OGDEN — As the No. 4 seed in the boys 3A state soccer tournament, Ogden High had a favorable draw and a home game against No. 20 American Leadership Academy on Wednesday.

But through the first 40 minutes, the Tigers had only a single goal by senior captain Jace Oliverson to show for their efforts.

“We just weren’t finishing. I think we came in a little too confident and we can’t do that,” Oliverson said. “We knew we could beat them, we just played down to their level in the first half. We knew we were a way better team than that; obviously shown by the standings. We just had to play our game.”

Once the Tigers found their groove, they exploded for five goals in the second half and roared into the quarterfinals with a 6-0 shutout victory.

Oliverson scored that first-half goal on a spectacular bicycle kick in the 32nd minute after the ball bounced between several players in front of the net.

“Efrain (Barcenas) and Brigham (Aadema) both had a shot; the ball deflected off the keeper and I just followed it in back side,” Oliverson said. “Laying out was the only way I could reach it, so I just jumped up and kicked it.”

Ten minutes into the second half, Ogden (12-3) got the first of its five goals and put the game away with a flurry of activity.

Adam Wilson scored off an assist from Oliverson, followed by a succession of goals by Aadema, Zach Browning (penalty kick) and a brace by Gabriel Hinkson.

Wilson and Aadema’s goals were 2 minutes, 32 seconds apart and Browning and the first Hinkson score were spaced by 1 minute, 59 seconds.

“Once we got the first one under our belt, it was just goal, goal, goal, goal,” Oliverson said. “When we get one, we get on a roll and start going. We get confident and no one can stop us at that point.

“It’s just a momentum swing. Right when we score another one, they’re coming after us and the counterattack is wide open. Those are really big in soccer,” he added.

Striker turned splendid goalkeeper Rick Duran recorded yet another clean sheet for the Tigers.

“My defense is amazing. We all work together, talk, communicate,” Duran said. “They’re unstoppable. They work their butts off; that’s the reason I don’t get scored on. Jose (Castellano), Lincoln (Barnes), Efrain and Boston (Rodriguez) make my job easy.”

Ogden advances to host No. 5 Judge Memorial (10-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday.

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