2A Boys Soccer: No. 1 Maeser Prep rallies for 2-1 victory in quarterfinals
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- Waterford’s Jack Stevenson (16) collides with Waterford’s Luke Poole (8) and goalkeeper Declan DuBois in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinal match on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Maeser Prep boys soccer coach Dustin Simmons (black t-shirt) and Jaden Garner celebrate a 2-1 victory against Waterford in the 2A quarterfinals on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- From left, Maeser Prep’s Seth Johnson, Gavin Dayton and Jack Watkins celebrate a goal against Waterford in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinal on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Members of the Maeser Prep boys soccer team celebrate a 2-1 2A quarterfinal win against Waterford on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Members of the Maeser Prep boys soccer team celebrate a 2-1 victory against Waterford in the 2A quarterfinals on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- From left, Maeser Prep’s Noah Johnson, Jack Watkins and Gavin Dayton defend a shot from Waterford’s Murray Gibson in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinal on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Maeser Prep’s Jack Stevenson (16) races for the ball between Waterford’s Mateo Privat (14) and Jack Pead in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinal match on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Maeser Prep’s Noah Johnson (9) tries to hold off Waterford’s James Kirkham in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinal match on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Maeser Prep’s Matthew Simmons (left) and Waterford’s Connor Greally compete for a ball in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinal match on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Maeser Prep’s Jack Watkins (4) and Waterford’s Aaron Cao compete for a ball in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinals on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Maeser Prep’s Joseph Memmott chases down a ball in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinal match against Waterford on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
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- Maeser Prep’s Kale Garner (18) hangs in the air after heading a ball against Waterford in a 2A boys soccer quarterfinal match on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
This late in the season, Maeser Prep’s boys grass soccer field is uneven and weather-beaten with patches of dirt.
But the Lions took advantage of a couple of true bounces and they are headed to the state semifinals for the third straight season.
No. 1 seed Maeser Prep trailed No. 8 Waterford 1-0 with 30 minutes left to play in Saturday’s quarterfinal but rallied for a 2-1 victory, scoring the game-winner with less than five minutes to play and down a man due to a red card.
It all prompted senior Jack Stevenson to get a little emotional in the team huddle after the final whistle as he encouraged his teammates to cherish every moment they get on their home pitch.
“It means everything to do this on our field,” Stevenson said. “We like to think of our field as sacred ground. I know it’s bumpy and probably the worst field on 2A, or one of them, but we love it. We love the Hill (where the Maeser fans sit). This is going to be my third time reaching the semis and that’s pretty special in one career.”
The Lions beat Waterford 3-0 earlier this season but this time the Ravens defense was up to the task, producing a scoreless first half. The two squads battled for 50-50 balls in the air and it seemed a defender was attached to every pass on both sides.
Waterford finally broke through about ten minutes into the second half. A free kick was awarded to the Ravens from about 25 yards away and Hunter Marshall’s shot evaded the player wall, scooting into the net for a 1-0 lead.
Maeser Prep found the equalizer off their own free kick, this one by Matthew Simmons. The ball came down inside the box and Gavin Dayton was there to finesse it into the back of the net, forging a 1-1 tie.
It appeared the match might be headed to overtime as the clock ticked away but the Lions, despite losing Caleb Chavez to a red card, found some late magic with less than five minutes remaining. Freshman Denzel Sono-Koree battled for a through ball and put it in a dangerous spot in front of the goal. The ball bounced up to perfect header height for Jaden Garner, who smashed it past the Waterford goalkeeper for what would turn out to be the game-winner.
“That was so Jaden,” Maeser Prep coach Dustin Simmons said. “He’s a senior and he’s scored a goal like that for us before. He happened to be there and was able to elevate and head it in. He doesn’t get a lot of minutes but when he’s in, he’s the perfect sub, because he makes a difference.”
Maeser Prep has a penchant for digging out of a hole, having fallen behind American Leadership Academy 2-0 in last year’s quarterfinal round before pulling out a 3-2 victory.
“We’ve been in this position so many times,” Stevenson said. “We can lock in and get ourselves back in the box. That’s what is really special about this team. It’s our grit. We never give up.”
Coach Simmons added: “Our program is kind of built on work ethic and positive attitude. This year, we’ve got a team that’s got some talent and skill and when we play our game, we’re really dangerous. Today was kind of an off day, so we had to rely on the fundamentals of what Maeser has built its program on.”
The Lions will face a familiar opponent in Thursday’s semifinals: St. Joseph, which ran past Merit Prep 10-2 on Saturday. Maeser Prep and St. Joseph split their regular season series with the Jayhawks winning 3-2 on April 8 but the Lions roaring to a 7-0 shutout two weeks later.
St. Joseph also denied Maeser Prep in the 2023 2A state title match.
“When I first started 15 years ago, it was teams like Waterford and St. Joe’s that were always on top,” Coach Simmons said. “Now, it’s nice and humbling and an honor to be on that same level with them. The semifinals will be a dog fight.”
The 2A semifinals will be played on turf at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman.
“We play most of our away games on turf,” Coach Simmons said. “I think it surprises people how good we are based on the condition of our home field. But we’ve had some good games on turf. It plays to our strength and so we’re excited for it.”
No. 2 American Heritage 1, No. 10 Rowland Hall 0
Joseph’s Holmes second-half goal pushed the Patriots to victory on Saturday against upset-minded Rowland Hall.
The win earned American Heritage — which finished as runner-up to Rowland Hall in last year’s 2A final — a semifinal berth against No. 3 Grand. The Red Devils and Patriots meet at 3:45 on Thursday at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman. The other semifinal, No. 1 Maeser Prep and No. 4 St. Joseph, kicks off at 1:30 p.m.
