High school boys soccer: Mountain View blanks Timpview

OREM — The Mountain View boys soccer team widened its region lead and picked up its sixth win in a row with a 2-0 victory over Timpview on Tuesday.

Two first half goals provided the scoring, and the Bruins held onto the shutout in the second half, turning away two clear-cut Timpview chances.

Midway through the season, Mountain View is still the only team in Region 7 to have not dropped any points, and looks to have all the momentum heading into latter part of its schedule.

"We're happy with that record, but it's pretty early," said Mountain View coach Mark Graham. "As good as these teams are we could lose four or five games in the second round if we're not careful."

The Bruins' put together one of their best first halves of the season to take the early lead. Thirteen minutes in a high cross by Sam Hickman was parried by the goalkeeper and Jake Parkinson was on the spot to knock the rebound in.

In the 26th minute Renzo Sanchez scored his seventh goal of the season, making an unassisted run into the box and giving the 'keeper no chance with his high, powerful shot.

It took a half an hour before the T-Birds recorded a single shot on goal, and only some backs-to-the-wall defending kept Mountain View from adding to the score sheet.

Timpview found its feet in the second half and finally got some good production out of its skilled attacking players.

They T-Birds had some good chances to get back into the game but couldn't convert. The best opportunity came in the 51st minute when Joe Espinosa was tripped in the box, winning a penalty.

Sam Rosen stepped to the spot, but sophomore goalkeeper Keegan Black saved the kick and came off his line to smother the rebound attempt.

"He made a big save," said Graham. "It salvaged the game for us. If he (Rosen) puts that in it's a dog fight."

Another chance to score late in the second half came on a quick cross and header inside the goal area, but Black got a hand on the ball and the defense cleared it off the line.

"Our defenders are playing well," said Graham. "Timpview might be the best attacking team we've played yet. You don't have to do things that are magical. All you do is make a couple of good saves a game and make the things that are expected. They haven't done that this year but they did that today."