Only the Tigers’ senior goalkeeper can speak to what went through his mind entering last month’s 1-0 victory over archrival Morgan in the 3A state championship, which marked the 11th shutout of the season and last of his four-year prep career at Ogden.

End of the line. Close the books. Onto the next challenge: a scholarship to continue his academic and athletic ambitions at USU Eastern next fall in Price.

If it were only that simple.

Peregrina is the 2026 All-Area Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

Much of Ogden’s graduating seniors spent the last five years under the wing of Todd Scott, who has delivered three state championships and a career 122-34 record in 11 years as head coach of the Tigers’ boys soccer program.

Peregrina denied a game-tying attempt from Morgan’s Brody Kinney in the waning moments of that state title match to preserve the one-goal shutout. Ogden has met Morgan in the postseason five times since 2021, including the last two state title matches with Peregrina tending the net for the Tigers.

“He’s always been so composed, but just to see him compose himself mentally (during a match) is just incredible,” Scott said. “He’s been able to just relax and see things that we can’t from a goalkeeper’s perspective.”

Peregrina, recording 30 clean sheets in his Tiger career, has two other rings to match his latest, but it’s what that third ring represents to the latest senior class, including fellow seniors Grant Aardema, Adam Jenks, Luke Larson and Francisco Rivas featured along his back line. Last month’s win was special.

“Everybody just puts a (brick) in the wall,” Peregrina said.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

Anytime Peregrina threw on the Ogden crest, it meant a lot. He’s got a lot of pride in his backyard, and it’s partially responsible for why he’s treated the net like his front yard.

For a former goalkeeper himself, Scott knows the job description well.

“That’s just what he possesses, for sure,” Scott said. “He’s a phenomenal talent, and a goalkeeper is a very specialized position and he started that from Day 1. To see him excel in this, and to see him play in the next year or two at the next level is incredible.”

The team’s mantra, “Heart, Hard Work and Talent,” has been the crux of Peregrina’s work ethic for four seasons. Almost every interview with Scott or any of his players includes a reference to those three words, and the buy-in is evident as ever.

“He’s pushed us to become the best man we can be,” Peregrina said of Scott.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

“It’s something we’ve talked about as a team,” Peregrina said. “We’re all just a bunch of boys from Ogden, and we went back-to-back-to-back now for the past three years. I think it says a lot about our motto, ‘Heart, Hard Work (and) Talent;’ it’s so true. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you have the heart and the hard work and the brotherhood that we had, you can do just about anything you put your mind to.”

Ogden soccer is also a family matter for Peregrina.

His older sister, Naveah Peregrina, carried her Ogden career north to the University of Portland, and, following a call-up to train with the U.S. Women’s National Team, will continue playing at Utah in the Big 12 next fall.

Sustaining a new family tradition — school and soccer — is important to Xaxier as he embarks on the next chapter of his life. High school’s behind him, but the lessons learned working for his latest opportunity are still close to the vest.

“Going to college to play soccer, you get your backup plan with the dream of playing soccer for the fun of it and enjoying your time while you can,” Peregrina said.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net, X @ctbecker and Instagram @standardexaminersports.