3A high school soccer: Morgan stuns Park City to advance to semis

PARK CITY – A late-season surge for Morgan is quickly taking the Trojans down a road they have not traveled in a long time.

Junior midfielder Becca Rees scored on a header in the 80th minute to help Morgan escape with a 2-1 victory over Park City on Saturday afternoon. The Trojans not only avenged a 5-0 quarterfinal loss to the Miners last fall, but they also advanced to the 3A semifinals for the first time since 2002.

As soon as Morgan saw this potential rematch in the bracket, they grew eager to show Park City that they were much a different team than the one the Miners had hammered a year ago.

"The biggest difference was the girls believed that they could beat them," Trojans coach Tara Ferrin said. "When they came in last year, I think they were a little timid. This year, they came out knowing they could play with them."

Morgan's confidence received an extra boost after Park City made a costly defensive mistake a minute into the game to give the Trojans the lead.

AJ Bateman sent a cross into the area — near the top of the 6-yard box — looking to set up one of her teammates in the goalmouth. Brittainy Gebo intercepted the cross for the Miners but accidently headed it backward into her own net for the own goal.

Morgan's early advantage did not materialize in the manner the Trojans anticipated. But they were determined to make a statement from the opening whistle.

"That was one of our goals — to come out the very first play of the game and score on them," Rees said. "Catch them on their heels. And that's what happened."

Park City came back and evened the score at 1-1 in the 18th minute when Gebo cashed in on a penalty kick. She initially sent a low shot past the left post, but Gebo had to kick again because she fired off a shot before the referee blew his whistle. The second try proved to be as accurate as the first, with the senior defender slotting the ball inside the right post.

Morgan had several chances to regain the lead before halftime, but could not convert on some golden scoring opportunities.

Kersey Davis started a counterattack for the Trojans in the 30th minute when she sent a lead ball to Nikki Glanville. After latching onto the pass, Glanville laid it off to Chelsey Mortensen, and Mortensen tried to thread the ball inside the right post. Miners keeper Bethany Kanten punched the ball out of the goalmouth to make the save and set up a corner kick that Morgan failed to keep in play.