Mountain Ridge soccer impresses in preseason, ready for region play

By Justin Adams | [email protected]

After a preseason slate of non-region games, the Mountain Ridge girls soccer team has already surpassed its 2020 and 2019 win totals with a record of 5-1.

“I couldn’t be any happier with where we are right now,” said head coach Jeremy King following a 2-1 victory over RSL Academy High School. 

After conceding a goal in the closing moments of the first half, the Sentinels trailed for most of the second half until Cortnee Johnson took a deflection and slotted it past the RSL keeper. The goal meant a little extra to her, as she went to RSL Academy for her freshman year and is good friends with the girls on that team.

The same goes for fellow senior, Saige Stuart, who scored the game-winning goal in extra time.

“I know pretty much the entire team. I’ve played club with pretty much all of them,” she said.

With the team’s move to Region 3, which includes other schools in the southwest valley, playing against familiar faces will become the norm.

“That’s what’s so fun about being in this region this year, every team we play, the girls know each other from club or going to the same school previously. I think it’s a lot of fun,” said King.

Stuart, for example, went to Riverton High for her sophomore year and is looking forward to going up against her old friends and teammates. 

The Sentinels will welcome Riverton High to their home field for their first region game of the year on Aug. 31. 

Through the preseason, King said his team’s biggest area of improvement has been in their maturity.

“The first games, the coaches were telling them what to do. Now the girls know what to do,” he said. 

King said he’s able to make tactical changes in the middle of a game - like going from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2, and the girls know exactly what to do. 

“I can see how much we’ve grown in the style of play we want to play. It’s a good feeling to know that all our hard work during the summer is paying off,” Johnson said. 

Stuart has noticed how well the team’s many freshmen and sophomores have stepped up their games.

“Instead of having six or seven seniors like we did last year, we only have four seniors, but our freshmen have stepped in and filled those holes,” she said.

Another strength for the team through the first six games has been their fitness level. With half of their games going into extra time, King said his team has been the more conditioned side in each match.

“When my girls came in before the season, I told them the number one thing if you want to make me team is come ready and fit. All three overtime games we’ve played, our girls have been the aggressors because they’re fit,” he said.