The Class 5A state boys soccer playoffs are here, giving teams a fresh start and a chance to play for a title. Locally, both Bountiful and Viewmont bowed out early, though the Redhawks did advance to the second round. Woods Cross didn’t qualify. 

Bountiful

The Redhawks went 7-3 in Region 5 to capture the league title. The team was 9-5 in the regular season and got the No 11 seed in the 5A tournament. 

In the first round, Bountiful drew a familiar foe: 11th-seeded Northridge. The two teams met twice during the regular season as region opponents. Bountiful won both both, each by a single goal. The Redhawks prevailed 2-1 at home on April 25 and 1-0 in a May 8 road game in the regular season finale May 8.

In the state tournament, May 12, the two teams were once again on the pitch together. And, once more, it was Bountiful which stood victorious by one goal.

In the first-round matchup, the Redhawks won 2-1 at homes, scoring both goals in the first half. Elias Pacheco and Evan Drueding found the back of the net, while Javier Moreno assisted on both goals. It was Pacheco’s fourth goal of the season and Drueding’s third. For Bountiful, it was the seventh game in a row in which it held an opponent to no more than one goals. 

In the second round, Bountiful got Region 6 champion Murray, Class 5A’s sixth-seeded team. The May 16 game with a thriller. 

Both teams scored in the second half in what had been a scoreless game to that point. Pacheco scored for the Redhawks, as the contest went into overtime. Neither team scored in either of the two overtime sessions, taking the matchup to a shootout. There, Murray outlasted the Redhawks by outshooting them 4-3. The heartbreaking losses ended Bountiful’s season with a 10-6 overall record. 

Viewmont 

The Vikings ended up in a three-way tie for second place in Region 5, finishing 6-4 in league play. Viewmont was seeded 16th in the playoffs, giving it a home game against Region 5’s Box Elder. 

Viewmont had defeated Box Elder twice during the regular season, 2-0 on April 18 and 3-1 on May 5. But the third time wasn’t the charm for the Vikings. 

In the most important game of the season for Viewmont, the offense couldn’t get it going against the Bees’ defense. Box Elder scored in the first half in what turned out to be the game’s only goal. The 1-0 loss ended Viewmont’s season, as the Vikings finished 7-8 overall. 

Viewmont says goodbye to nine seniors. The team will welcome back a large contingent of returning players next season. λ