×
×
homepage logo
SUBSCRIBE

Hero time: Lone Peak girls soccer caps perfect season, beats Davis in 6A championship

By Jared Lloyd - | Oct 25, 2024
1 / 10
Lone Peak players celebrate after the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
2 / 10
Lone Peak players and coaches pose for a photo after the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
3 / 10
Lone Peak players celebrate after the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
4 / 10
Lone Peak players celebrate after the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
5 / 10
Lone Peak senior Brooke Hendricks celebrates after scoring a goal during the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
6 / 10
Lone Peak senior defender Ruby Lee heads the ball during the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
7 / 10
Lone Peak senior Kate Denney passes the ball during the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
8 / 10
Lone Peak senior Islay Smith heads the ball during the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
9 / 10
Lone Peak junior Hannah Heimuli brings the ball down during the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
10 / 10
Lone Peak players prepare to take the field before the 6A championship game against Davis at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.

There was something fitting about hearing Bonnie Tyler’s classic song, “Holding Out for a Hero” blaring on the speakers at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman after Lone Peak’s exciting 2-0 win over Davis in the 6A girls soccer championship on Friday afternoon.

Because the Knights did indeed need heroes to step up if they were going to achieve their goals against a talented, determined Dart squad.

“They played phenomenal,” Lone Peak head coach Shantel Jolley said. “We knew today was going to be super tough, easily our toughest game this year. We knew Davis was a really good team, but I think for us there was the excitement of being able to play a really good team. I had great confidence that these girls were going to play well, so it was good to see them actually do that.”

Knight senior Kate Denney agreed, saying this was a big challenge but her team was ready for it.

“I’m so proud of our team,” Denney said. “We’ve been preparing for this all season and we just showed up today.”

There were two obvious heroes who stepped up for Lone Peak, both of whom had their own stories of how they got in those positions.

One of those was Knight senior forward Brooke Hendricks.

After the 2-0 Lone Peak quarterfinal home win over Lehi on Oct. 17, Hendricks was visibly frustrated.

Eight days later, however, she was the Knight player who ran onto a through-ball from junior Kate Fuller, found herself in a one-on-one situation with the Davis keeper and finished inside the far post.

“I saw Fuller and I saw an opportunity, so I just went for it,” Hendricks said. “I tried to stay as composed as I could and finish it in the back of the net. It’s definitely an exciting moment, especially for the state championship. It’s definitely something that not many people get to go through, so I’m definitely glad I was able to put it in there.”

She said that the journey from being down to scoring the biggest goal of the season was all about relying on the girls around her.

“It’s definitely been tough mentally,” Hendricks said. “But I think through using my team and relying on them, it’s definitely helped me through this to get to here. And I knew if they could count on me, then everything would be all right.”

Denney said being there for each other is what this Knight team has been about all season.

“I’m so proud of her,” Denney said. “I’m so proud of everyone. Jolley stresses how mental the game is. I think Brooke really overcame a lot this season and it’s been awesome to see her progression.”

It turned out that Hendricks’s 46th-minute goal was all Lone Peak needed — but only because of another heroic play.

Late in the second half, the Darts dropped a long free kick into the box that was headed right for Knight junior keeper Eliza Collings. A Davis player collided with Collings and no whistle was forthcoming, resulting in the ball bouncing dangerously toward the goal.

But Lone Peak senior Ruby Lee never slowed down but made sure that ball wouldn’t cross the line.

“That’s about as close as they get,” Lee said. “I just was following the ball. I thought my keeper had it but I went behind her, just in case. Somehow it slipped out and so I cleared it. It was so stressful, but good.”

She said that in the moment there isn’t time to recognize the significance of such a play.

“You don’t even realize in the moment that you just actually saved the game because it’s so stressful and you’re just so locked in,” Lee said. “You’re like, I’ve got to get this out of here.”

That’s the type of play Jolley said the team knows Lee will make, despite being a defender who doesn’t get much fanfare or attention.

“Ruby has been an absolute rock back there,” Jolley said. “She does her job almost as a silent killer. We had a different center back last year who was aggressive and going through girls. But Ruby’s just a solid, calming presence back there that rarely — if ever — gets beat. She does her job and doesn’t want the accolades or the glory or anything. She’s just happy to do her job and be one of our captains this year too. She’s great.”

While the made goal and stopped goal were the two biggest plays of the game, the Knights got a lot of other players who stepped up big time even if the moments weren’t as dramatic.

“I just trusted in my team,” Lee said. “We just had such a good game. I love my team, so it was so fun.”

There was Fuller, who had the assist and then tallied the second goal off a perfect long free kick with one second left in the game.

Denney, as she usually is, dominated the middle, fearlessly tracking down balls in the air and bringing intensity and physicality.

Knight senior Sam Sellers put so much pressure on the Davis wing that the Darts often brought two players over to limit her openings.

Lone Peak senior Islay Smith was all over the field making plays, while sophomore Ada Villarreal and Bailee Zentner shut things down in the back.

Knight juniors Ivy Harding and Hannah Heimuli patrolled the middle and created a lot of openings, while Collings shut down a couple of Davis chances as well.

Lone Peak needed everyone to elevate their game, since one of the most talented Knights — senior Bella Devey — was off with the national team.

“We love Bella and she is an amazing player, but we have so much talent on this team,” Denney said. “Our team motto this year is ‘for each other.’ I think this year, knowing that we have to show up for people that might be gone or like things might be happening in the game. I think everyone just really stepped up and did their job today, which is all we needed.”

In the end, Lone Peak got the job done, capping an undefeated season and becoming the first 6A team to win back-to-back titles.

“t’s definitely something that I dreamed of,” Hendricks said. “Having it be my senior year and winning state twice is all I could ask for, and I’m glad I could be a part of it.”

It made Jolley emotional to think about her girls achieving their goals.

“I’m so proud of them,” Jolley said. “This senior class, they’re just special. That’s a special group. It makes me so proud for them to accomplish the things that they’ve worked so hard for. I’m definitely going miss them.”