Bruins best Beetdiggers

OREM — Mountain View's boys soccer team was already using a makeshift lineup against Jordan in the opening round of the 5A playoffs when Darren Flack, a starting central defender, went out with a head injury just before halftime.

Dustin Graham, the Bruins' star midfielder, missed the first-round tilt because of a hamstring injury he picked up last week against rival Lone Peak, and Mountain View's injury problems were compounded when Flack went down.

It took a gritty effort by the fourth-ranked Bruins to get the result.

After Mike Moreno scored against the run of play in the 16th minute, Mountain View got a number of solid performances from role players en route to a 1-0 win over the defending 5A champs on Tuesday.

"I thought we had to outwork those guys to have a chance," said Mountain View coach Mark Graham, "and I felt like we did that."

Mountain View will host Viewmont in the quarterfinals at 4 p.m. Friday afternoon.

When Flack went down with a gaping head wound (he had 10 staples put in his head but will likely play against Viewmont), Graham went with Brant Henrie, Michael Delatore and Thomas Sorber as his back line.

They weren't perfect, but all three played quite well and helped limit Jordan's talented attackers. Jake Partinson, who played just in front of the defense, also did well.

In the 56th minute, Delatore got back to clear a shot by Jordan forward Jake Hustedt from danger.

After halftime, Jordan coach Shaine Herrin paired Alex Blaisdell, normally a sweeper, up top with Hustedt. The Beetdiggers created a handful of good chances down the stretch but couldn't take any of them.

Mountain View scored the game's lone goal when Jordan's goalie dropped a cross by Matt Williams at the near post. Moreno beat the 'keeper to the ball, dribbled around him, and fired it into the empty net.

For most of the game, Moreno and David Salazar, both normally strikers, played in midfield because of Mountain View's injury situation.

"They got better during the game," Graham said of the duo.

Also, the Bruins inserted lots of players in and out of the lineup, something Graham did frequently when he coached highly regarded club team Inter FC.

"We felt like we had to run a lot of guys in and out," said Graham.

Jordan's loss Tuesday means there will be a new boys soccer champion in each classification.

What did Mountain View, the Region 4 champion, think of having to play the defending state champion, which had qualified for six of the previous seven semifinals, in the first round?

"I don't know about the rest of the team," said Henrie, "but I was a bit worried about it, just not knowing what to expect."

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