High school soccer: Alex Lawhun breaks Alta scoring drought

PLEASANT GROVE — After last week's tie at Lone Peak, the Alta boys soccer team needed to find a way to get back on the winning track.

For 60 minutes of action at Pleasant Grove Wednesday afternoon, however, the Hawks couldn't find a way to put the ball in the net — until striker Alex Lawhun decided to just let one fly.

From more than 30 yards out, Lawhun brought the ball down and fired, placing it perfectly just inside the right goal post to put Alta in front and give the visitors the momentum they needed to get the 2-0 win over the Vikings in Region 4 action.

"I had some time so I just turned and took the shot," Lawhun explained. "I didn't get any shots in the last game, so I just wanted to get one on goal. I wasn't trying to place it but it ended up going in."

Lawhun's blast broke the drought for the Hawks, who had plenty of chances earlier in the game but couldn't find a way to finish.

"It was like they had cellophane on their net that was finally blown off," Alta head coach Lee Mitchell joked. "We played a lot better in the second half. In the first, they dictated the pace to us but in the second we came out and played our game."

The effort was spearheaded by the stout Hawk defenders, who allowed Pleasant Grove less than 10 shots and virtually no good scoring opportunities.

"Our defense can be very good when it wants to be," Mitchell said.

"They usually do a good job and today we only gave up four or five shots against a good team."

After Lawhun's long-distance strike, the Vikings best opportunity to recapture some momentum came a couple of minutes later when an Alta foul gave Pleasant Grove a free kick from 25-yards out. Once again, however, the Hawk defenders were able to protect their goal and the Vikings didn't even get a shot.

"We weren't able to put numbers forward," said Pleasant Grove head coach Erik Bayles. "When we did move up, we didn't support the attack. We have to be more composed when we release."

Lawhun only waited four more minutes to crush any Viking hopes of a comeback, slotting in a great shot from the right side in the 67th minute to make it a 2-0 game for the Hawks.

"We need Alex Lawhun to be big up front for us," Mitchell said. "He's been slumping a bit but he always plays hard. Today he got rewarded for it by scoring two goals."