There will be a new champion in Class 6A girls soccer this season. With a surprising loss in the state tournament quarterfinals, the Davis Darts saw their 21-game winning streak come to a halt. So, too, ended Davis’ chance to win its second consecutive 6A crown.

The Darts fell 1-0 at home to Skyridge, the third-place team from Region 3 and No. 8 seed in the tournament – a team that had lost seven games during the regular season. But Skyridge played excellent defense, keeping Davis off the board. Skyridge scored the game’s only goal in the second half with about 20 minutes left in regulation. The Darts couldn’t equalize, as they suffered their first loss of the season and first defeat since falling to Farmington in the second-to-last regulation game of the previous season, Sept. 27, 2022. 

Davis’ season ended with a 16-1 record and Region 1 title. 

Though the gut-wrenching loss was a tough one to take, Davis has plenty to be proud of this season. Besides its impressive winning streak, the Darts had one of the best defenses in the state. Davis gave up just 11 goals all season while earning eight shutouts. In seven other games, the Darts surrendered just a single goal and had two other games in which the opponent scored twice. No one managed to find the back of the net against Davis more than two times in a single game. Goalkeeper Elesha Magley was responsible for seven of those shutouts, but she had plenty of help from the Davis backline and midfielders too. 

Offensively, Davis scored 51 goals this season, 15 more than any other team in Region 1. Only three other 6A teams—Lone Peak, Copper Hills and Skyridge – scored more. Unlike some teams, which had one or two prolific scorers, Davis relied on a true team effort, as 14 different players had goals, and eight players had at least three goals. Brooklyn Phongsavath, a junior, paced the Darts with eight goals this season. Freshman Sammy Maudsley had seven, while fellow ninth grader Kate Willard had six. Junior Simone Packer also scored six goals, and senior Emmerson Taylor had five. Maudsley led Davis with four assists. 

So what’s the outlook for the 2024 season? On paper, there’s no reason to suggest Davis won’t once again be a force on the field. 

The Darts return several key players. Besides Phongsavath, Maudsley, Willard and Packer, sophomores T’maea Eteuati and Lydia Neville will be back. The duo had three goals and three assists this season, respectively. Junior Cadence Packer returns, having scored four times this season. Defender Mya Williamson will be back for her junior season next year. Magley will graduate, leaving the starting goalkeeper job open. However, junior Lexi Lund did fill in for her a bit this season and even had a shutout to her credit. 

Returning Davis players will also stay busy playing on their club teams between now and next August when the 2024 high school season beings.