When it comes to powerful girls soccer programs in Utah, the Davis Darts are among the best of the best. 

Last season, the Darts won the Class 6A title, defeating region and Davis County rival Farmington 1-0 to win the crown. It was the team’s second title in the last three years, as Davis won the 6A championship in 2020. Davis also enjoyed three consecutive Class 5A titles from 2014 to 2016. All of this success, which also includes multiple runners-up finishes at state, have been under the direction of head coach Souli Phongsavath, who is entering year No. 17 at the school. 

Defending a championship is never easy, but the Darts are one of 6A’s favorites. 

That’s not to say it’s going to be easy for Davis to reach last year’s heights. The team must replace its top two scorers from 2022, Olivia Flint and Emery Jacobs. The potent duo combined for an impressive 35 goals a season ago, 61.4% of the team’s scoring. The two standout players also had seven assists between them. 

But the cupboard is hardly bare.

The Darts welcome back starting goalkeeper Elesha Magley, who’ll be a senior. She had 9.5 shutouts a year ago and even had a goal in limited time as a field player. Other defensive starters are back from a squad that allowed just 15 goals in 19 games last season. 

Offensively, the team will surely miss Flint and Jacobs, but Brooklyn Phongsavath is back as a junior. She had the third-highest goal output in 2022 with four. She also led the team with seven assists. Sophomore Etuati T’maea had two goals as a freshman a year ago. 

The Darts won the state title last season despite not winning Region. That honor went to Farmington, but Davis got the bigger prize from the Phoenix in the end. Davis finished 14-5 overall and 8-4 in league play last season. It was a bit of a slow start for the Darts, who were 4-3 after seven games. This season, Davis expects to have some more challenges from Farmington as well as Syracuse. 

Davis got the season underway early, on Aug. 1, a few weeks before classes began. The first game was against Viewmont, which beat Davis 1-0 when the two teams met last year. Davis then faces Maple Mountain at home on Aug. 8, followed by a trip to Corner Canyon on Aug. 10. After games at home against Taylorsville (Aug. 14) and at Logan (Aug. 17), the Darts open Region 1 action Aug. 24 at home against Weber.