3A high schoool soccer: Juan Diego soars into finals

SANDY — It's difficult to beat a good team more than once, but Juan Diego's passing, footwork and speed were all too much for Bear River on Friday night as the Soaring Eagle downed the Bears for the third time this season to advance to the 3A girls soccer state finals with a 5-0 victory.

"We work on the details from day one," Juan Diego coach Jamie Schock said. "We go over the technical aspects and play possession every day."

In the first 10 minutes, the Bears kept the Soaring Eagle on their heels, clearing balls down the field before the Juan Diego could set its offense and playing hard-nosed defense. Juan Diego's first decent shot on goal came on a long ball clear that snuck behind the Bear River defense at the 10-minute mark.

"We were a little rocky at first," Juan Diego junior Victoria Shimkus said. "Once we settled down and ran off the playoff energy, things got better."

Less than two minutes after Juan Diego's first shot on goal, the Soaring Eagle scored and the wheels fell off entirely for Bear River. The Juan Diego goal came on a beautiful, towering cross pass from Shimkus that Annabah Glasser headed into the opposite corner.

"I looked up, saw her and kicked it as hard as I could in her direction," Shimkus said. "She did the rest."

"Annabah really showed her athleticism, timed it and aimed for the cross post," Schock said.

Shimkus netted a goal of her own eight minutes later when the Bear River defense collapsed on Juan Diego leading scorer Emily Bruder and Bruder somehow got the ball out to a wide-open Shimkus right in front of the net for the dead-on score.

Bruder notched a goal in similar style from about 10 yards out when the Juan Diego passing game opened her up for a clean shot straight up the middle at the 29-minute mark.

Defensively, senior Shalyn Roberts was stellar in the backfield for the Soaring Eagle. Juan Diego goalie Allison Bruder only faced one direct shot on goal in the first half thanks mainly to Roberts' clearing capabilities.

"Shay had great composure today," Schock said. "She played strong."

Shimkus opened up the second-half scoring for Juan Diego by picking the corner past the outstretched arms of Bear River goalie Hannah Cornaby from about 20 yards out in the 55th minute.