WASHINGTON TERRACE — Bonneville senior goalkeeper Karson Vanderhoof lost a year of eligibility due to the pandemic in 2020 so he wanted to do everything he could to extend his final high school season and get the Lakers a home game in the 5A state tournament.

“Time has flown by. I remember freshman year, when it was canceled, four years ago, like it was yesterday. It’s crazy,” Vanderhoof said. “Our focus was to make sure we qualify for state. We needed to make sure we won this game to get a better seed going into the playoffs.”

While the playoff brackets were not released Tuesday afternoon, Bonneville soccer put its best foot forward to host a home game in the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Box Elder, denying the Bees a chance to tie Bountiful for the Region 5 title.

Junior captain Dennin Anderson scored on a penalty kick in the 52nd minute and Vanderhoof and his defense protected that lead to the end.

“I’ve taken most of them (penalty kicks) this season and scored; I thought I should be able to put this game away and just handled it,” Anderson said. “I usually go left side and try to bury it in that corner.”

The Lakers (6-7, 6-4 Region 5) reversed the results of a 3-1 loss earlier to the Bees this year in Brigham City.

“We learned from that loss and took all those mistakes and used that to our benefit,” Anderson said. “We looked at them and saw their weaknesses and tried to attack those, and it worked out today. It could have been the last time our seniors would play on our grass.”

Bonneville got an early advantage when Stockton Moynier scored a rebound goal in front of the net in the fifth minute.

“I thought it was a good way to start off, having a goal up on Box Elder; they’re a really good team. It helped us quite a bit to get going,” Anderson said.

That goal stood up until Box Elder (8-7, 6-4) tied the game 1-1 on a penalty kick by Landon Lloyd in the 46th minute.

Six minutes later, Anderson’s PK gave the Lakers the lead for good, steeling Vanderhoof’s resolve.

“I knew it was going in. He hasn’t missed a penalty all year,” Vanderhoof said. “Then, if we don’t get another pen, I’m not getting scored on again.”

With a little help from his friends, Vanderhoof kept the Bees off the scoreboard the rest of the game.

“All of them had a least one sliding tackle and saved a shot 6 to 12 yards out there,” Vanderhoof said. “Once Stockton covered me when I was out and even Dawson (Nicholls) off the bench had one.”

Although the Bees missed their chance for the region championship, they have exceeded predicted expectations this year.

“We talked about focusing on the process, not the prize at the end,” Box Elder coach Kurt Jarman said. “It’s just one of those games that didn’t go our way. We were picked to finish last in region and to come out and have that chance … we just didn’t quite get it done. I’m super proud how they performed from start to finish. We’re going to continue to build on this going into state.”

When the playoff brackets are released, the Lakers will definitely have extended their season and hope to get their seniors that coveted home game.

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