Viewmont’s Sam Davies and Wasatch’s Diego Magana compete for management of the ball in a highschool boys soccer recreation in Bountiful on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
Three video games into the season, the Wasatch Wasps appear to be they’re able to defend their crown as 5A state champions.
With a 2-1 victory on the street towards Viewmont on Tuesday, the Wasps jumped to a 3-0 file to start out the 2022 marketing campaign. The beginning has been ideally suited for a Wasatch group that’s trying to replicate the success of final season’s senior-heavy squad.
Wasatch head coach Jared Hendry stated that he knew on the finish of final season that the brand new look varsity group would have what it takes to play the way in which that they've.
“With a view to have a very good varsity crew, your JV crew has obtained to push them,” Hendry stated. “We had a very good JV crew (final yr) and we knew that these children could be able to go. Everybody got here as much as me after we received (the title) final yr and stated, ‘So what’re you going to do now? Reload?’”
“And I might say, ‘No, we’re good.’ It’s as much as these seniors to take it like our seniors did final yr.”
Although this yr’s senior class for Wasatch seems to be taking the reins admirably, they definitely had been examined Tuesday afternoon towards the Vikings.
Although the Wasps had an opportunity bang off the put up within the sixth minute, the groups had been pretty evenly matched by many of the first half, as each side struggled to generate significant touches within the closing third.
However, within the thirty fifth minute, Wasatch senior Bryce Frogley ran by a slipping Viewmont defender to drive dwelling the sport’s opening purpose from the precise facet of the field.
Hendry stated the purpose — which seized momentum for the Wasps heading into the halftime break — was particular to his boys for a pair totally different causes.
“That purpose was a giant pump-up for our crew as a result of all of the boys actually like Bryce,” Hendry stated. “He’s such a tough employee and he does such an incredible job for us, so when he put (the purpose) in you possibly can see how excited and assured he felt, and that simply type of introduced the arrogance again into our crew.”
The opening minutes of the second half had been way more eventful than many of the first half.
Simply six minutes into the second half, senior Carter Davis put a shot on body, which was touched by the keeper, however discovered its means into the again of the web to double the benefit for Wasatch.
However the Vikings had been fast to reply, as Cole Halterman delivered a formidable free kick purpose from practically 40 toes exterior the 18-yard field only a minute after Wasatch’s second purpose.
Out of the blue Viewmont, which gave the impression to be out of the competition simply mere seconds earlier than, was injected with a brand new power and commenced trying extra threatening on the assault.
With just below 33 minutes nonetheless to play, the Wasatch backline — which performed nicely all recreation — managed to face up to the surge from the Vikings and keep the 2-1 scoreline.
“Our two centerbacks (Soren Nielson and Luke Lundberg) are simply so cool and calm, and after they play their recreation it simply type of calms down the remainder of the crew,” Hendry stated. “Their efficiency helped us climate that storm.”
In keeping with Hendry, the win got here right down to Wastach’s skill to not solely defend, but in addition its skill to match and counter the depth of a bunch of proficient Viewmont midfielders.
Although the Wasps managed to see out their third win of the season (the opposite two wins got here towards Timpview and Olympus), their hardest check of the early season will come later this week with video games towards Bingham and Skyridge — two of the highest groups within the 6A classification.
“We’re excited, we actually wished to play some high quality groups (in nonregion), like Viewmont and Olympus, as a result of 5A is hard and it’s going to take some actually good work to come back out on high once more,” Hendry stated. “We really feel like we’re a kind of groups that may be up there with the very best within the state, and these seniors are going to take us there.”