The Woods Cross girls soccer team has had some ups and downs the past few seasons, but the team has consistently been competitive. The Wildcats will need to be at the top of their game this season in what looks to be a challenging Region 5. 

Head coach David Newman is entering his fourth year at Woods Cross. Last year, the Wildcats went 5-9 overall and tied for second in Region 5 with a 5-5 mark. Three of Woods Cross’ losses were by a single goal. Another was by two goals, while the team also fell in the state tournament in a shootout. 

Had a few plays gone their way, the Wildcats may have had different fortunes in 2022. Still, the team has some solid play to build on. 

Leading scorer Oakley Anderson comes back for her senior year, and that’s good news for the Wildcats’ offensive attack. Woods Cross scored 31 goals last season, with Anderson netting 10 of those. She also had two assists to her credit Anderson will be the focal point on offense, but she’ll have some help. Junior Bailey Brown had a goal and an assist last season and should have a more prominent role this season. Senior Samantha Vincent will also be a key part of the Woods Cross team after picking up a goal last season. Senior goalie Elsie Roberts had a shutout last season splitting time in the net with Taylor Halasz. 

Region 5 will be different this season, as two new teams join the league. The addition of former Class 6A schools Roy and Clearfield bring the total of region teams to eight. That means the Wildcats will have a slate of 14 league contests. The Wildcats have just two non-region games on the schedule that began with the season opener Aug. 3 at Mountain Ridge. The team also faces Ogden on Aug. 17 on the road. The first Region 5 matchup for the Wildcats was on Aug. 8 against Bountiful.

The region could be a tough one for Woods Cross – and the other teams in the league, for that matter. Bountiful reached the state title game a year ago, while region champion Bonneville didn’t lose a single league game. Clearfield and Roy bring larger enrollments as school, so they could have some advantages with depth. 

Newman and his squad will look to return to its winning ways after back-to-back seasons of below-.500 play. The Wildcats were 10-8 in 2020. The regular season ends Sept. 26 at Northridge. The state tournament then follows, where every team gets a shot at winning a 5A championship.