High school soccer: Darts flip for Region 1 title

KAYSVILLE — It normally is a play that looks much better than its actual effectiveness, but in Davis High's 3-2 victory over Viewmont, the flip-throw in was an offensive weapon that played a major role in the outcome that most likely determined the Region 1 soccer champion.

"We knew set pieces would probably play a big role," said Darts coach Souli Phongsavath. "We spent a little extra time at practice yesterday going over them, including the flip throws, and I guess it paid off."

Davis freshman defender Joseph Chabries and Viewmont forward Landon Petersen consistently tormented the other side with their precision throws into the penalty area, or even into the goal in the case of Chabries.

Viewmont took a lead in the 12th minute on a Matt Nielson goal, but Davis tied it up just three minutes later on Chabries' throw. He heaved the ball toward the Vikings' net just on the offensive side of the field, and after what appeared to be a few missed attempts by defenders and attackers, the ball hit the back of the net. After a brief discussion by the officials, a goal was awarded.

"I think the goalie got a hand on it," Chabries said of what allowed the indirect throw to result in the tying goal.

Davis second goal came in the 45th minute as Josh Hernandez leaped above the crowd in front of the net to get his head on another of Chabries' flip-throws.

"I think I had one game where two of my throw-ins resulted in goals, but that wasn't a high school game," said Chabries, who added he has had the flip-throw in his arsenal for about three years. "I was just trying to put it in there, and my teammates did a great job of getting on it."

Viewmont tied the game in the 70th minute when Nielson scored his second goal of the game. He got his head to a Petersen flip-throw and beat the keeper.

Once again the Darts wasted little time in answering, as six minutes later freshman John Taylor took a through-ball from Casey Black and chipped the ball over the onrushing keeper for the game-winning and probable region title-clinching goal.

"It was about midway through the season that we decided we would put him (Taylor) in the starting lineup," Phongsavath said. "He normally is the guy that is putting the ball through, not the one on the receiving end. But he did a terrific job of staying calm and finding a spot at the back of the net and then it was a beautiful play the way we executed that chip."

Davis (11-2 Region 1) needs only to beat Clearfield (2-11) on Tuesday to claim the outright region championship and take the league's No. 1 seed into the playoffs.

"I think it was good to see how our guys would play in a big-time environment, basically a do-or-die type game," said Phongsavath. "With the big crowd and a region title basically on the line, I wanted to see how our team could perform, and I think they did a good job of playing under control, but with the emotion we needed to step up the level of play."

"This was huge for us because it gives us a lot of confidence going into the playoffs," added Chabries.

E-MAIL: mblack@desnews.com