1 / 7

2 / 7

Maple Mountain's Carter Egbert celebrates his golden goal scored to defeat Hillcrest 3-2 during the state semifinal round on Monday. May 18, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

3 / 7

Maple Mountain players celebrate their winning goal scored during semifinal action on Monday. May 18, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

4 / 7

Maple Mountain's Corbin Gardner works his way toward the goal during his team's thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Hillcrest. May 18, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

5 / 7

Maple Mountain's Trey Bess dribbles past the Hillcrest defense during his team's thrilling semifinal win on Monday. May 18, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

6 / 7

Maple Mountain celebrates its thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Hillcrest in the 5A semifinal round. May 18, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

7 / 7

Maple Mountain's Colton Ashby looks to advance the ball during his team's 3-2 overtime win over Hillcrest on Monday. May 18, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

❮ ❯

Something eventually had to give for Maple Mountain during Monday’s thrilling 5A semifinal matchup versus Hillcrest, and finally, as the first overtime was winding down, it did.

Finding the ball on his left foot and a wide open goal in front of him, Maple Mountain junior Carter Egbert found the back of the net to secure a 3-2 win and advance his team to the state championship match.

“I just wanted the he game to end. I was just hunting the ball, and luckily it just dropped, and the kid missed it and it came right back to me,” Egbert said after the Golden Eagle’s postgame celebration wound down.

Egbert’s initial attempt wasn’t successful as he entered the penalty box, but a failed clear by the Huskies set him up in prime position to boot through the game-winner and he didn’t let the opportunity pass him by.

“There was so many chances. It was such a relief,” said Maple Mountain coach Lincoln Snyder. “We saw Carter pulling on his left foot there, and we thought for sure this is going to be the one. And he came off and he’s like, ‘Oh man, I whiffed it so bad,’ but then he followed through, and that’s something our team always does. We just keep following through on every opportunity. You saw we had so many chances. A lot of them didn’t come through, but I’m just so relieved that it did in the right moment.”

Yes, Maple Mountain produced more than a fair share of prime scoring opportunities throughout the second half and into the overtime period of Monday’s game at Zions Bank Stadium. But time and again goals missed the inside of the posts by narrow margins while Husky goalkeeper Jesus Khalil contributed several impressive saves.

Maple Mountain didn’t relent, however, and kept the pressure on throughout, believing things would eventually break its way.

“The connection between the boys is what changed it all,” Snyder said of his team’s second half surge. “We were looking for each other and quickly. So when our guys were looking up, they weren’t waiting and second-guessing their decisions. They just made the decision and played faster. And so that’s why we were able to have at least dangerous attacks.”

Egbert led off Monday’s scoring with a goal scored just three minutes after the opening touch, but was answered by Hillcrest about 20 minutes later as the teams entered the half tied at 1-1. The Huskies took back the lead at 2-1 just a couple of minutes after the start of the second half before play strongly tilted Maple Mountain’s directly which provided many prime goal-scoring opportunities, as mentioned.

Maple Mountain eventually caught Hillcrest at 2-2 in the 59th minute courtesy of a free kick off the foot of Nathan Pineda that hit the crossbar, shot sharply down toward the goal line and just managed to break over for the equalizing score.

Of course defense played a key role in the win, and Maple Mountain proved downright stingy in preventing relatively few scoring opportunities for the Huskies.

“What led to our success was the trust between our center backs and the outside backs as well,” Snyder said.

With the win Maple Mountain advances to the 5A championship match where it will take on Bountiful Friday at Zions Bank Stadium.

“The boys really want it,” Snyder said. “It’s been a while since our program has been this far, and I know the boys really, really want it. And so every moment that they can find, they look for it.”