14-0: St. Joseph boys soccer wins 2A championship, sets Utah goals-allowed record
-
- St. Joseph Catholic High’s boys soccer team celebrates after beating Maeser Prep in the 2A state championship game on Friday, May 12, 2023 at America First Field in Sandy.
-
- St. Joseph Catholic High’s boys soccer team celebrates after beating Maeser Prep in the 2A state championship game on Friday, May 12, 2023 at America First Field in Sandy.
-
- St. Joseph Catholic High’s boys soccer team celebrates after beating Maeser Prep in the 2A state championship game on Friday, May 12, 2023 at America First Field in Sandy.
-
- St. Joseph Catholic High’s boys soccer team celebrates after beating Maeser Prep in the 2A state championship game on Friday, May 12, 2023 at America First Field in Sandy.
-
- St. Joseph Catholic High’s boys soccer team celebrates after beating Maeser Prep in the 2A state championship game on Friday, May 12, 2023 at America First Field in Sandy.
-
- St. Joseph Catholic High’s boys soccer team celebrates after beating Maeser Prep in the 2A state championship game on Friday, May 12, 2023, at America First Field in Sandy.
SANDY — One year ago on the same field, St. Joseph Catholic High School’s boys soccer team experienced mixed feelings about getting to the 2A state championship game, even though it ended with a loss to Rowland Hall.
This year, the Jayhawks only felt happy. And maybe some relief.
The No. 1 seeded team in this year’s 2A state tournament completed an unbeaten 14-0 season by thrashing No. 2 Maeser Prep 3-0 in Friday’s state title game at America First Field, setting a new state record and winning St. Joseph’s first boys soccer state title since 1996.
“It feels great. We’ve been working for this moment since the beginning of the season. We’ve been working hard for this, so just celebrate now. Of course, had a tough team, we always knew it would be a tough game,” sophomore striker Daniel Fontes said.
Technically, the ’96 title wasn’t a UHSAA-sanctioned state championship. So Friday’s trophy-winner is St. Joseph’s first sanctioned boys soccer state title, and the postgame celebration reflected such.
In 14 games this year, St. Joseph finished with a goalscoring margin of 102-2. Two goals allowed in a season is a new state record for boys soccer, breaking Weber High School’s previous record of three goals allowed in 2021.
“Relax, very happy. You know, we deserve this,” SJCHS head coach Paulo Franco said. “Two years working hard, last year we took the second place, but this year we did our best. We knew our roster, our players, we did a fantastic job and this is for them.”
Of their 14 games this season, the Jayhawks were legitimately challenged in maybe half of them, including Friday’s match. But as in most games, St. Joseph took control early.
A Fontes goal gave the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead early in the first half. Tomas Paraizo made it 2-0 shortly afterward and Maeser played better after that.
The now-record-setting Jayhawks defense, which is predicated more on controlling possession and limiting opponents to any sort of attacking chances, rarely allowed Maeser any forays forward.
“Playing as a team and of course always playing hard, every single position,” Fontes said. “Midfielders, defenders, strikers, everyone running for each other, so that’s how the team’s made.”
As the No. 2 Lions chased the game, they had to commit more players forward. So in the 77th minute, Fontes and the Maeser goalkeeper were the only ones going after a bouncing ball about 35 yards from the goal.
Fontes got there first and lobbed the keeper. The ball bounced once, twice, and in for the final margin, effectively closing the door on any potential Lions comeback.
A year after scoring 30 goals as a freshman, Fontes finished his sophomore campaign with 36, which is tied for the fourth-highest single-season total in state history, according to the UHSAA record book.
The other thing that improved year over year was St. Joseph’s mentality on the big stage, playing on the bigger field in the big stadium.
“Last year we lost, it was more mental than technical. We had some problems and it happened, but this year it was stronger mentally and we made it,” Franco said.
Though Maeser, based in Lindon, had the larger and louder fan base — no doubt inspiring the Lions in their first-ever title-game appearance — St. Joseph had been here before and knew how to handle the moment, along with being the better team overall.
“I like to say that you never lose, you always learn,” Fontes said.
Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports.