Boys soccer playoffs: ‘Heart and hard work’ pushes perfect Ogden into 3A semifinals
The 3A semifinals are set and it's a Region 12 affair
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- Grant Aardema 8, Harry Hoskins 23, Jace Rodriguez 29 Backflip after goal
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- An unlisted Ogden High player, left, and Manti’s Tyler Steinfeldt, right, during a 3A boys soccer quarterfinal playoff contest with Manti on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Ogden High School.
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- Ogden High’s Jaydon Bartletti and Manti’s Jesse Chavez pictured during a 3A boys soccer quarterfinal playoff contest with Manti on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Ogden High School.
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- Manti’s Brian Tinoco, and Ogden High’s Parley Gladwell pictured during a 3A boys soccer quarterfinal playoff contest with Manti on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Ogden High School.
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- Manti’s Cade Hunter, Ogden High’s Jace Rodriguez, and Juan Tinoco pictured during a 3A boys soccer quarterfinal playoff contest with Manti on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Ogden High School.
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- Zeke Snow 9, Trace Anderson 8Andrew Pierce 6
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- Ogden High’s Zeke Snow (9) and Trace Anderson (8) pictured during a 3A boys soccer quarterfinal playoff contest with Manti on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Ogden High School.
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- Ogden High’s Parley Gladwell pictured during a 3A boys soccer quarterfinal playoff contest with Manti on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Ogden High School.
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- Ogden High’s Jace Rodriguez (29), Grant Aardema (8), and Eli Robinson (18) celebrate a goal during a 3A boys soccer quarterfinal playoff contest with Manti on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Ogden High School.
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- Ogden High’s Jace Rodriguez pictured during a 3A boys soccer quarterfinal playoff contest with Manti on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Ogden High School.
OGDEN – Ogden High boys soccer team has three phrases emblazoned on its warmup jersey, all in capital letters: “HEART, HARD WORK and TALENT.”
“That comes from our coaches; it’s what our team resembles. Not everything’s just about the talent you have, but it’s the heart and hard work that get the job done,” Ogden senior co- captain Jace Rodriguez said. “It shows what some of our boys out here-like Xavier (Peregrina) and Grant (Aardema)-they’re phenomenal…they represent that quote; that’s why they were chosen captains.”
All three phrases were on display during the No. 1 Tigers’ 7-0 shutout victory over No. 9 Manti in the 3A state quarterfinals on Friday.
It could be said that Rodriguez is the “HEART” of the team, as he scored a hat trick against the Templars, setting a record at Ogden with 25 goals for the season.
“That meant a lot; a chance to beat the Ogden High single season scoring record. When I got a goal early, I was ready to get another one to tie the record and the third to beat it,” Rodriguez said.
“Multiple goals give me confidence; I’m excited to go back out and see if I can get another one. A hat trick is cool; I’ve had them before, but I feel like this one’s the best because it’s senior night and I’m here with my friends. It means so much to me.”
All of this when fans had trouble identifying who Rodriguez was, because he lost his No. 17 jersey as listed on the roster and showed up with No. 29 on his back and 17 on his shorts.
No matter. On Friday, Rodriguez was No. 1 as far as Ogden (14-0) fans were concerned. Rodriguez got the Tigers on the scoreboard first in the 12th minute, on a goal from the right angle.
“Someone played me in the middle and I cut to the left and saw two defenders come with me, so I kind of dragged it behind my right foot and saw an opportunity…shot it bottom corner and it went in the side netting,” Rodriguez said.
Sophomore striker Zeke Snow added a second goal just one minute, 12 seconds later as Ogden led 2-0. Rodriguez netted his second goal in the 34th minute, making it 3-0 at the half, with a little “HARD WORK” from his friends.
“Ty (Ward) dribbled down the sideline and played a beautiful cross in the middle and Zeke had a wide-open shot on the goal line,” Rodriguez said. “He was so unselfish; he let it go through his legs and it took away the defense and the keeper. I hit it with one touch in the
bottom left corner.”
An injury to Rodriguez’s lower back early in the second half put him on the trainer’s table, and senior forward Harry Hoskins filled the void with two second half goals. Hoskins scored on a penalty kick in the 51 st minute and completed the brace with a goal in the 62nd minute, making it 4-0.
In another fun side note, Hoskins was sporting jersey No. 23 instead of his roster listed No. 11 because it was ripped in Ogden’s last game.
Senior midfielder Parley Gladwell scored in the 60th minute, setting up the second time in the match that the Tigers piled goals on top of each other mere minutes apart.
Still missing in this story is Rodriguez’s hat trick and record-setting goal. He re-entered the game with 17 minutes remaining after stretching out the injury, and captured the crown and accolades with 1:50 left in the game.
“I was still a little bit sore, but needed to get back in there and score another goal, the hat trick, and the school record,” Rodriguez said.
On the defensive side of the slate, senior goalie Peregrina and “TALENT” on defense led to Ogden’s 10th shutout of the year. The Tigers have allowed only seven goals all season.
“Our motto is if one brother messes up, we fix the mistake and help win it back. We’re a big family back there,” Peregrina said. “They’re the main reason we got the shutouts. They do the hard work…the dirty work…that’s the talent right there.”
Manti’s (7-12) first shot on goal came at the 11:57 mark of the first half.
“(Defense) they’re like a brick wall. We’re so talkative; work together so well, like a well-oiled machine,” Peregrina said.
Rodriguez and Peregrina will both continue their soccer careers next year as teammates at Utah State-Eastern in Price. The Ogden seniors listed above are part of a core group emblematic of the “heart, hard work and talent” that has won back-to-back state championships with head coach Todd Scott.
They are looking to do it again, with their next game against familiar Region 12 foe No. 5 Logan (7-8) at 1:30 p.m. on Monday at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman. Both league games have been one-goal Ogden wins.
“Any time you play a team three times is always hard, but I’m excited and confident to see if we can get a three-peat,” Rodriguez said.
On the other side of the semifinals, No. 3 Morgan will take on No. 7 Ben Lomond at 3:45 p.m. at ZBS.
Bob Judson is a 50-year sportstwriting veteran and covers all things high school sports for the Standard-Examiner.
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