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DRAPER — In 2017, Corner Canyon’s girls soccer team made a breakthrough — advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time in the school’s brief history.
A year later, the Chargers made even greater history.
Kenli Coon had a goal and an assist, and Corner Canyon added goals from Macy Hart, Kayla Milford and Willow Collins to help the Chargers cruise to a 4-0 win over Skyline in Class 5A state semifinals Tuesday afternoon at Juan Diego.
Goalkeeper Haleigh Rasmussen earned the shutout for Corner Canyon (17-2), which advanced to Friday’s state championship at 2 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium.
“It’s so exciting,” Corner Canyon coach Krissa Reibold said. “All year, we focused on being a team. To see it rewarded for their work and their effort, I don’t think there’s a better feeling.”
Hart opened the scoring midway through the first half, redirecting a one-time cross from Makenzie Taylor into the area inside the far post for a 1-0 lead.
Hart, who scored her first goal of the season, nearly bagged another in the first half. But the senior’s touch got away from her in the 35th minute, and Skyline’s under-siege defense cleared away another dangerous chance.
But one touch was all she needed for the goal — and the only score the Chargers needed.
“I don’t usually score a whole lot, so it was pretty exciting,” Hart said. “It was a little surprising that no one was stepping up to me, but it was fun.”
Milford doubled the advantage with just over two minutes left in the half. The Chargers’ leading scorer headed a free kick from Maryn Granger over Skyline goalkeeper Lucy Peterson for her 21st goal of the season to help Corner Canyon move on to Rio Tinto Stadium.
17’ Macy Hart (Makenzie Taylor)
37’ Kayla Milford (Maryn Granger)
57’ Willow Collins (Kenli Coon)
76’ Kenli Coon
By the end of the half, the Chargers could’ve led by as much as 5-0 with a consistent volume of pressure.
Instead, they took a 2-0 lead into the break — and never let up.
“We talked about playing a full 80-minute game, and it’s about consistency,” Reibold said. “In these games, everyone is good. There isn’t room for mistakes; if we have a mistake, how quickly can we correct and get back to the top of our game.”
Collins added an insurance goal in the second half, heading home Coon’s corner kick that ricocheted off the post and into the back of the net in the 57th minute to give the Chargers a 3-0 advantage.
Coon added a marker with five minutes remaining to finish off the Eagles (13-5).
Corner Canyon will face the winner of Timpview and Murray in Friday’s state championship, the first in the history of a program that started in 2013.
“I think it’s a really big step,” Hart said. “I think this was our year to get there, and the team showed what we can do.”
