Comments about ‘High school soccer: State tournament pairings’

Go Hawks

I got viewmont and brighton

and moutain crest and dixie

sorry. dixie and highland

I would love to see your picks for the 5A semis Pele since you nailed the quarterfinals. The easy pick for the semis is that Brighton will beat Murray and that is the most likely outcome. However I still struggle with Brighton and its inability to put a lot of goals on the board. I am picking Brighton to win 1 to 0. If Murray can score two goals they will win. The match up between Viewmont and Alta is a true classic in the making with some great individual match ups as well as strategy. The biggest is the midfield battle of Derek Boggs the Gatorade Player of the year versus Dillon Richins and Freshman Lucas Cawley. That battle might end up in a draw with both teams creating chances. Both defenses are strong and both goalies are excellent. Which team then has the best forwards? My money is on Justin Allen and Matt Nelson. One of them will mark the difference. Good luck to all four teams I look forward to some great semi finals.

Just to update the national significance of this game Viewmont is ranked 12 on ESPN and Alta is 30. Might be the biggest national game for Utah soccer in many years. Good luck boys .

RE: tssoccer.
I haven't responded to any of your postings. Because your such a Viewmont fan. Your team is good. Very good. I was at the Riverton vs Viewmont game. If but for a couple of plays Riverton was right there the whole game. Your center mid Matt is a great player and was very gracious at the end of the game. He said Riverton played to the very end and never gave up. You have a good bunch of boys that my club teams have played against for years. Your speed is an asset. Transition game is top notch. Excellent team. But your beatable. You rely too much on the long ball and your outside mids are your weakest points. They don't get back when they should which if Alta is wise will exploit. If Alta plays the way they are capable, They'll win. They are better on set plays than Viewmont. Their mid field is just as talented with Derek Boggs and Hawks. Boggs was off last week. Their Striker Alex Lawhun will score on your keeper. Your keeper is small. My prediction 2 to 1 Alta.

In my eyes Alta has the best Mid-field in the state. Derek Boggs and Andrew Hawks control the center well. And Korban Bluth and Spencer Richards are probably the best at playing thier position. Viewmont has a solid defense and a pair of great strikers with Justin Allen and Matt Nelson. I can't wait to watch the battle of Alta and Viewmont. It could go either way. It'll be a great game.

Davis county is the soccer capital of Utah (it's in the record books), not a year goes by when Bountiful HS, Davis, WX, or Viewmont isn't a champion. I know we can't rely on tradition but my emotional money is on Viewmont to go all the way, especially since this game is being played in Bountiful.

My picks for the semis ate Brighton and burning in 5A.
Dixie and Highland in 4A.
Brighton will avenge last years loss.
Viewmont in the best game of the day.
I am just guessing with Dixie.
Highland has the best defense but can they score, I think they will today.

To be fair, Viewmont was unable to convert on their first half dozen or so opportunities and Riverton played them tough. It wasn't Viewmont's best game by a long way. Regardless, they found the back of the net 3 times including 2 in the 2nd half. Riverton wasn't in the game except for a few plays--especially in the 2nd half.

That said, I haven't seen Alta play--and am looking forward to a great game.

Re: f1do_bball
Once again Viewmont is a great team. But, first dozen plays is a bit of an over statement. As for Riverton. They held the mighty Viewmont to nil with one minute to go in stoppage for the first half. On a crappy call. I've never even seen that center Ref before so I'm guessing he was a Davis county Ref. Everyone in the south knows how it goes up north with Ref's. Wink.. Riverton had 3 break away's in the second half and your ankle biting mid fielder took out our striker on purpose because he was getting beat. He even said as much after the game. Not to take away 2 great saves by your keeper. Riverton had 7 shots on the goal in the second half. I hardly think that's weak play. You didn't even have the best player on the field. Matt Knows who he is. He ran through your midfielders in the second half. The only way to stop him was to foul him. over and over and over.

Interesting, but inaccurate comment by Nostradomus about Davis county soccer being supreme in Utah based on record books - - According to UHSAA website the last 4 years there has been only 1 Davis Co. winner in 5A (Davis last year). Previous winners were Jordan (07), Brighton 08(dismantling the Viewmont Vikes no less!), then Brighton again with another crushing defeat of Layton in 09. 1 out of 4 isn't exactly domination! Now in 4A Nostradomas' point about Davis dominance has some cred - - albeit not much, with Bountiful repeating in 2007 & 2008. But lately its been all Utah County with Mt. View exerting its will on a supposedly tough Woods Cross team in the 2009 final and again last year Lehi whopped up on Bonneville real good. Records speak for themselves . . .not your revisionist history. Viewmont may very well beat Alta and win the 5A this year, but even if they do that would only mean 2 out of the last 5 championships in 5A to Davis' schools and there won't be a Davis champ in 4A this year either!

Dixie unable to advance . . . saga of Southern Utah soccer . . can't handle the tough physical game played up here in the north. Desert Hills came north expecting to advance and got worked by Juan Diego now Dixie can't handle the travel / pressure / competition either.

Oh well they will be in 3A next year anyway . . back to the drawing board.

gettin ready to go to the alta game. Go hawks. Alta V Brighton in the final

re: armchair.....Convenient for you to go back to just 2007. Most state championships since they started keeping track back in 83. Bountiful 8, WX 6, Brighton 6, Jordan 4, Davis 3. Most consecutive wins WX w 56, amazing number. Check it out www.uhsaa.org/net/, seems to add up to 17/10, Davis/Sandy. It would be double that if I threw Layton in, I can't believe Alta hasn't won it all though, seems like they did one year. the records I looked at only showed multiples. Yes as you said, "records speak for themselves". Yes Davis county is supreme in Utah soccer, close to double any city or county in Utah.

cant we all remember though soccer is a game of taking advantage of those oppourtunitites. you can have alot and still lose

Way to go Hawks!! 2-0 against Viewmont

nostradomus...high school soccer in Utah 27 years ago, really!..win it in 2011 and we can talk,,ooops I guess that's not going to happen..

Hmmm...interesting armchair how many of your sons play for Brighton? And futbolfan how tall is Nick Rimando? Mr. Power says it how it is. Well said. He summed it up well.

Re:socceranylzer

Mr Power is right. It is taking advantage of those opportunities. We didn't Viewmont did. As for Nick Rimando, The first time I saw him I thought "Isn't he a bit small?" But hey I watch EPL and those Keepers are big. But Let's not forget, he's in MLS for a reason. He's got a great vertical. He's good. As for Viewmont. I still say they're a great team. I just saw the advantages that Alta could use and knew what they were capable of.

Finals prediction. Alta 2 Brighton 0