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Lehi players celebrate with senior Calista Wren after the 5A semifinal game against Bonneville at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Lehi and Bonneville players battle for the ball during the 5A semifinal game at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi players celebrate with senior Calista Wren after the 5A semifinal game against Bonneville at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Lehi senior Calista Wren (11) battles for the ball during the 5A semifinal game against Bonneville at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi players celebrate with their fans after the 5A semifinal game against Bonneville at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

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Lehi senior Ally Dahl kicks the ball during the 5A semifinal game against Bonneville at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi and Bonneville players battle for the ball during the 5A semifinal game at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi junior Hayley Ogden kicks the ball during the 5A semifinal game against Bonneville at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi and Bonneville players battle for the ball during the 5A semifinal game at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi players celebrate with senior Calista Wren (center) after the 5A semifinal game against Bonneville at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi and Bonneville players battle for the ball during the 5A semifinal game at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi and Bonneville players battle for the ball during the 5A semifinal game at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Patrick Carr, Special to the Daily Herald)

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Lehi players celebrate with senior Calista Wren after she scored a goal during the 5A semifinal game against Bonneville at Juan Diego in Draper on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

❮ ❯

“I’ve never seen a buzzer-beater in soccer before.”

Lehi senior midfielder Calista Wren had a huge grin on her face when she said that after the 5A state girls soccer semifinal match against Bonneville at Juan Diego High School in Draper on Tuesday and for good reason.

Wren turned out to be the scorer of the amazing buzzer-beater in the stunning 2-1 Pioneer win over the Lakers in overtime, although she needed a little bit of good luck to make it happen.

It appeared that the contest against the Lakers was headed to a second extra period as the countdown started for the final 10 seconds.

“10 … 9 … 8 … 7 …”

Wren heard the call coming over the loud speaker and decided to make one more attempt.

“It’s a throw in and I got the ball around like five seconds,” Wren said. “I take that touch and I hear three, two, and I’m like I just got to shoot it because that’s the only way we can win. So I just shot it and it went in.”

When an attacker puts the ball in a dangerous position, sometimes good things happen. That was the case this time as the ball slipped away from the Bonneville keeper and bounced into the goal, giving Lehi the stunning win.

“It was so crazy,” Wren said. “At first I was like, oh we won. And then I thought, Oh, we’re going to the championship. Then I just freaked out and everybody hugged me. There were hugs from everyone. It was so cool. I’m on Cloud Nine again.”

Pioneer head coach Tim Graham said that moment was one he’ll never forget.

“There is one second left on the clock, she rips a shot and we win,” Graham said. “There’s something special about this group. It never quits. Calista was just in the right spot and was like, ‘look, I’m just gonna rip it and if she catches it, she catches it. I had actually thought, ‘well, we’ll go to the second overtime’ — and then it was pandemonium. Calista did exactly what she’s done all year as a senior in leading out and working hard.”

It was a wild, unexpected finish to what had been a well-played game by both teams.

“We are possession team, and they took us out of our game in the first half completely ,” Graham said. “Credit to Bonneville. They had a game plan. They played well, they’re talented and they’re well-coached. We didn’t look like ourselves at all.”

But Lehi had done its homework as well and didn’t give the Lakers too many opportunities either.

“We watched five of their games on Saturday and Sunday,” Graham said. “All of us coaches put a scouting report together. We knew what they were going to do much like they knew how to defend us.”

Because of how well Bonneville’s defense was playing, the Pioneers had to change their mentality.

“At halftime we knew we had to make adjustments and basically play ugly soccer to win this game,” Graham said. “We just did that and defended really, really well.”

Wren said that adjustment made the game less enjoyable than it usually is but the team needed to tough it out.

“It was really hard, especially in the midfield because that’s what we do is play through the midfield,” Wren said. “As a midfielder, I feel like I would never get the ball and I was just defending the whole time. I don’t necessarily love it, but it worked today.”

Wren still maintained an aggressive mindset and when she saw an opening midway through the second half, she fired — even though she was 32 yards out. The shot was perfect, just under the crossbar, and it gave Lehi the lead.

“I wanted to beat the girl next to me to the ball, so I did and took the shot,” Wren said. “I’ve ripped shots from like that far out before. It’s kind of my thing.”

But that advantage only lasted less than two minutes as Bonneville answered with a gorgeous strike from the right side by senior Rylee Lopaz.

Neither team could break through the rest of the way, setting up the dramatic, buzzer-beating finale that sent Lehi to the championship.

“I’m excited to play there and just be in the championship because that’s been our goal all year long,” Wren said. “Of course, we want to win also.”

Graham said it might take a while for it to sink in but he’s excited to see his team reach their goal of playing in the 5A title game.

“They’ve earned every bit of it, the senior class, this team, the coaching staff,” Graham said. “It’s been incredible. What a journey. It’s awesome.”

The Pioneers will face top-seeded, undefeated Skyline in the championship, which will take place at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy Friday at 2 p.m.

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