From Deseret News archives:

Team concept — MVPs made their squads championship-caliber

Published: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006 9:40 a.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Scoring goals, setting up teammates, keeping a defense organized or initiating the attack. All are important parts of a successful soccer team, and all were the qualities that made this year's Deseret Morning News MVPs the most important players in their respective team's title runs.

5A: Megan Ohai, Alta

Before Alta's championship game against Lone Peak, Hawks coach Lee Mitchell said he noticed something special in his star forward, senior Megan Ohai.

"I saw it in Megan's eyes," he said. "There was just no way she was going to let this chance go by. She was determined that this was going to be our championship."

After Alta fell behind by two goals early, Ohai personally brought the team back by scoring on a header and a brilliant strike from just inside the penalty area. Ohai continued the scoring exhibition in the second half with the go-ahead and insurance goals only minutes apart to cap Alta's perfect 20-0 season with a state championship.

"I don't know how to describe it," she said after the game. "This is just the best team ever to play with. My teammates set me up, and I just hit the shots where they needed to go."

Story continues below
It was a relationship that was mutually beneficial. Ohai received plenty of good passes from her team and scored 26 goals on the year, but she was quick to dish it out as well. Although she played forward, Ohai was used to initiate the offense, often coming back to get the ball. She excelled at collecting the ball with her back to the goal and either making a pass or turning herself. Her passing abilities resulted in 18 assists. Ohai was involved in 44 of the Hawks' classification-high 95 goals.

"We expect a lot of Megan," Mitchell said early in the year. "We expect her to score goals, but it is more than that. She is a leader and needs to do it by what she does on the field. She needs to be an example."

Ohai's enthusiasm was contagious. She was a fierce competitor, but it was hard to miss something else about her while playing — her smile.

"Playing soccer is just fun," she said. "This team is just a bunch of good friends having fun out there. Playing high school soccer is all about being with your good friends and having fun doing it. I love it."

Of course, it is a lot more fun when the team is winning. With Ohai leading the way, that's what Alta did, finishing undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the country.

4A: Christine Quinn, Bountiful

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

The so called "leaders" of the world are meeting together to try to figure...

Poster "Actually" didn't read the story and understand it. At 600 grand a...

Editorial: 10 years of TRAX

Just returned home from my first visit to Salt Lake City. I rode TRAX every...

Utahn aiding poor

Louis has inspired me to be more giving of myself and to always remember that...

i followed one of these officers in a truck couldnt keep up with him. drive...

Cougars going back to Vegas

I see the Ute trolls are once again out in force trying to belittle BYU's...

ya think???

Letters: Global warming a lie

I love it when God causes Acid Rain. It's fun to watch him take millions...

re: Vote Ron Paul | 10:32 p.m. Dec. 4, 2009 "but the PS department does...

Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil

Most of the problems come from the small, ignorant minority on both sides. It...

Advertisements