High school soccer: Late goal lifts T-Wolves to first title in school history

SANDY — All season long, McKenzie Adams has been a secret weapon for Timpanogos.

Even as forwards Gel Dickson and Marissa Nimmer have drawn the bulk of attention from opposing defenses for their scoring abilities, Adams has sat back and operated in the shadows — making game-changing plays and doing little things to propel the Timberwolves forward.

On Friday evening, however, the spotlight shone brightest on the junior midfielder.

Adams scored a pair of goals — culminating in a dramatic go-ahead strike during the 80th minute — to propel Timpanogos to a 2-1 victory over Bonneville in the 4A girls soccer championship game at Rio Tinto Stadium.

It was a match that appeared headed for overtime until Adams scored the game-winner. Dickson set things in motion by crossing the ball perfectly to Adams in the middle of the penalty area. From there, Adams threaded the ball past Bonneville keeper Britty McGregor with precision for the goal.

Only 28 seconds remained on the game clock when she scored. Adams took no thought of how much time remained and drilled the shot like she had done it dozens of times.

"I was not nervous," Adams said. "I knew it would go and I placed it perfect."

With their win over last year's 4A champs, the T-Wolves secured their first girls soccer state title in school history. It became a moment to savor for a team that had come up short in the 5A semifinals each of the last two seasons.

"It's the best feeling in the world," Adams said. "We've worked so hard for so many years, and it's finally great to just finally get here and show what we've been working for these past few years."

Timpanogos took a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute when Adams received the ball just outside the penalty area and, pulling up near the semicircle, blasted home a direct shot.

The Lakers struggled to contain counter attacks in their half and also struggled to finish similar plays off in the T-Wolves' half. Bonneville finally broke through with an equalizer from star forward Jaiden Thornock in the 67th minute.

Thornock took the ball on a breakaway and flicked it around Timpanogos keeper Alexa Anderson. Her initial shot bounced of Lexie Henrie's leg and clanked off the right post — avoiding an own goal by mere inches. The ball rolled back to Thornock, who raced forward and tapped it past Anderson again into the left corner of the net.

The late goal was vintage Bonneville. Few teams have pulled out multiple victories with dramatic late second-half goals like the Lakers did this season.

But, in the end, Adams and the T-Wolves beat them at their own game.

"Seriously, McKenzie stepped up huge today," Dickson said. "We all knew she could play like she did today. Just those finishes. We really needed those and she was able to give them to us."