Boys soccer playoffs: On Roche’s golden goal, West Field stuns Fremont in 1st-round upset
Plus 6A and 5A boys soccer playoff results
-
- West Field’s Camden Hughes, left, and Fremont’s Braxton Denkers leap for an airborne ball in a 5A first-round playoff game Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- Fremont keeper Jace Clark, right, reaches for the ball against Fremont’s Charlie Gines (27) in a 5A first-round playoff game Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- West Field’s Ezra Morrison, left, and Fremont’s Luke Taylor, right, tangle for possession of the ball in a 5A first-round playoff game Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- West Field’s Daxton Laughter, left, tackles Fremont’s Ammon Stanger in a 5A first-round playoff game Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- West Field midfielder Jackson Roche pushes the ball upfield during a 5A first-round playoff game against Fremont on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- West Field’s Kaleb Rodriguez (20) reacts as Fremont’s Dax Rowley (21) protests a call during a 5A first-round playoff game Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- West Field midfielder Daxton Laughter tries to control the ball in a 5A first-round playoff game against Fremont on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- Fremont forward Dillon Chapin surveys his next move in a 5A first-round playoff game against West Field on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- West Field’s Kaleb Rodriguez eyes the field in a 5A first-round playoff game against Fremont on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- Fremont keeper Jace Clark snags the ball during a 5A first-round playoff game against West Field on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
-
- West Field midfielder Ethan Luna tries to possess the ball in a 5A first-round playoff game against Fremont on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Plain City,.
PLAIN CITY — West Field High senior captain Jackson Roche was not good enough to make the Fremont boys soccer team as a freshman.
He played for the Silverwolves as a sophomore, then transferred to West Field when the new school opened two years ago.
On Friday, Roche returned to his home away from home and haunted his former Fremont team.
“I didn’t make it my freshman year. I could have just quit, but it’s nice to come and prove that I’m a good player and I belong here,” Roche said.
Roche made a golden goal in the second period of extra time and the No. 20 Longhorns advanced into the second round of the 5A state playoffs with a 1-0 upset victory over No. 13 Fremont, their neighbor to the north.
“The ball was bouncing around; I took a touch, went to the left and shot it with all I could and it went top edge,” Roche said. “I was top 18 and figured, why not?”
Taking home the win after 95 minutes and 35 seconds of scoreless soccer, the Longhorns will now face No. 4 Granger (14-3) on the road at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, in West Valley City.
West Field (7-11) and Fremont (10-9) faced off twice in Region 5 during the regular season and were familiar with each other entering the playoffs.
“Me and the seniors used to play here and we knew what they wanted to do and how we could stop it,” Roche said. “We were talking during the breaks. We knew we had it … we just had to dig deep, keep pushing and eventually it will come — and thankfully it did.
“Being a captain, you have to have a high standard. … Live for the moment and not shy away from it,” Roche said.
Neither team had many shots on goal, but when they did, senior Fremont goalie Jace Clark and junior West Field keeper Beckham Miller were up to the task.
Miller was quick to credit his defense for the clean sheet.
“Huge shout out to Jaden Fowers and Bracken Stevenson; they worked their asses off. I know they trust me and I can trust them,” Miller said. “Byron (Salazar), Waggy (Cole Wagner), Ledger (Karras) — everyone, they’re amazing.
“My midfield, my defense, didn’t leave me much to do, but I made sure every time I had to do something, I did my best,” Miller said.
Miller also was cut from the Fremont team as a freshman and took the same path as Roche to prep for the Longhorns.
“I told my team I’m doing this for the seniors. I’m doing this for my family. I’m doing this for everyone. We knew if they were going to score, it would be from a long free kick or a corner, so we prepared,” Miller said. “I love this school, and any opportunity I can get to beat Fremont, I want to do it.”
There is some irony that former Fremont players led to the first-round exit of this class of Silverwolves.
“It’s a rough way to end the season, especially for our seniors who have given us everything for the past four years,” Fremont coach Darren Erwin said. “Unfortunately, it’s the third year in a row we’ve gone out this way; the last two went to penalty kicks, and this one in the second overtime to lose on a goal — a great shot by Jackson Roche to put it on target.
“We needed to deal with things a little bit quicker. We had plenty of opportunities. I felt like we did everything we needed to. We just missed those chances,” Erwin said.
WEBER 5, CEDAR VALLEY 0
PLEASANT VIEW — No. 15 Weber scored three goals after halftime in a 6A first-round playoff win over No. 18 Cedar Valley (1-14).
Brody Noel kept the clean sheet for Weber (7-9). Jace Rydalch and Masen Keyes each netted a brace and Beckham Dean scored one goal. Tate Johnstun assisted three goals and Trey Jones had two assists.
The Warriors advance to face No. 2 Davis (14-2) in the second round at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.
BOX ELDER 3, TAYLORSVILLE 0
BRIGHAM CITY — Ryder Cooper kept a clean sheet to lead No. 12 Box Elder to a 5A first-round playoff win over No. 21 Taylorsville (6-12).
Ezra Shimazaki, Jett Jones and Oscar Ramos each netted for Box Elder (9-3).
The Bees advance to play at No. 5 Bountiful in the second round at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.
SCORES, NO STATS REPORTED
5A first round: No. 9 Northridge 3, No. 24 Clearfield 0
5A first round: No. 18 Bonneville 4, No. 15 Cyprus 3
Justin B. Johnson contributed to score reports.
Bob Judson has covered high school sports for the Standard-Examiner for the past 51 years.
