Skyridge boys soccer can’t get timing right, loses to Syracuse in 6A finals
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- Skyridge players lay on the field in disappointment after losing the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge sophomore Lucas White shoots a shot during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge players pose for a photo with the second-place trophy after the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge players are overcome by emotion after losing the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge junior Rollins Mason looks to attack during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge junior Arat Rodriguez dribbles the ball up the field during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge junior Jackson Wangsgard dribbles up the field during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Roger Elias tries to bring the ball down during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge senior Tanner Parry kicks the ball during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge junior Arat Rodriguez tries to get to a cross but it is intercepted by the keeper during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge junior Thorn Cannon heads the ball during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge junior Arat Rodriguez battles for the ball during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
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- Skyridge fans watch the action during the 6A title game against Syracuse at America First Field in Sandy on May 25, 2023.
Soccer is all about timing.
Whether it is making a run to get to a through-ball or jumping to head a set piece, frequently the critical moments come down to which team is able to be in the right spot.
In Thursday evening’s 6A state boys soccer championship, twice in two minutes Syracuse was able to get its timing perfect — while Skyridge simply couldn’t ever find that same precision.
That resulted in a 2-0 Titan win over the Falcons, giving Syracuse the 6A title and forcing Skyridge to settle for second for the second time in three years.
“We just couldn’t find the timing,” Falcon head coach Jerry Preisendorf said. “They were running an offside trap and we kept wanting to go forward. And we can’t. We have to make those lateral moves. The ball was either too direct or too hard or too weak. We had two or three chances at the end but just couldn’t get it done.”
Neither team had much to show for their efforts in the first half, although the Titans did put a little more pressure on the Skyridge end of the field.
Less than two minutes into the second half, a storm rolled in, pelting the field briefly with heavy rain and forcing a 30-minute delay due to a nearby lightning strike.
When the game started again, Syracuse pounced.
The Titans earned a foul that was virtually a corner kick and placed it perfectly in the box, heading the ball into the corner of the goal to take the lead.
Less than two minutes later, Syracuse timed a cross perfectly and senior Ryker Smith just chipped it over the charging keeper to double the advantage.
That turned out to be all the scoring, although both teams had to have defenders clear the ball off the line on corner kicks later in the second half.
Even though the Falcons were down, they battled hard until they finally ran out of time.
“They were not going to stop,” Preisendorf said. “They’re really good kids, on and off the field. They worked hard. I told them we were going to come here at the beginning of the year and we got here. We just couldn’t get it done, unfortunately.”
It was an impressive run for a team that went through a rough stretch in the middle of the season. Injuries and mistakes resulted in a number of losses, but Skyridge found a way to fight through and get to the final game of the playoffs.
“We just didn’t have the unity during that time,” Preisendorf said. “We had guys who were hurt. We were starting different lineups and we couldn’t find any chemistry. But at the end they came together when it counted.”
Although the Falcons certainly felt like they could win the 2023 6A crown, Preisendorf is optimistic about the future of the program.
“We’re young,” he said. “We have six seniors, whose leadership was key. We’ll see what happens, see if the young kids can learn. I think they want to play the right way and they are all great kids. I think we’re going be back next year.”
His message to the underclassmen is to learn from what happened on Thursday and be better prepared next season.
“Let’s just do one more step in the process,” Preisendorf said. “Let’s get better timing. Let’s make better runs and better decisions. We are a possession team and they man-marked us. We’ve just got to figure that out a little faster.”
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