Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
HERRIMAN — It would be tempting to say Skyline built on the legacy of a girls soccer powerhouse Friday with a 5A state championship.
Technically, that might be true. But this year's Eagles were far unlike last year's undefeated champs.
Guess the Eagles have learned something along the way.
Lily Hall, Jenna Nichols, Ella Hall and Clara Love each converted a penalty kick, and Skyline and its team of mostly juniors clinched the program's third 5A state title in four years with a 4-2 shootout Friday over Bountiful.
Grace Kinghorn — one of nine seniors on a roster that inherited the unenviable task of building on the 20-0 season of 2021 — made two saves in the shootout to finish off her complete-game shutout for the Eagles (14-6), who went from 10-seed to state champs.
"Last year's team was absolutely amazing, but I think what made this team special was our work ethic," Kinghorn said. "We had to constantly dig ourselves out of a hole and get ourselves up to make it this far.
"Actually making it here was amazing."
For the third time in four years, @SkylineHS are 5A girls soccer state champions pic.twitter.com/j38gYjvQCh
— KSL.com Sports (@KSLcomSports) October 21, 2022
Caroline Hellewell and Emma Young each converted a penalty for Bountiful (13-6-1), the No. 8 seeds who had never gone to a shootout all year.
But those goals only came after Kinghorn stood on her head, making back-to-back saves to give the Eagles all the lead they needed before her teammates surrounded her with chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" as Skyline lifted the trophy for the fifth time in program history.
"Most of these girls are going to be back next year, too," Skyline coach Yamil Castillo said. "All the juniors want more trophies to win.
"After having an undefeated season last year, we realized early on that we're not gonna make it in the same way we did twice (before). We had to be different."
The Eagles (14-6) won primarily through defense, including goalkeepers Kinghorn and freshman Zoe Liang. The duo led Skyline to eight shutouts on the year, including a 5-4 shootout over Maple Mountain in the 5A second round.
That gave Skyline all the confidence it needed that — while this team was different than the dominant power of a year ago — they still had the ability to go to the same place: lifting the trophy at the end of the season.
"I think we had the advantage of having the experience," Castillo said of the shootout. "I was not as nervous as I was against Maple Mountain. I knew that these girls had it.
"Hard work is the secret. And then they trusted in each other."
Skyline held the possession, but better chances than Bountiful in the first half en route to a scoreless draw at the break. But the Eagles, if nothing else, did well in locking down Bountiful breakout freshman Belle Sorensen, who had 15 goals and seven assists prior to Friday's finale.
Ditto for Bountiful and Skyline junior Lily Hall, who averaged nearly two goals per match.
Chloe Limpert had the Eagles' best look at goal during regulation, but her breakaway chance in the 76th minute from inside the box sailed right of the post.
That set up two golden-goal extra-time sessions. Neither one of them decided the moment, either.
"Penalties are just kind of a guess, and you go with it. I guessed right, I guess," Kinghorn said. "It was so much adrenaline."
