High school soccer: Leopards slip past Rams again

Facing Highland on its home field didn't leave much wiggle room if East High hoped to create a successful outcome. After all, the Rams sported a perfect record when they scored even a single goal this season.

The Leopards figured they would have to come up with one of their best defensive efforts if they were to prevail over Highland a second straight time.

"We just wanted to keep it on their side of the field," defender Sarah Ensign said. "We knew we couldn't let them score because, if they did, we wouldn't win."

When the final whistle blew at Sugarhouse Park, the result had an oddly familiar feel to it. East claimed a 1-0 victory against the Rams for a second straight time this season on Thursday afternoon.

The Leopards have won nine straight and stretched their unbeaten streak to 12 games. More importantly, East clinched its second consecutive Region 6 title.

"It feels amazing," Ensign said. "We've been working for this all season."

Sophomore forward Sara Skanchy came up with the game's only goal in the 66th minute. Susannah Hertz found Skanchy down low in front of the 6-yard box. The sophomore had to thread the ball past a few Highland defenders, but successfully put it where it needed to go.

East had frequently run a similar play in practice, and it helped Skanchy navigate the chaos in front of the net.

"It was the perfect set-up goal," Skanchy said. "We had been working on the play over and over."

Throughout the second half, the Rams struggled to generate much of an attack. East kept Highland on its heels, fending off drives and long passes into the penalty area.

When the Rams did get up field, they were limited to creating shots off corner kicks and other set pieces.

"We did a good job of stonewalling them in the attacking third," Leopards coach Rudy Schenk said. "We never let them get behind us. We did a good job of stopping them before they got into the box and were able to get a quality shot off."

Schenk expected a defensive battle because that's exactly what occurred between the two teams the first time around. And he felt confident about East's chances in such a situation because it has been the Leopards' defense — not its offense — that has played the most crucial role in its lengthy unbeaten streak.

"It's been a stellar defensive effort all season long," said Schenk, who had to break in two new backline starters this season.

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E-mail: jcoon@desnews.com

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