Boys soccer: 2 dislocated fingers, 1 own goal help Davis defeat Layton 2-0
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- Davis High’s Luke Jolley, center, reaches to kick the ball as Layton players Joseph Rudolphi (37) and Davis Madsen (13) converge during a Region 1 boys soccer match Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Davis High’s Cohen Bowden, left, challenges Layton’s Cameron Whitesides (10) for possession during a Region 1 boys soccer match Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Davis High’s Graidy Arnell, left, tries to get around Layton’s Trey Olsen during a Region 1 boys soccer match Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton keeper Jack Gibbs extends for a stop during a Region 1 boys soccer match against Davis on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Davis High’s Henry Tanner pulls back to strike the ball during a Region 1 boys soccer match against Layton on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Dylan Carlini heads the ball during a Region 1 boys soccer match against Davis on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Davis High’s Calvin Huff, center, battles Layton’s Joseph Rudolphi, right, during a Region 1 boys soccer match Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Wylee Rollins (21) moves the ball past Davis High’s Griffin Carmack (22) during a Region 1 boys soccer match Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Davis High’s Graidy Arnell moves the ball during a Region 1 boys soccer match against Layton on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Isaac Kartchner takes care of the ball during a Region 1 boys soccer match against Davis on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Davis Madsen rears back for a kick during a Region 1 boys soccer match against Davis on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Layton.
LAYTON — Davis High senior Graidey Arnell lives in the 84037 zip code, but was conveniently at home in the 84041 against Layton on Friday.
Arnell was the closest Davis soccer player in the neighborhood when Layton mistakenly netted an own goal in the 32nd minute for the first score of their Region 1 matchup.
“Cooper Harwood, on the wing, beat them and played a great through ball to the middle and I just happened to be there. It was a good fight and ended up our way,” Arnell said. “I was shoulder to shoulder with their defender and hit it; it went in during the mix-up.”
The Darts added another goal in the second half and gutted out a tough 2-0 road victory.
“We knew they were going to come out to defend their home turf. We know how we play and had to step it up a little,” Arnell said.
Davis (7-2, 2-0 Region 1) constantly pounded Layton goalie Jack Gibbs in the first half before the own goal finally slipped past the line after bouncing around in front of the net and off the post.
“We’ll take any goal. It’s nice to have an own goal, especially when we were pressing the whole time. … An opportunity was going to come,” Arnell said.
Layton (3-2, 1-1) coach Rick Talamantez said a breakdown on the basics led to his team letting the Darts on the board in the first half.
“It was an unfortunate lack of communication on the back line and one of my players buried it,” Talamantez said. “It happens; Davis is a fantastic team. They put a lot of pressure on us. We need to prevent the little mistakes we are making.”
Mistake number two came in the 65th minute when senior August Christiansen scored a for-real goal, giving the Darts a 2-0 edge.
Junior keeper Jaxson Yanyecic and the Davis defense made that lead stand up to the end.
“It was all the defense; I didn’t do much. They made it easy for me today,” Yanyecic said.
Speaking of being in the right place at the right time, Yanyecic dislocated two fingers on his left hand while defending multiple Layton shots on goal during a hotly contested series, but said the injury occurred precisely because he was in the correct location.
“I was actually in the right place; it saved a goal. On the first shot, the ball popped up; I hit it away,” Yanyecic said. “I was on the ground on the second one. The ball was in my reach, but I could only get my fingertips on it. I’d do it again because it could have led to a goal, and that would have made it a 1-1 game.”
He exited at the 53rd minute, returning five minutes later after a brief trip to the trainer, and was in goal when Christiansen scored moments later.
“It was actually fun. After our second goal, it meant more. I think I liked it when I got injured because it got me more into the game, even though it hurts,” Yanyecic said. “I need to go to urgent care, but I was coming back into the game if it wasn’t broken, no matter what.”
So, two goals of any kind proved to be enough for the Darts on Friday.
“With our back line, everyone’s talking; everyone knows their job. We needed to get more, but obviously that own goal kept us up the whole game … it worked out,” Arnell said. “Our pressure was amazing. We pressed as a unit and a team to make sure they didn’t build out of the back.”
Talamantez turns his focus to the future, noting: “We’ll come back from this. We’ll work hard and meet these guys again. We made mistakes in the back line and our midfield, and Davis capitalized on it.”
