7 Region 7 record doesn’t tell the full story: Salem Hills lost to Maple Mountain 1-0 in double overtime, fell to Pleasant Grove 2-1 twice, and dropped both Timpview matches by a single goal. Five of their seven losses came by one goal or in shootouts.
Salem Hills was equally impressive in nonregion play, going 6-0 with victories over 6A Copper Hills (2-1), Cyprus (3-1) and Granger (5-0) — providing evidence that the SkyHawks can compete with programs from a higher classification.
Kylie Mead (8 goals, 5 assists) and Ilene Bowler (7 goals, 7 assists) lead a balanced attack that features four players with five or more goals. Megan Lyman (6 goals) and Iris Larsen (5 goals) add depth, while Oaklee Jensen (2 goals, 5 assists) distributes from deeper positions.
Timpview won both regular-season meetings — 2-1 on Sept. 10 and 3-2 on Oct. 6 — but Salem Hills made both matches fiercely competitive and will relish the chance to turn the tables in an elimination setting. The SkyHawks will need to find a way to contain Badger, who scored in both previous meetings, while generating enough offense to outscore a Timpview team that is rarely held below two goals.
The winner advances to face either No. 2 Maple Mountain or No. 15 Alta in the quarterfinals.
No. 14 Skyline at No. 3 Olympus
The east side of the Salt Lake Valley’s fiercest soccer rivalry gets a postseason chapter Tuesday when No. 14 Skyline crosses town to face No. 3 Olympus — but the Eagles haven’t beaten the Titans in this matchup since 2023, with Olympus reeling off six consecutive victories in the series.
Olympus (12-4) enters as one of the favorites to contend for the 5A crown after finishing as last year’s runner-up, falling 2-1 to Bountiful in the championship as the No. 2 seed. Seventh-year head coach Jamie Evans returns a roster loaded with all-state talent, headlined by First Team All-State forward Keira Bradley (8 goals, 7 assists), First Team All-State defender Emma Peterson (5 goals, 1 assist) — a rarity as a goal-scoring center back — and Second Team All-State defender Kayla Bradley (1 goal, 1 assist). The Titans finished second in Region 6 with a 9-3 mark, with all three losses coming against No. 1 Bountiful (twice) and No. 4 Brighton.
Olympus features remarkable offensive depth, with nine players recording three or more goals. Annika Sperry (7 goals, 2 assists) has been a consistent secondary scorer, while Jade Cavazos (5 goals, 2 assists), Mia Green (5 goals, 2 assists) and Taylor Beck (3 goals, 3 assists) make the Titans difficult to game-plan against. Goalkeepers Maddie Sharp (2.5 shutouts) and Anna Alldredge (1.5 shutouts) have combined for four clean sheets, backstopping a defense that has conceded just 1.2 goals per game. The Titans have outscored opponents 44-19, averaging 2.8 goals per contest.
Olympus dominated both regular-season meetings with Skyline this year — winning 4-1 at Skyline on Aug. 27 and 4-0 at home on Sept. 22.
Skyline (6-10) has endured a difficult inaugural campaign under first-year head coach Jordyn Roth, finishing sixth in Region 6 with a 3-9 mark. The Eagles scored just 20 goals all season (1.3 per game) while conceding 39 (2.4 per game). But dismissing Skyline entirely would be unwise — the Eagles own one of the most surprising results of the season, knocking off No. 7 seed Timpview 3-2 on Aug. 18, and closed the regular season with a 1-0 victory over Alta on Oct. 6, showing they can compete when the defensive effort is there.
Annika Rollins (4 goals) and Caroline Lipson (3 goals) have led a modest attack, while Lucy Silon (2 goals, 5 assists) has been the primary creator. Goalkeeper Marie Distal has been a bright spot with four shutouts despite the team’s struggles. Rylee Brewster (1 goal, 3 assists) adds playmaking from the midfield.
Skyline will need the version of itself that upset Timpview and stifled Alta — not the one that was outscored 8-1 across two meetings with Olympus. For the Titans, the task is straightforward: avoid the kind of letdown that has plagued higher seeds throughout the state tournament’s history, and use the quality gap to build an early cushion against a rival that knows them well.
The winner advances to face either No. 6 Pleasant Grove or No. 11 Viewmont in the quarterfinals.
No. 11 Viewmont at No. 6 Pleasant Grove
It’s Vikings versus Vikings in a first-of-its-kind matchup Tuesday when No. 11 Viewmont travels south to face No. 6 Pleasant Grove in the 5A first round — a contest that marks the first meeting between these programs in at least 25 years.
Pleasant Grove (11-6) opened the season like a team destined for a deep postseason run, reeling off eight victories in its first nine matches under seventh-year head coach Matt Embley. That nonregion tear included a 4-0 blanking of 6A No. 8 Layton, a 3-2 overtime thriller over Springville, and back-to-back wins over Salem Hills and Payson. But Region 7 proved a humbling experience. The Vikings went just 6-6 in conference play, losing three of their final five — including back-to-back defeats to Timpview (2-1) and Maple Mountain (2-1) to close the regular season.
Indee Morris (9 goals, 5 assists) and Aubrie Robins (8 goals, 2 assists) have shouldered the scoring burden, while McKinley Sintay (6 goals, 6 assists) has been a consistent two-way threat. Halle Stucki has been the team’s most prolific creator with two goals and a team-high nine assists, while Miya Thorkelson (3 assists) adds further playmaking. Returning Second Team All-State goalkeeper Savanna Facer has posted four shutouts, anchoring a defense that has allowed 1.4 goals per game. Pleasant Grove was eliminated in the first round last year as the No. 15 seed, falling to Alta on penalties — making this year’s home-field advantage a welcome upgrade.
Viewmont (9-9) presents a mirror-image narrative to Pleasant Grove’s season arc. First-year head coach John Morris’ Vikings stormed through nonregion play, winning five of their first six matches with impressive results — including a penalty shootout victory over 6A Herriman, a 5-0 rout of Fremont and a 3-0 shutout of Clearfield. But Region 6 was unkind, as the Vikings went just 4-8 against a conference that features No. 1 Bountiful, No. 3 Olympus and No. 4 Brighton.
The positive for Viewmont is the team never stopped competing. The Vikings pushed Bountiful to a 4-3 fight in their final match on Oct. 3, led Brighton 1-0 in the second half before falling 3-1, and took Alta to penalties on Sept. 24. Five of their nine losses came by two goals or fewer.
Tessa Nelson has paced the attack with seven goals and three assists, supported by Lucy Layton (5 goals, 2 assists) and a trio of players in Savannah Randall (4 goals), Hallie Essig (4 goals, 2 assists) and Paisley Albertelli (4 goals, 2 assists). Goalkeeper June Lamb has been outstanding with seven shutouts — one of the best marks in 5A — behind a defense that is stingier than its 9-9 record suggests.
The matchup pits Pleasant Grove’s late-season offensive drought — the Vikings scored just five goals in their final four matches — against Viewmont’s road struggles, with the visitors winning just four of their nine away contests. With no head-to-head history to draw on, both sides will be reading the match in real time Tuesday.
The winner advances to face either No. 3 Olympus or No. 14 Skyline in the quarterfinals.
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This report was compiled with the assistance of ChatGPT.